February 12, 2016

Volume 2, Issue 1 Porter County Ag Newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Farm Succession…………………...2

Women in Ag………………….……..3

Farmers’ Tax Guide.....…………...3

Pesticide App. Train./Exam…….4

Small Farm Winter Webinars....5

Corn Production Workshop…….6

Midwest Mint Growers…………..6

Irrigated Soybean Meeting……..7

Corn and Soybean Bulletin……..8

Small Farm Conference………….9

Cover Crops Workshop……….….9

Apple Prune and Graft……..…...10

Michiana Veg. & Fruit…………...11

Avian Influenza Update………….12

USDA News…………………………..13

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Purdue Extension—Porter County

2016 Midwest Women in Agriculture Conference

Febraury 17-18

The 15 Annual Midwest Women in Agriculture Conference will take place on

Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 17-18, 2016, at the Clarion Hotel and Confer-

ence Center in Columbus, IN. The planning committee has been working hard

to provide a program to fit the needs of women in all sectors of agriculture

and in different phases of their life. Speakers will provide you with the infor-

mation need by women involved in various aspects of agriculture to help their

enterprises and help them live a better life.

Featured this year as keynote speaker is Jolene Brown of West Branch, IA, a

farmer, author, professional speaker, and champion for the people of agricul-

ture. Besides full days of general and elective sessions, networking breaks and

activities on Wednesday and Thursday, attendees can elect to attend a pre-

conference program on Tuesday afternoon covering land leases on tight mar-

gins. In addition, there will be a Young Ladies of Agriculture Forum on

Wednesday evening at the same location.

Full details and registration information is at the Purdue Women in Agriculture

website at https://ag.purdue.edu/extension/WIA/. You can still register to

attend!

2

Farming Together Workshops Focus on Succession

Planning

Farm families that involve more than one generation in the operation are in-

vited to consider seriously participation in the upcoming Farming Together

Series. The focus of this workshop will be on “Planning for Retirement and Es-

tate Management.”

The first day of the two-day workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (local

time) and includes lunch. This session is highlighted by discussion of the fol-

lowing topics:

How do you account for sweat equity in the business?

How does insurance fit into estate planning? What do I need to do to effec-

tively prepare my estate plan?

How do you account for generational differences in estate planning?

How do you plan for possible long-term care needs? What are my options?

What alternatives do you have to fund your retirement? How do you plan

to retire?

The second day includes a complimentary one-hour farm family meeting with

a member of Purdue Extension’s Farm Succession Planning Team. The empha-

sis will be placed on reviewing the needs of the family operation and facili-

tating a discussion to communicate a plan to develop strategies based on what

was learned from Day 1. More specifically, individual families can get assis-

tance to help organize their goals, assess financial feasibility of a transfer, eval-

uate alternative strategies to achieve family goals, and assist in identifying

their planning team.

Registration is due Feb. 16 for the following location.

Jasper County: Jasper Co. Fairgrounds, Rensselaer (March 1-2)

The workshop registration fee is $150 for the first four family members and

$15 for each additional member. Registration forms are available at the Porter

Co. Extension website at http://www.extension.purdue.edu/porter. For more

information, contact Denise Schroeder, Purdue Extension Educator – White

County, at 219-984-5515 or schroedd@purdue.edu.

Funding for the workshop was provided by the North Central Risk Manage-

ment Agency and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Partners

include the Purdue Women in Agriculture Team and the Purdue Farm Succes-

sion Planning Team.

3

Purdue Women in Agriculture Regional Meeting,

March 8

A northwest regional meeting of Purdue Women in Agriculture will be held on

Tuesday, March 8, at the Purdue Extension – Tippecanoe County office locat-

ed at 3150 Sagamore Parkway South in Lafayette. With registration beginning

at 9:30 a.m. EST (8:30 a.m. CST), this program will be both inspirational and

informational for women involved in many aspects of agriculture.

The program will feature Sharing a Passion for Ag: Through the Lens of a Farm

Girl by Erin Ehnle. With a passion for agriculture and photography, Erin ties

the two together to promote and spread agriculture awareness through the

digital world. She uses her ag photography, designed with facts and statistics,

to advocate for and help spread ag knowledge.

