Wednesday, January 9, 2013

OHIO FORAGE & GRASSLANDS COUNCIL CONFERENCE!

The Ohio Forages and Grasslands Council Annual Meeting will be held February 8, 2013 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg, OH. The program focuses on “Adapting to our Changing Climate” featuring Dr. Chris Teutsch, the Forage and Livestock Specialist at Virginia Tech's Southern Piedmont Research and Extension Center near Blackstone, Virginia. An Ohio native and an outstanding speaker, Dr. Teutsch has very practical advice on how to make pasture and forage systems more resilient to weather extremes.

Do you know how often we face water deficits for pasture production? Come and find out --- the statistics may surprise you! Dr. Teutsch will discuss management that will improve pasture production by more than 33% while also increasing drought tolerance of pastures through a stronger plant root system.

You will also learn how to plan ahead for filling in the cool season grass summer slump and other periods of forage deficit with alternative forages. This is a timely topic as we look back at the drought of 2012 and look forward to how to prepare for weather extremes in the future.

Dr. Teutsch will host two sessions during the day. The conference will also feature a panel of beef, sheep and dairy producers who will share how they manage and utilize forages in their operations.
Other topics will include how nutrient management plan standards affect livestock producers, how to produce and utilize late season oat forage, and research on alfalfa fertilization in Ohio. In addition, this year’s winners of the Ohio State Grazing Essay Contest and Ohio Forage & Grasslands Council Awards will be announced!

For more details of the program and a registration form, click here. Print the form, fill it out and mail it to the address indicated before February 1st.