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Ohio farmers find success with nutrient management practices

Farmers have found success with their operations after implementing water quality practices to reduce phosphorous and nutrient runoff from their crop fields.

Frank Burkett III from Stark County in eastern Ohio says he built additional manure storage on his dairy farm so manure can be applied to fields at optimum times of the year.

“The cover crops have been a great addition to our operation. The additional manure storage has allowed us to manage our nutrients and place them on the crops when they need them rather than the manure storage dictating when we do nutrient applications to our fields” says Burkett.

Burkett is the President of the Ohio Farm Bureau.

Terry McClure is from Paulding County in western Ohio on the Indiana border. He tells Brownfield finding productive uses for fields over winter, possibly by planting cover crops is also key to nutrient management.

“You know, if you think about a corn and soybean rotation there’s a lot of months where there’s nothing really growing. There may still be fodder there but there’s nothing really growing so we think about keeping our soil more active and alive. Those growing roots there is what feeds that bacteria.” says McClure.

McClure is the Chairman of the Ohio Soybean Council.

Keith Truckor has a grain operation in Fulton County on the Michigan border. He tells Brownfield one of his practices has been to test the soil before determining nutrient applications.

“We soil test every three years and we variable rate the nutrients we put on the land so therefore we are not over applying any nutrients we put on the soil” says Truckor.

Truckor is the Chairman of the Ohio Corn Checkoff.

Brownfield spoke with the farmers at an Ohio Grain Farmers conference in Toledo. More information about initiatives and best management practices for farmers can be found at Ohio Water Quality.org

Audio: Frank Burkett III, Stark County Ohio

 

Audio: Terry McClure, Paulding County Ohio

 

Audio: Keith Truckor, Fulton County Ohio