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<font size="2" class="">Aquaculture and Aquaponic Community,</font>
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<div class=""><font size="2" class="">Below is a long e-mail but hopefully a necessary one to keep folks up to date about what I know now and what we (Extension) are trying to do to help.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font size="2" class="">No doubt you and your family have already been impacted by this rapidly evolving situation, and my sympathies go out to everyone. Daily, sometimes hourly, I am also learning new information about how not only the university,
but Ohio State Extension, is/will be responding to COVID-19. As of right now, you are welcome to still visit with me at my office (see below for details) until
<b class="">TOMORROW, March 18th</b>, but they are strongly discouraging me from even crossing county lines until further notice - something rather hard to do as an Extension worker with state-wide/region-wide responsibilities. (I actually learned I will be telecommuting from
home while writing this e-mail). I am reporting from home as much as possible though so please let me know if you intend on swinging by. Feel free to e-mail me here (<a href="mailto:smith.11460@osu.edu" class="">smith.11460@osu.edu</a>) or call/text my cell
(256.458.0967) if you have any questions or just want to talk to me about your experience/concerns/comments (farm wise or otherwise) with this.
<b class="">Just because there is a lot of transition right now does not mean our University is shut down - we are still here for our clientele.
</b>I have talked to some of you (or via third parties) and I know many of you are already feeling strong market disruptions (highs and lows!), labor shortages, and a host of unknowns. Know that if there is a question I cannot answer, I will still try my best
to find that answer out as Extension is still functioning.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font size="2" class="">Ag Crisis Updates: A website you should be very aware of is the CFAES Ag Crisis website - <a href="https://u.osu.edu/2019farmassistance/home/" class="">https://u.osu.edu/2019farmassistance/home/</a>. To my knowledge, there
is nothing COVID-19 related, but there is a section on Farm Stress with a host of high-quality resources that you should utilize and please share with others as you see fit.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font size="2" class="">Unfortunately, the possibility of farmers needing to compost fish if there is no way to sell harvestable product (and younger fish need to expand to larger tanks/ponds/etc.) has been on my mind. I just received an e-mail
from Ohio State Extension discussing <a href="http://eXtension.org" class="">eXtension.org</a>’s Livestock Mortality Composting Certificate. While it’s unlikely to be geared towards fish/shrimp in anyway, it’s good to know it’s a resource. Part of the e-mail
exchange is below.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font size="2" class="">Additionally, Caird Rexroad with USDA ARS just shared an e-mail from ATOL and there is some good information here for people to learn from. As always, go through any of this material and if you have questions then feel
free to let me know. </font></div>
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<div class=""><font size="2" class=""><b class="">Caird’s e-mail: </b><span style="font-family: "lucida sans unicode", sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">Please spread the news: The AquacultureHub foundation has changed the ATOLL (Aquaculture Training
Online Learning) course price to FREE. Please use the link below to learn how to grow your own food.</span></font></div>
<span style="color: blue;" class=""><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 105, 193);" class=""><span style="font-family: "lucida sans unicode", sans-serif;" class=""><a href="https://www.udemy.com/course/atoll-introduction-to-aquaculture/" class=""><font size="2" class="">https://www.udemy.com/course/atoll-introduction-to-aquaculture/</font></a></span></span></span></span>
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</font></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class=""><font size="2" class=""><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="text-decoration-line: none;" class=""><span style="font-family: "lucida sans unicode", sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">Ohio State Extension e-mail:</b> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Hi
all,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Just a reminder that the Livestock Mortality Composting Certification is still available as an online course and people take
the course every month. Details here:</span><font color="#0000ff" face="Calibri, sans-serif" class=""><a href="https://campus.extension.org/enrol/index.php?id=608" class="">https://campus.extension.org/enrol/index.php?id=608</a></font>. <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Please
share with clientele if they need their composting certificate. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Amanda</span></font></div>
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<div class=""><font size="2" class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" class="">As always, keep in mind <b class=""><a href="http://NCRAC.org" class="">NCRAC.org</a></b> and <b class=""><a href="http://srac.tamu.edu" class="">srac.tamu.edu</a></b> for your
fact sheet and video needs - a fact sheet that might be 20 years old might be something that is completely necessary in this time.</font></font></div>
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<div class=""><span style="font-size: small;" class="">For those who will be harvesting plant crops as part of your aquaponic system, if your restaurant or even direct-to-consumer market has completely shut down with no possible sales outlet, please consider
your neighbors and your own livestock.</span></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">I also just recently created a new Listserv called
<b class="">Aqua-Education</b> (<a href="mailto:aqua-education@lists.osu.edu" class="">aqua-education@lists.osu.edu</a>). You can sign up here (<a href="https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/aqua-education" class="">https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/aqua-education</a>).
