Ohio Ag Dept. plans drought meetings

Submitted information

REYNOLDSBURG — The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), Ohio State University Extension and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will host a series of meetings throughout the state in September to provide crop and livestock farmers with information on farming in a drought and on accessing available relief resources.

In July, Governor John R. Kasich signed Executive Order 2012-11K, instructing state agencies to work with Ohio’s farmers to minimize the potential environmental and economic impact of an agricultural drought. As part of the order, ODA was instructed to hold a series of educational meetings to discuss forage management, water availability, heat stress on livestock, mitigation strategies and other drought-related topics.

The meetings will include officials from ODA, Ohio State University Extension and FSA. The public will have the opportunity to talk with experts and ask questions at the following meetings:

September 10, 5:30-8 p.m., Ohio Department of Agriculture, Bromfield Administration Building (Auditorium), 8995 E. Main St. in Reynoldsburg

September 12, 5:30-8 p.m., Heidelberg University, Campus Center Building (Room 120 and “The Great Hall”), 310 E. Market St. in Tiffin.

September 17, 5:30-8 p.m., OARDC Wooster Campus, Fisher Auditorium, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster.

September  20, 5:30-8 p.m., Greenville High school, Cafeteria (Room106), 100 Green Wave Way in Greenville

September  25, 5:30-8 p.m., Ohio University Zanesville & Zane State College,

Campus Center Building (Rooms T430 and 431), 1425 Newark Road in Zanesville

September 27, 5:30-8 p.m., Hocking College, John Light Hall (Room 195), 3301 Hocking Parkway in Nelsonville

Additional meetings will be announced as they are scheduled.

For more information on other drought related resources, visit http://www.agri.ohio.gov/TopNews/DroughtInformationAndResources/.