Ag Solutions was formed in early 2011 and is a group of farmers who live and work in the Grand Lake St. Marys watershed area who have come together to seek effective, affordable solutions to the environmental issues impacting the lake while promoting the growth and vitality in our farm communities. Upon the group’s formation, the group was facilitated by the Marion Community Development Organization (MCDO). Due to lack of funding and diminishing leadership, in 2016, the Mercer County Commissioners devoted funding to hire a coordinator. Therefore, the group will now include farmers from all over Mercer County as water quality issues are present whether you farm in the Grand Lake St. Marys Watershed, Wabash River Watershed, Western Lake Erie Basin Watershed or the Mile Creek Watershed.

Theresa Dirksen was hired in March of 2016 as the full-time Mercer County Ag Solutions Coordinator. To be added to the Ag Solutions contact list, please contact Theresa at [email protected] or 419-568-4209.

MEETINGS

Meetings will be held on an as-needed basis. Email and/or mail contacts will be made when meetings are scheduled.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to identify and eliminate through the use of technology and environmentally sound farming practices, agricultural factors that are negatively impacting the environmental health of all the Mercer County Watersheds, while also enhancing the vibrant, prosperous farming economy that is an integral part of the local community.

A CLOSER LOOK …

Our intent is to embrace numerous technologies and approaches that offer complete or partial solutions, such as (not intended to be all-inclusive):

• Additives to isolate nutrients in the solids
• Composting
• Digesters
• Gasification of manure
• Gypsum as a soil additive
• Lagoons (aerobic and anaerobic)
• Membrane filtration
• Solid-liquid separation of manure
• Tile bioreactors
• Transportation of manure to fields needing nutrients

KEY MEMBERS

Theresa Dirksen, Mercer County Ag Solutions Coordinator	419.586.4209
Jim Keller, MCDO Coordinator	419.925.4764
Bill Knapke, Cooper Farms	419.852.8506
Terry Mescher, Ohio Department of Agriculture	419.586.3289
Milt Miller, Lake Restoration Commission	419-733-3004
Br. Nick Renner, St. Charles Seminary Farm	419.852.2917

Changes in Water Quality in GLSM Watershed Following Manure Application Regulations

(from the July 10, 2017 AG Solutions meeting)
Presentation | Flyer

AG SOLUTIONS MEETING MINUTES

2015: Jan
2014: Feb | Apr | Sep
2013: Jan | Feb | Apr | May | July | Nov | Dec 

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