Additional topics will include strategies to survive in 2016, back to the basics

of farm financial management, keeping the farm business in the family-

managing its transfer, and other hot topics.

Registration is $20 and includes handouts and lunch. Registration is due by

March 1. A registration flyer is available at www.extension.purdue.edu/

Porter or call the Porter County Extension office for more information at 219-

465-3555.

Farmers’ Tax Guide

Income tax season is soon to be upon us. The Farmer’s Tax Guide explains

how federal tax laws apply to farming. Specifically, this IRS publication

(Publication 225) describes the taxation of income, expense deductions, the

tax basis of assets, depreciation, gains and losses on the disposition of assets,

and various taxes (e.g., self-employment taxes) impacting production agricul-

ture. A PDF version of the Farmer’s Tax Guide is available at: www.irs.gov/

pub/irs-pdf/p225.pdf. An online version (HTML) is also available at

www.irs.gov/publications/p225.

4

Pesticide Applicator Training/Exams

Those needing to obtain certification as a private pesticide applicator may do

so in 2016 by taking the pesticide core exam. A private pesticide applicator is

anyone who applies pesticides to property they own, rent or otherwise con-

trol, for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity. Any private

applicator wishing to buy and use restricted-use pesticides must be certi-

fied. Certification demonstrates a person’s responsibility to personal, fami-

ly, and employee health and safety; community welfare; and protection of

land and water.

To become certified, a private applicator must pass the Pesticide Core exam

administered by the Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC), the state regula-

tory agency that oversees pesticide and fertilizer products and those who

sell, transport and apply them. Private applicators may register for one-day

trainings on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus at the end of which the Core

exam is taken. They may also take the Core exam with no training at regional

locations around the state – the closest site is Pinney Purdue Ag Center near

Wanatah on Tuesday, February 16, anytime from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. CST.

Everyone taking an exam at any of the locations must show a government

issued photo ID.

A private fertilizer applicator is anyone who applies manure from a Confined

Feeding Operation (CFO) to property they own, rent or otherwise control, for

purposes of producing an agricultural commodity. Any private applicator

wishing to use (apply, handle or transport) manure from a CFO must be certi-

fied by passing the Agricultural Fertilizer (Category 14) exam. Farmers that

just apply commercial fertilizer to their own acres are not required to be cer-

tified. The ag fertilizer (Cat. 14) exam may be taken at the same locations as

the pesticide Core exam. The study manual for the ag fertilizer exam may be

viewed online.

For information about training and exam sessions, and more information

about the certification process, please visit the Purdue Pesticide Program

website at www.ppp.purdue.edu and click on “Private Applicators.” There

you can download a flyer for the training sessions plus Core exam or infor-

mation about the regional exam only dates and locations.

Those private or commercial applicators who have a current certification are

also encouraged to visit the Purdue Pesticide Program website

(www.ppp.purdue.edu) to get information about their certification from the

OISC database, to view session dates for recertification credits, to review

pesticide laws and regulations, and to obtain access to information about

products, dealers and pesticide complaint investigations.

5

Winter Webinars Cover Ag Production, Marketing

Topics for Beginning or Small Farmers

Purdue Extension is offering a series of weekly webinars to provide beginning

farmers and operators of small farms with information on a range of topics.

The webinars are free and will run 11 a.m. to noon Central time on Wednes-

days. Topics already presented (beekeeping, sustainable farm planning and

productive pastures) are recorded for viewing; see information below.

“Participants will learn how leading practices in production, management

and marketing can help them improve profitability and sustainability,” said

Roy Ballard, Extension educator in Hancock County and a member of Purdue

Extension’s Small Farms Team, which is sponsoring the series.

Remaining topics and presenters:

Feb. 17: “High Tunnel Opportunities”; Liz Maynard, Extension vegetable

production.

Feb. 24: “Walk-Behind Tractors and Their Applications on Small Farms”; Mi-

chael O’Donnell, Extension educator in Delaware County.

