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At the end of January, the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) and Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) Boards of Trustees held their annual joint board meeting. The meeting allows members of both boards to come together to learn about the most important issues facing Ohio soybean farmers to help shape how the boards view their respective priorities in the new year. This year’s meeting focused primarily on two topics: water quality and precision agriculture/blockchain.

First, board members learned from both OSC and OSA staff s about the current situation regarding water quality. Water quality presents an opportunity for OSA and OSC to work together indirectly. As staff explained, water quality is seen as a three-legged stool. Two legs — research, which answers important questions, and education/communication which tells the story of water quality — fall to the responsibility of the Council. The third leg, policy/advocacy, is carried out by the Association and often uses the research funded by OSC to ensure regulations are not burdensome and science-based.

OSC funds several research projects with Ohio soybean checkoff dollars that help scientists and farmers alike better understand water quality and nutrient runoff. For a more in-depth look at these projects, please visit OSC’s website or Field Leader. Field Leader is part of the communication leg as well, helping spread knowledge about reducing nutrient runoff and educating farmers about best management practices. OSC has also developed For My Farm For My Business, a website for both farmers and consumers to learn about the best management practices soybean farmers across the state are using to help manage nutrient runoff.

The Boards also heard a presentation from Scott Shearer, professor and chair of the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at The Ohio State University. Shearer shared about the department’s work involving precision agriculture and about what is in store for the future of ag technology, including a look at one of the buzziest technologies of the past few years: blockchain. Shearer explained how blockchain will help farmers of food-grade and commodity beans keep identity preservation and allow for better trading opportunities as soybeans from Ohio are shipped across the world. He also explained how the cryptocurrency Bitcoin could be used by farmers in the future.

Shearer also shared how technologies like autonomous machinery and drone precision will help expedite and expand agriculture in the future. If you are interested in learning more about OSC’s work to help farmers navigate purchasing precision agriculture, please visit Precision Ag Reviews.

The meeting concluded with updates on both organizations by OSC Chairman Steve Reinhard and OSA President Scott Metzger, and a look at what both organizations are planning for 2019.