Pictures

Pictures from the 2009 Putnam County Fair coming soon.....

Manure runoff

Applying manure to a tiled field doesn't have a negative effect on nearby water - in terms of carbon - when compared to other fertilizer systems, according to a Purdue University study. Using six years of drainage data, Ron Turco and Sylvie Brouder, both professors of agronomy, found that the use of swine manure lagoon effluent in a tiled agricultural field did not increase carbon getting into nearby waterways. The results of their study were detailed in a recent issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality."It was surprising in a way that carbon loads were relatively low at the discharge points," Brouder said. "The assumption was that manure was adding significantly."Tiles set below the surface of agricultural fields direct excess water out of the soil and, eventually, into a nearby stream. There has been a concern that tiles flush manure, manure components such as dissolved carbon, or other soil nutrients into water systems faster, damaging water quality. Carbon is a concern because bacteria, such as E. coli, consume carbon. Adding carbon to a stream could improve conditions for microbial growth, including harmful bacteria. Manure lagoon effluent, the liquid formed and used as fertilizer after manure is stored in lagoons, contains a high amount of carbon."In general, we didn't see more carbon in manure systems, but rainfall near an application event did promote some movement," Turco said. "However, we didn't see a huge fluctuation out of any of these agricultural systems, but we are still looking at the nitrogen data."Turco and Brouder, along with former graduate student Matt Ruark, measured the carbon emissions from 1999 to 2004 at the Purdue Water Quality Field Station, a research facility that allows scientists to study the effects of farm management practices on water quality. The study included four blocks of 12 plots each with different crop rotations and varied fertilizer-application practices.Carbon emission into streams was the same in tiled fields fertilized with manure as in tiled fields using other sources of fertilizer. The amount of carbon reaching waterways increased in all fields during years with higher rainfall totals. "We saw a few blips, things where there was a heavy rain after a manure application, but nothing that was statistically significant," Turco said.The U.S. Department of Agriculture funded Turco and Brouder's research

Putnam County Fair Rolls on

Got some free time, especially during the day? Virgil could use some help in the milk barn selling white and chocolate milk. Just for an hour break would be great. Farm Bureau members are getting ready for the shows. The Goat show was completed last night with the dogs being shown today. Swine will kick off the week Monday, followed by Beef on Tuesday, Sheep on Wednesday, Dairy Thursday with showmanship's Round Robin that night, the livestock auction will start to wrap things up on Friday. Lots to see and do at this year's fair. Twice as many food stands as in the past so there should be something for everyone. Park in the back forty but get a ride to the fairgrounds. Carnival will begin today for those that like that sort of thing.
See you at the Fair,
Steve Cash
Putnam County Farm Bureau, Inc.

Putnam County Fair

Putnam County Farm Bureau, Inc. will be visible at the fair with the following activities:

Queen Contest - $100 donated to Chelsey Clark on July 11th
Milk Barn - all week
Saturday, July 18th - Sponsor of Beef Ultrasound program
Thursday, July 23 5 pm - Pet Parade
- Tenure Awards presented - donated by FB

Friday, July 24th at 3:00 pm - Pedal Pull
- Master Gardner Award - donated by FB
- Livestock Auction

Putnam Co. Farm Bureau news

First off we would like to welcome Clayton McCammack and Forest Knapp to the board as Clayton was elected at the annual meeting and Forest was appointed at our last meeting. At our meeting Monday the Cloverdale FFA updated the board on their activities. They are currently making plans for their exhibit at the County Fair where they will have animals available for the children to pet. At the meeting the board agreed to provide "Champions in Animal Care" t-shirts for all ten year members who exhibit animals at the fair. Other Farm Bureau activities at the fair will include providing a $100 award to the new Fair Queen, supporting the Beef Ultrasound program, awarding the Master Gardner Award, purchasing a 4-H member's Livestock Sale Animal, providing 4-H Tenure awards, and conducting the Pet Parade on Thursday along with the Pedal Pull on Friday afternoon. Our Infamous Milk Barn will once again be open under the guidance of past FB President Virgil Arnold. Any FB member wishing to help in the Milk Barn need only to stop in and see Virgil during the fair. We look forward to seeing everyone at the fair.

Three bills of concern in Washington.

Climate Change HR 2454

CLIMATE CHANGE: Full House expected to Vote Before the Fourth of July Holiday - The Bill Will Hurt Farmers. Your messages needed NOW!

Climate Change legislation is moving quickly through Congress. Costs for producers will rise and farm income is expected to fall. The outcome will unquestionably have an enormous impact on U.S. agriculture.

Analysis from EPA shows that energy prices would rise. Fertilizer costs and electricity rates would jump as well. And while U.S. farmers are trying to absorb these huge costs and regulations, foreign competitors will not face the same restrictions.

Rushing to make a decision of this magnitude without having all the facts and information for an informed decision is bad policy! Legislators are being asked to vote before USDA has even had a chance to figure the costs to farmers. The agriculture sector is being asked to accept higher costs from the Climate Change bill; while all farmers will face potentially higher costs, only a few stand to benefit.

We need you to speak out today to your members of Congress. Let them know that voting for a Climate Change bill is bad for agriculture, bad for farmers and will threaten any chances at a meaningful economic recovery!

Clean Water S 747

*** UPDATE *** CLEAN WATER: Legislation Regulates Farm Ponds & Ditches Senate Committee to Vote. Tell Your Senators Not to Support

Farm Bureau members were extremely successful last Congress in stopping this damaging bill from moving from the House. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced S. 787, which would greatly expand the regulatory reach of the Clean Water Act to the detriment of U.S. economic growth and agricultural operations.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will mark-up the bill the week of May 7. We expect the Committee to pass the bill with little changes and then it moves to the full Senate.

If passed, nearly every wet area in the nation -- even if water is only present for a few days could become regulated by the federal government! This could include everything from ditches, to farm ponds, to prior converted cropland and possibly groundwater.

This proposal would move the CWA beyond protecting wetlands and waterways, and create a regulatory nightmare for farmers, ranchers and property owners.

Legislation to Restrict Antibiotic Use Introduced Ask Members of Congress to Oppose

The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act will restrict access to antibiotics traditionally used in livestock and poultry production. FARM BUREAU OPPOSES THIS BILL.

IMPACT: The proposed bill would remove important antibiotics and classes of antibiotics from the market, handicapping veterinarians and livestock and poultry producers in their efforts to maintain animal health and protect our nation's food supply.

Farmers use antibiotics carefully to treat, prevent and control disease in our flocks and herds. These products are critically important to the health and welfare of the animals and to the safety of the food produced.