March 2: “Food Safety Modernization Act”; Scott Monroe, Extension food

safety educator.

March 9: “To Certify Organic Or Not? Separating the Production and Certifi-

cation Issues”; Maria Marshall, small business development.

March 16: “Foodlink: A New Tool to Link Customers with Farm Fresh

Foods”; Roy Ballard, Extension educator in Hancock County.

March 23: “Alternative Energy Possibilities on Your Farm”; Chad Martin,

renewable energy.

March 30: “Identifying Disease and Pest Problems on the Farm”; Tom Cre-

swell, director of the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab.

April 6: “Irrigation Options for Market Gardens and Small Farms”; Lyndon

Kelley, irrigation.

April 13: “Dairy Goats 101”; Sara Dzimianski, Extension educator in Perry

County.

The webinars are free, but registration is required. Each program will be rec-

orded and available for viewing later on the Small Farms Team website at

https://ag.purdue.edu/Extension/smallfarms/Pages/default.aspx.

For more information or to sign up, go to: https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/

form/SV_bmBrd3hIYREwlWB.

6

Corn Production Workshop, February 25

Northern Indiana farmers are encouraged to attend an agronomic meeting on

corn production with an eye on the bottom line. Sponsored jointly by Purdue

Extension and Michigan State Extension, Corn Production Practices for Rough

Economic Times will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb.

25 at Southwestern Michigan College-Niles, 33890 U.S. 12, Niles, Michigan

(located just 3 miles north of the state line near South Bend).

The program consists of speakers from Purdue and Michigan State presenting

information on corn marketing, corn disease, pest, weed and nutrient man-

agement focusing on cost effectiveness and production efficiencies. There will

also be a session on using precision ag data to find yield limiting factors in

corn production. The program is co-sponsored by the Indiana Corn Marketing

Council and Michigan Corn Marketing Program.

Registration is $30 per person. A workshop flyer with more information and

online registration is available at http://events.anr.msu.edu/

cornproduction2016/. Registration deadline is Feb. 16.

Private and commercial applicators in Michigan and Indiana can get pesticide

applicator recertification credits. Indiana private applicators need to bring

their license and $10 for a PARP fee. Also, Certified Crop Advisers can get con-

tinuing education unit credits toward their certifications.

Midwest Mint Growers, February 25-26

Midwest mint growers will gather Thursday and Friday, Feb. 25-26, in north-

ern Indiana to learn various topics about production of this essential oils crop.

The Midwest Mint Growers Meeting is hosted by the Indiana Mint Market De-

velopment and Research Council, Agricultural Research at Purdue and Purdue

Extension. It will be held at Swan Lake Resort, 5203 Plymouth-LaPorte Trail

near Plymouth, Indiana.

Mint has been a staple crop in northwestern and north-central Indiana since

the late 1800s because of the favorable soil types and relatively high water in

the area. It also does well in southern Michigan and Wisconsin. Mint is pri-

marily grown for its oil, which is used as flavoring for gum and candy, tooth-

paste and other oral hygiene products, and in the pharmaceutical industry.

Indiana ranks fourth in peppermint production and fifth in spearmint produc-

tion in the United States. (cont. pg. 7)

7

The meeting will cover topics including weed management, crop insurance,

pest control and industry updates. Presentations from several Purdue spe-

cialists with expertise in economics, equipment, growing and processing will

be included in the meeting.

On Feb. 25, guest speaker Noel Stuckman, a longtime mint grower from

Michigan, will deliver an after-dinner talk about mint production in the

1940s. For more information on this meeting you can click on the link be-

low: https://ag.purdue.edu/arp/Pages/Mint.aspx.

Credits for private and commercial applicators and Certified Crop Adviser

continuing education units will be available. Private applicators are asked to

bring their license and $10 for the PARP fee.

Irrigated Soybean Meeting, February 29

Irrigated Soybean Production will be held 8:30 a.m. EST to 3:30 p.m. EST on

Monday, Feb. 29 at the Blue Gate Restaurant, 195 North Van Buren St., Ship-

shewana, Indiana.

