As input costs in agricultural production continue to increase for Ohio farmers, so does the need to make wise and efficient management decisions to stay profitable. Farmers are finding help from a new Ohio State University Extension newsletter — a free publication that saved its readers a quarter of a million dollars in 2005.

The Ohio Ag Manager newsletter, launched in 2004, provides farmers and agribusinesses the latest and best management and marketing information, as well as information on issues and trends impacting the agricultural industry.

“Input costs have significantly increased over the past five years. For example, fertilizer costs for corn production have gone up 37 percent to 45 percent,” said Barry Ward, an OSU Extension agricultural economist and newsletter contributor. “The Ohio Ag Manager newsletter was created to help farmers manage those costs and manage farm finances related to record-keeping, labor issues, land rental rates, risk management, and human resources. It’s a one-stop shop publication.”

Nearly half of the newsletter subscribers responded to a survey conducted in 2005 by the Ohio Ag Manager Team. Participants indicated that the newsletter saved them and their clientele an average of $12,000 per person. Additionally, 83 percent cited making more informed decisions, 31 percent were able to cut costs and save time, and 26 percent improved their marketing and employee management skills.

Because of the information provided in the newsletter survey, respondents “were better prepared to respond to client needs,” “developed more practical policy options,” “were more aware of farm management issues,” “kept current on changing technology,” and “were better farmers.”   

Authors of the Ohio Ag Manager newsletter include OSU Extension specialists from the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics. Newsletter contributors include faculty, staff, and Extension educators through the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

The newsletter is published monthly. It was recently recognized for excellence by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) and selected as a North Central Region winner in the NACAA Communications Contest. To access the newsletter, log on to http://ohioagmanager.osu.edu.