Get a Jump-Start on Farm Equipment Maintenance

It may feel like spring will never truly arrive, but it will. It’s a good idea to go ahead and get started on your farm equipment maintenance. UK Extension Agricultural Engineer Tim Stombaugh suugests doing the repairs now can save time and aggravation later.

If you need to order parts, go ahead and do it to reduce the likelihood of delays during the critical spring days ahead.

When you check equipment, pay particular attention to rubber components, as these will sometimes become brittle and cracked during the winter.

Check implements for broken, missing or worn parts you may need to replace. Go over the machinery and tighten bolts, nuts and cap screws. Pump fresh grease into fittings to remove any condensation that may have formed in the winter. Apply touch up paint to any rusted or scratched areas.

On planters make sure moveable parts are not stuck. Also check for wear and replace any overly worn parts.

Electrical problems can lead to time-consuming breakdowns. Now is the time to check for loose connections, frayed or broken wires and repair broken gauges, lights and switches.

Remember to include sprayer maintenance in your late-winter cleaning tasks, ensuring that your spray equipment is ready for the planting season; it could save you time and money.

If you take care of sprayer maintenance prior to the hectic growing season, it can prevent time-consuming equipment breakdowns, higher chemical costs, reduced pesticide effectiveness and potential crop damage. Rinse out the sprayer to remove any dirt that accumulated over the winter. Check the pump and nozzles for excessive wear and be sure the pump is operating at full capacity. Inspect sprayer lines for leaks.

Clean filter screens and replace worn ones in the sprayer and in tractors. You’ll need to ensure they are not restricting air flow. Replace fuel filters as they age and become clogged.

Be sure to consult your operator’s manual on tractors and other equipment for additional maintenance instructions.

For more information on farm maintenance practices, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

National Ag Day

If you're like many Americans, the answer is the grocery store. And frankly, that disturbs me. The grocery store isn't where food comes from - it's just from where it's distributed. In reality, far too many people are unaware of the role of American agriculture in their daily lives . . . and what it really takes to have food on their dinner table.

Just a few generations ago, most people were a part of - and had friends or relatives involved with - agriculture. Today, that's no longer the case. That's why I'm writing, because agriculture is responsible for providing the necessities of life . . . food, fiber, clothing, and shelter. And it's about time Americans recognize that contribution!

American farmers are working harder than ever, and it shows. Today, each American farmer feeds more than 144 people. And the need for food produced in the United States is dramatic. Agriculture is this nation's #1 export and vitally important in sustaining a healthy economy.

And it's not just the farmer who makes our food possible. The entire agriculture industry, all the way to the grocery store, are vital links in a chain that brings food to every citizen - and millions of people abroad.

Frankly, it's easy to take agriculture for granted in America. Our food is readily accessible and safe. For this, we're unbelievably fortunate . . . but that doesn't mean we don't have an obligation to recognize how it's made possible.

Today March 18th, 2015, is National Ag Day. Ag Day is a good time to reflect - and be grateful for - American agriculture!

To celebrate National Ag Day I spent the day with our first graders discussing farming and where our food comes from.  We read the book "Before We Eat, From Farm to Table" and created garden gloves.  For pictures from today's National Ag Day celebration here in McLean County visit my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/McLeanCountyANR.

Flood Conditions and Your Septic System

Photo from epicseptictanks.com

Unfortunately flooding is a common thing around here.  However a common part of our home that may not be given much thought during a flood is the septic system.  When flooding occurs, our septic systems cannot properly function.  Proper function relies on the soil’s ability to treat and disperse wastewater, which cannot be done when our soil is saturated for an extended amount of time.

Dr. Brad Lee, UK Extension Water Quality Specialist, gives these tips on how to prepare your septic system for a flood:
   • Make sure septic tanks are full of liquid.  Empty tanks are buoyant and may float out of the      
        ground when water tables are high.
   • Plug floor drains (if necessary) to keep sewage from backing up into basements.
   • Seal all the septic system’s possible points of entry to keep excess water out of the tank.
   • Waterproof all electrical connections.