This program will also feature speakers from both Purdue and Michigan State

Universities on the following topics: soybean seeding rates, irrigation schedul-

ing, soybean cyst nematode and diseases, and cutting soybean production

costs. In addition, a producer panel will share experiences raising irrigated soy-

beans. The program is co-sponsored by the Michigan Soybean Checkoff and the

Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Registration is $10 and an RSVP is requested. A meeting flyer with more infor-

mation can be found online at https://

events.anr.msu.edu/2016soybeanshipshewana. Registration deadline is Feb.

26.

Private and commercial applicators in Michigan and Indiana can get pesticide

applicator recertification credits. Indiana private applicators need to bring their

license and $10 for a PARP fee. Also, Certified Crop Advisers can get credits to-

ward their certifications.

Private and commercial applicators in Michigan and Indiana can get pesticide

applicator recertification credits. Indiana private applicators need to bring their

license and $10 for a PARP fee. Also, Certified Crop Advisers can get credits to-

ward their certifications.

8

2015 Corn and Soybean Performance Trial Data

The Purdue Crop Performance Program (PCPP) annual Corn and Soybean Per-

formance Trial Bulletin was recently posted online. The corn and soybean re-

sults are compiled from the 2015 growing season. Over 40 trial results were

collected from 13 test locations across Indiana. The PCPP is designed to help

farmers and others interested in crop production compare crop data across

Indiana and the surrounding states.

The Purdue Crop Performance Program collects corn and soybean data across

the state of Indiana. This data is used in the multi-state corn and soybean data-

bases. The databases are a tool used to effectively search and compare crop

test results. The databases are distinctive to Purdue University with results

from The Ohio State University, Michigan State University, University of Ken-

tucky and the University of Illinois.

In evaluating Indiana data, there are approximately 20 corn and 20 soybean

companies that are partnered with the program and over 200 corn hybrids and

180 soybean varieties evaluated each year. Each year a corn and soybean bul-

letin is designed to describe this data. The 2015 corn and soybean bulletin is

available at https://ag.purdue.edu/agry/pcpp.

Indiana farmers who raise soybeans are being asked to participate in a survey

to help identify soybean “yield gaps,” those factors that cause soybean yields

to be lower than what is and should be possible on your farm. Farmers are

asked to provide agronomic and yield information on four 2015 fields of soy-

bean and four 2014 fields of soybean that were grown on their farms.

Survey forms can be quickly completed as a “fillable” PDF form in a spread-

sheet format. The forms are available from the Porter County Extension office

(call 219-465-3555) or download a letter describing the soybean survey and

the forms at www.extension.purdue.edu/Porter. Surveys are asked to be re-

turned by February 29.

Keep in mind that all data submissions from Indiana soybean producers will be

kept strictly confidential. Annual reports will be provided to all crop producers

informing them of what factors have been identified that are likely limiting

soybean yields from reaching their full potential. Completed surveys can be

returned to the Porter County Extension office or they can be scanned and

emailed. Please contact Lyndsay Ploehn at the number above or email her at

lploehn@purdue.edu.

This project is funded by the North Central Soybean Research Program

(NCSRP) – part of soybean farmers’ check-off dollars. The goal is to collect at

least 300 surveys from across Indiana.

9

Small Farm Conference, March 3-5, 2016

The Purdue Extension Small Farms and Sustainable Agriculture Team is ex-

cited to announce the 4th Annual Indiana Small Farm Conference which

will be held Thursday through Saturday, March 3 – 5, 2016 at the Hen-

dricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex in Danville, Indi-

ana.

The Indiana Small Farm Conference will provide small farmers with oppor-

tunities to learn and interact with other farmers, producers, Extension ed-

ucators, researchers and students. There will be sessions about crop pro-

duction, hoop houses, livestock production, processing and marketing pro-

duce and foods, energy, and small farm management.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend practical pre-conference

workshops on Thursday, March 3. Formal conference sessions will be held

on Friday and Saturday, March 4 & 5.

For details visit www.ag.purdue.edu/smallfarms. To register for the 2016

Indiana Small Farm Conference, visit Purdue Extension – The Education

Store (www.the-education-store.com; scroll down to click on “Workshops”

on left side of page; select “Indiana Small Farm Conference” to begin the

registration process).

