From office reopening to dicamba products

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I think we can all agree we are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel as we begin to get closer to a more normal existence we were once used to before COVID-19 took control of our lives.

As we move forward, I wanted to let everyone know that the Ohio State University Extension Office here in Clinton County has been given permission to begin working from our office at 111 S. Nelson Ave. in Wilmington.

Since Mid-March, the staff at OSU Extension, Clinton County has been working from home during the COVID-19 stay at home order. Starting Tuesday June 16, we are reopening the office on a limited basis. This is not a return to business as usual — based on OSU requirements and local guidelines the following plan is in place for the next few weeks.

1. To better serve our clientele, volunteers, and families, the OSU Extension, Clinton County staff will be available by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 937-382-0901. Face coverings are required for OSU staff and clientele. Due to specific requirements we must follow according to The Ohio State University administration, we cannot allow walk-ins at this time.

2. There will be a table outside the Clinton County Extension office front door for forms and other items that need to be turned into our office. Any plant and insect specimens for identification and management recommendations can be left on the table as well.

3. If you need to pick up forms or publications, please call ahead since our door will remain locked.

We understand there is, and will be, a lot happening as we move closer to the Clinton County Fair. Our staff along with many volunteers are working hard to get things organized for the fair and hopefully early next week we will be releasing information regarding schedules and activities associated with the junior fair activities.

For myself, I am available to assist with field and farms questions as well as home owner landscape and gardening questions. I am also allowed to get out and scout fields and work with several eFields on-farm research projects that we have in Clinton County as well as any surrounding counties.

Be sure to make an appointment or give me a call and or email with your questions or concerns regarding the farm or garden.

We are still available by phone at 937-382-0901 or by our emails: Tony Nye, Agriculture, [email protected]; Tracie Montague, Youth Development – 4H, [email protected]; Ann Foxworthy, Jr. Fair Coordinator, [email protected]; Candy Matthews, Office Associate, [email protected]; and Kacey Burns, SNAP-Ed, [email protected] .

We realize this is not a perfect situation, but rest assured we will moving to a full operating office in the very near future.

Dicamba on crops

I wanted to share one last very important item as it relates to the use of dicamba on crops this summer.

As you are probably aware, there has been a lot of activity in the courts about the continued use of dicamba. According to Peggy Hall, Associate Professor, Agricultural & Resource Law at Ohio State University, the dicamba roller coaster ride continues as of Thursday, with a statement issued by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, clarifying that the use of XtendiMax, Engenia, and FeXapan dicamba-based products in Ohio will end as of June 30, 2020.

Even though the U.S. EPA has issued an order allowing continued use of the products until July 31, 2020, use in Ohio must end on June 30 because the Ohio registrations for the three dicamba-based products expire on that day.

Peggy Hall has been keeping up with the latest developments regarding this issue and she has posted several blogs as this issue has developed in early June with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to vacate the product’s registration with the U.S. EPA. She as been posting several articles at our Ohio State University FARM OFFICE website.

I advise all farmers to read up on the on-going developments with the use or no use of dicamba in Ohio.

There is plenty of information regarding this issue at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/blog

Tony Nye is the state coordinator for the Ohio State University Extension Small Farm Program and has been an OSU Extension Educator for agriculture and natural resources for over 30 years, currently serving Clinton County and the Miami Valley EERA.

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Tony Nye

OSU Extension

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