CANFIELD, Ohio — It seems you can never know enough about fertilizer these days.
A June 22 Field Day in Mahoning County was designed to help answer questions about applying fertilizer, and after the event, participants can obtain the newly required state certification for anyone who applies fertilizer, other than manure, to more than 50 acres.
The event will feature speakers Lee Beers and Rory Lewandowski, Ohio State University Extension educators in Trumble and Wayne counties respectively, who will discuss soil fertility and using fertilizer to improve crop production.
OSU Extension is an outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Eric Barrett, a Mahoning County OSU Extension educator, will train participants on fertilizer application safety and best management practices.
A soil test can determine how much fertilizer is in the soil, then a grower needs to how much of that the crop will require to produce the desired yield, Lewandowski said. Having figured out both, the grower can then know how much fertilizer needs to be spread on a field, he said.
“People may be surprised to find out that sometimes they’re over-applying fertilizer,” Lewandowski said.
Through the Field Day, farmers will receive research-based training to keep nutrients in the field and available to crops while reducing nutrients leaving the field.
The requirement that some fertilizer applicators become certified is in response to concern that phosphorous from farm fields contributes to blue-green algal blooms in Lake Erie. The certification must be obtained by Sept. 30.
Certified crop advisors who attend the Field Day can receive Continuing Education units.
This program will be held June 22 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Terry Baird Farms, located at 9471 Berlin Station Road in Canfield.
Registration is $5 per participant, which covers the cost of lunch and handouts. Registration information can be found at go.osu.edu/June22FieldDay, or by calling the office at 330-533-5538.
— Mahoning County Extension