Cover Crops Workshop, March 29

Learn some of the many benefits of using cover crops in farming systems at a

workshop on Tuesday, March 29 beginning at 8:30 a.m. CDT at American Le-

gion located at 959 West Indiana Street (State Road 8) in Kouts. Sponsored

by Porter County SWCD and Purdue Extension, the workshop will include

morning presentations on the benefits of using cover crops in a cropping sys-

tem, nutrient cycling concepts using cover crops, soil moisture comparisons

with and without cover crops, and proper cover crop management and termi-

nation. Cover crop economic costs and benefits will also be discussed.

During the afternoon, visits will be made to a field farmed by Jim Kreiger

where cover crops have been planted to examine soil physical properties and

rooting depths.

Registration for the workshop is free, but participants are asked to RSVP to

get an accurate count for lunch and resource materials. Please call Porter Co.

SWCD at 219-462-7515 or Porter Co. Extension at 219-465-3555.

Credits for private and commercial applicators and Certified Crop Adviser

CEUs will be available. Private applicators are asked to bring their license and

$10 for the PARP fee.

10

Apple Pruning & Grafting Workshop, March 8

Purdue Extension-Lake County is hosting an Apple Pruning and Grafting Work-

shop on Tuesday, March 8 from 1 to 5 p.m. CST at Buckley Homestead locat-

ed at 3606 Belshaw Road, Lowell.

Dr. Peter Hirst, Purdue Horticulture Specialist, will first discuss the science be-

hind the pruning of fruit trees. He will then demonstrate pruning using the ap-

ple trees at the Buckley Homestead.

Dr. Hirst will also demonstrate the art of grafting. Participants can practice how

to graft their own trees. The entire program is free of charge to anyone that

wants to come and learn. However, if you would like to graft your own trees,

there is a $10 fee in order for you to take home up to 5 apple trees. Please

bring your own gloves! You can even bring sticks (scions) from your own favor-

ite apple trees to graft. You can check out the flyer on our website: exten-

sion.purdue.edu/porter

Pruning and grafting are very important for any fruit tree. Pruning the tree

makes sure the tree forms and grows in a way that it can hold up the fruit

without breaking. Proper pruning also helps the tree stay healthier by pre-

venting diseases. Healthy trees have good light getting to all portions of the

tree as well as better air circulation.

Grafting trees is where you take a portion of one tree and put it onto another

tree. This is especially useful for apple trees as it helps to control the height of

the tree. Otherwise all apple trees would be 20-30 feet tall. Grafting can also

help with certain plants to prevent disease problems.

To register for the program or questions, contact Nikky Witkowski, Purdue Ex-

tension-Lake County, by email nikky@purdue.edu, or phone 219-755-3240.

You can also register online at: https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/

SV_3mlnnrjhSl3nLfL. Information can also be found on the Purdue Extension-

Lake County website: www.extension.purdue.edu/Lake; click on “Garden.”

11

Michiana Vegetable and Fruit Growers Meeting,

March 9

A Michiana Vegetable and Fruit Growers Meeting sponsored by Purdue

Extension will be held on Wednesday, March 9 at the Elkhart County Com-

munity Center located at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, 17746 Coun-

ty Road 34, Goshen, IN. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. EST with registra-

tion and an industry trade show.

The day-long program will include topics on using fungicides on vegetable

crops, new menacing insect pests and raising strawberries in high tunnels.

There will also be information on the Food Safety Modernization Act and

its impact on local growers; Drifwatch, a registry to help growers avoid

herbicide drift; and Foodlink, a new tool to help market produce. There

will also be discussions on managing fertility, the winter environment and

tomato support systems all in high tunnels. The meeting will conclude with

a panel discussion on important issues that producers are facing.

Registration is $30 and includes handouts and lunch. Discounts apply for

additional participants from the same operation. Registration deadline is

March 2. A registration flyer can be downloaded from

www.extension.purdue.edu/Porter.