Once floodwaters have receded, there are still several things homeowners should remember:
   • Do not drink your well water until it is tested.
   • Do not use the sewage system until water in the soil treatment area is lower than the water level
        around the house.
   • Have your septic tank inspected and services if you suspect damage.  Signs of this may include
        settling or an inability to accept water.  Septic tanks can sometimes fill with silt and debris so
        they must be cleaned if this happens during a flood.
   • Pump the septic system as soon as possible after the flood.
   • Do not compact the soil over the soil treatment area by driving or operating equipment in the
        area.  Compaction could lead to system failure.
   • Examine all electrical connections for damage.
   • Be sure the septic tank’s manhole cover is secure.
   • Repair any erosion damage over the soil treatment areas.

For more information on flood conditions and your septic system, please contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.


Upcoming Ag Events
March 13th Round Table Series, 8am Poultry Litter as Fertilizer, Dr. Edwin Ritchey
March 17th Plant Swap Planning Meeting, 3pm, Extension Office
March 17th Ag Festival Planning Meeting, 5pm, Extension Office
March 24th Farm Market Days Informational Meeting, 4pm, Extension Office
March 24th District Board Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office

Livestock Indemnity Program

Photo from agweb.com

Being a livestock producer is never easy.  It is 7 days week, 365 days a year.  There are no sick days or vacation days, and unfortunately there are no snow days either.  Livestock producers must brave the elements on a daily basis to feed, water and check their livestock, even when there is 8 inch of snow on the ground.  

While several of us were able to enjoy the snow days from the convenience of our warm homes, our cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goat and horse farmers were out in it every day taking care of their animals.  And some of those farmers were not only dealing with frigid temperatures, but also trying to deal with the birth of new animals on their farms in 8 inches of snow, ice and freezing temperatures; not exactly your ideal situation.  Unfortunately some also dealt with an increase in mortality rates due to Mother Nature.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 authorized the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) to provide benefits to livestock producers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather.  LIP pay¬ments are equal to 75 percent of the market value of the applicable livestock on the day before the date of death of the livestock as determined by the Secretary. 

To be eligible for LIP, a livestock producer must have legally owned the eligible livestock on the day the livestock died.  To be eligible for LIP, an owner’s livestock must: 

(1)Have died as a direct result of an eligible ad¬verse weather event occurring,

(2) Have been maintained for commercial use as part of a farming operation on the day they died, (3) Not have been produced for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation. Excluded livestock includes wild free roaming animals, pets or animals used for recreational purposes, such as hunting, roping or for show.

To apply for LIP benefits producers must submit a notice of loss and an application for payment to the local FSA office.  The notice of loss be must be submitted within 30 calendar days of loss of livestock.  Livestock owners should record all pertinent information of livestock death losses due to adverse weather.  Applicants must provide adequate proof that the eligible livestock deaths occurred as a direct result of an eligible adverse weather event.  Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that died is required, supplemented (if possible) by such as items as: 

(1) Photographs or video records to document the loss (dated is possible),

(2) Purchase records,

(3) Veterinarian records,

(4) Production records,

(5) Federal Emergency Management Agency records,

(6) Bank or other loan documents,

(7) Written contracts, 

(8) Private insurance documents,

(9) Other similar reliable documents.

For more information about the Livestock Indemnity Program please contact the FSA Office at (270)273-3922 or the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Upcoming Ag Events

March 5th Forages & Grazing Meeting, 5pm-8pm, Extension Office

March 6th Round Table Series, 8am Pond Management, Dr. Bill Wurts

March 13th Round Table Series, 8am Poultry Litter as Fertilizer, Dr. Edwin Ritchey

March 17th Plant Swap Planning Meeting, 3pm, Extension Office

March 17th Ag Festival Planning Meeting, 5pm, Extension Office

March 24th Farm Market Days Informational Meeting, 4pm, Extension Office

March 24th District Board Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office