Yearly Archives: 2026
Congress is out to lunch: USDA proceeds with 23% job cuts
With lawmakers in session for only a handful of days this summer, Congress is failing to provide oversight for a sweeping USDA reorganization. Alan Guebert details how the agency plans to slash its workforce by 23% and move headquarters out of Washington, D.C., without a budget fight.
New World Screwworm: A continuing problem on farms
The New World screwworm has been detected in the U.S. for the first time in over 50 years. While the pest thrives in warm climates, livestock transport makes Ohio herds vulnerable during summer. Ohio State University experts explain how to identify NWS, treat wounds, and protect your animals.
3 strategies to overcome summer grazing challenges
Struggling with weeds, overgrazing or the midsummer pasture slump? Sandra Trushel of Ohio State University Extension outlines how to use flexible rotational grazing to break selective grazing cycles, fight weeds, and protect your grass through dry July and August weather.
Don’t let your soil turn into chocolate milk
Recent summer rains are washing away valuable farm soil. Columbiana SWCD’s Pete Conkle breaks down how cover crops protect fields from erosion, improve soil health, and boost nutrients. Learn how to start small with an oat and radish mix and explore application methods like drone seeding.
Farm and Dairy Weekly Rundown: Episode 66 (7-16-26)
Reporters Liz Partsch and Paul Rowley give a rundown of the top stories in Farm and Dairy newspaper for the week of July 16, 2026.
Hose water and vinyl seats: How we survived 1970s summers
Remember when summer survival meant drinking from a garden hose, sliding down scorching metal slides, and riding in cars with sticky vinyl seats? Columnist Kymberly Foster Seabolt takes a nostalgic, humorous look at how we survived childhood heat waves in the 1970s without air conditioning.
New law makes way for carbon capture and sequestration in Ohio
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed House Bill 170, establishing a regulatory framework for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). This key step brings Ohio closer to securing primacy over Class VI injection wells to streamline permitting for carbon storage.
Ohio’s new oil and gas law sparks debate over expedited permitting
Ohio's newly signed Senate Bill 219 streamlines oil and gas drilling, shortening permit approval times and protecting the state's well-plugging fund. While industry advocates say it boosts competitiveness, environmentalists warn of rapid fracking on public lands with less oversight.
Obituary – William T. “Bill” McKarns
William T. “Bill” McKarns, 94, of Hanoverton, Ohio, died July 14. He was known as the "father of the qualified herdbook" for Holstein dairy cattle.
Farmers, butcher discuss meat processing bottlenecks with lawmaker
Congressman Chris Deluzio heard from local farmers and butchers in western Pennsylvania about the challenges they face with meat processing. A lack of USDA-inspected butcher shops and a shortage of qualified and willing individuals to staff these shops are hindering growth for local farms.