Private and commercial applicators can get pesticide applicator recertifica-

tion credits. Indiana private applicators need to bring their license and $10

for a PARP fee. Also, Certified Crop Advisers can get credits toward their

certifications.

12

Avian Influenza Update

On January 15, 2016, it was announced that confirmed cases of Highly Patho-

genic Avian Influenza H7N8 were found in Dubois County, Indiana. State, local

and federal agencies have been working together on containment and depop-

ulation operations. On January 16, nine additional avian influenza detections

were announced, with the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA)

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirming on January 17

that eight flocks had been confirmed as low pathogenic avian influenza. There

have been no new positive tests since January 16.

Avian influenza does not present a food safety risk; poultry and eggs are safe

to eat. Officials are not aware of any public health significance with this virus.

Human infection from an H7 virus is uncommon, but can cause some conjunc-

tivitis and/or upper respiratory tract symptoms. Human health agencies will be

monitoring workers and others in contact with birds to monitor for illness.

Backyard poultry owners are encouraged to be aware of the signs of avian in-

fluenza and report illness and/or death to the USDA Healthy Birds Hotline: 866

-536-7593. Callers will be routed to a state or federal veterinarian in Indiana

for a case assessment. Dead birds should be double-bagged and refrigerated

for possible testing.

Signs include: sudden death without clinical signs; lack of energy or appetite;

decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple

discoloration of head, eyelids, comb, hocks; nasal discharge; coughing; sneez-

ing; lack of coordination; and diarrhea. A great resource for backyard bird

health information is online at: http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov/.

Situation updates and status reports about ongoing avian influenza activities,

along with critical disease-related information, will be posted online at:

www.in.gov/boah/2390.htm.

There have been no announcements from the Indiana Board of Animal Health

(BOAH) about the cancellation of any poultry exhibitions, including showing 4-

H poultry projects at county fairs in 2016. Information updates on poultry exhi-

bitions will be made available from BOAH and from local County Extension

offices.

Forbes.com

13

USDA News

Enrollment Underway for 2016 USDA Safety Net Coverage – Producers

who chose coverage from the safety net programs established by the 2014

Farm Bill, known as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or the Price Loss

Coverage (PLC) programs can now begin visiting FSA county offices to sign

contracts to enroll in coverage for 2016. The enrollment period will end on

Aug. 1, 2016.

Although the choices between ARC and PLC is completed and remains in

effect through 2018, producers must still enroll their farm by signing a con-

tract each year to receive the coverage. For more details regarding these

programs, go to www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.

USDA Begins 49th Enrollment Period for the Conservation Reserve Pro-

gram (CRP) – The general enrollment period for CRP is now underway and

ends on Feb. 26, 2016.

December 2015 also marked the 30th anniversary of CRP, a federally fund-

ed program that assists agricultural producers with the cos of restoring,

enhancing and protecting certain grasses shrubs and trees to improve wa-

ter quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. A com-

memorative website to mark this milestone for CRP is www.fsa.usda.gov/

CRPis30.

Purdue Extension Porter County

155 Indiana Ave.

Suite 301

Valparaiso, IN 46383

Phone: 219-465-3555

Fax: 219-464-8976

E-mail: lploehn@purdue.edu

It is the policy of the Purdue University

Cooperative Extension Service that all

persons have equal opportunity and access

to its educational programs, services,

activities, and facilities without regard to

race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin

or ancestry, marital status, parental status,

sexual orientation, disability or status as a

veteran. Purdue University is an Affirmative

Action institution. This material may be

available in alternative formats.

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Important Dates to Remember

Feb 16 Pesticide App Train/Exam

Feb 17-18 Women in Ag Conference

Feb 25 Corn Production Workshop

Feb 25-26 Midwest Mint Growers

Feb 29 Irrigated Soybean Meeting

Mar 1-2 Farm Succession Planning

Mar 3-5 Small Farm Conference

Mar 8 Women in Ag Regional Meet

Mar 8 Apple Pruning and Grafting

Mar 9 Michiana Vegt. & Fruit Meeting

Mar 29 Cover Crops Workshop