Farm and Dairy’s week in review: 2/7

Here are this week’s top stories from Farm and Dairy:

1. Ohio tax advisory group to discuss CAUV changes March 5

The current agricultural use value, or CAUV, was designed to benefit farmers. Recently, however, the program hasn’t helped much because of market fluctuations and increased commodity prices.

The Ohio Farmers Union and the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation presented suggestions for amending the current CAUV formula, and now those suggestions are going to the table when the Ohio agricultural advisory committee meets next month.

2. Ohio’s Young Ag Professionals enjoy ‘perfect growing season’

With the theme “Growing our Generation,” the recent Ohio Farm Bureau’s Young Ag Professionals conference offered plenty of opportunities for attendees to relax, mingle and learn. The Peterson Farm Bros. were there to entertain, and there were educational sessions that focused on balancing work and family life as well as hot agricultural topics like hydroponics, aquaculture, micro-breweries and others.

3. Get crafty with mason jars

If canning season ended and you still found a few unused mason jars on your shelves, put them to use with a few fun projects. With only a handful of supplies, you can create mason jar candles. Or, you can combine some pantry staples in a jar to use as a quick weeknight meal or as a gift. Mason jars work great as vases too, and sprucing one up with spray paint takes no time at all.

4. February’s gardening to-do list

Once the calendar turned to February, gardeners began to wish for spring even more. While there are still many weeks left before seeds can be sown and seedlings can be transplanted, gardeners have a few other tasks to complete while the temperatures are cold.

Seed orders should be wrapped up this month, and supplies for starting seeds indoors should be prepared before the end of the month. Also, landscape plants need tended to, and property owners need to protect plants, especially as salt is spread when conditions are icy.

5. Ohio lawmakers, farmers call for ‘sound science’ in water quality rules

Water quality was one of the major issues in the spotlight in 2014, after toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie caused the city of Toledo, Ohio, to ban drinking water. Now, members of the Ohio House Agricultural and Rural Development Committee are listening to Ohio farmers and farm organizations, getting their input on a new bill that would affect how farmers are allowed to apply manure. Although the entire state could be affected, the focus will likely be on Northwest Ohio’s Lake Erie Watershed.