I originally planned this for just Ohio, but I think it makes more sense to focus on any STEM programs in the Midwest because I know of some very cool ones that would love to show their work, it’s good to have some positivity right now!</font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">In addition to the Listserv, I just created a Facebook page to bring people together too. While I am perfectly aware that Ohio schools are down for awhile (or will be very soon), I thought this
could provide some people any opportunity to “gather” if they would like to share their experiences running a, likely, seasonal system on a shoestring budget. The Facebook page is
<b class="">The Ohio State University Aqua-Education (@OhioAquaEducation). </b>It would be great to see some teachers/non-profits post pictures/videos of their systems throughout the Midwest over the next few weeks of uncertainty. </font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">I am still running/maintaining the traditional
<b class="">Ohio State University Aquaculture (@OhioStateAquaculture)</b> Facebook page.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">It will likely be a bit before it is developed (as universities take awhile to approve human subject research) but you should expect an e-mail to a
<b class="">Qualtrics survey</b> in the next month or two that directly relates to how you and your farm have been (or haven’t been) impacted by COVID-19. Please expect this to come from either The Ohio State University, Virginia Tech, or possibly even North
Central Regional Aquaculture Center.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">For <b class="">
ANY LAND GRANT MIDWEST UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEE</b>, please let me know if you may still be interested in a professional development aquaculture/aquaponic in-service training as part of my commitment to regional aquaculture work through NCRAC. Obviously I was interested
in doing some work early summer, but I am perfectly willing to discuss doing it late summer of in the fall. While we cannot get a day down on paper, it is still an interest of mine in discussion what sort of curriculum we would like to offer Extension employees.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">Also, for any <b class="">
Midwest university employee</b>, we know not a lot of farmers are part of the United States Aquaculture Society. The Society is currently discussing/writing a letter to producers, encouraging them to reach out to Extension during their time of need. Please distribute
the letter far and wide when you receive it as many will need to support.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">Finally, please keep in mind Ohio State Extension’s
<b class="">Vision, Mission, and Values</b> as you realize what needs you have: <a href="https://extension.osu.edu/about/vision-mission-values" class="">https://extension.osu.edu/about/vision-mission-values</a> </font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class=""><b class="">If you have any comments for this group, as always these Listservs are a two way street! Please utilize them.</b></font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">We thank you for your time and patience during this time. Be well.</font></div>
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<div class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="2" class="">Kind Regards,</font></div>
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<div class=""><span style="color: rgb(187, 38, 0);" class="">Matt</span></div>
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<span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"></span><span><img apple-inline="yes" id="A6F88B68-0523-47AF-BAD9-661340175406" src="cid:DF6221B6-6BF3-4490-9FB4-06DD2F28C24E@home" class=""></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span><span><span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span>
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</font><span style="color: rgb(187, 0, 0);" class="">Matthew A. Smith</span></div>
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Program Director, Aquaculture Extension</div>
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Ph.D. student<br class="">
<font color="#bb0000" class="">College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences</font></div>
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Madison County Extension Office</div>
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217 Elm Street, London, OH 43140<br class="">
740.956.5049 Office<br class="">
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256.458.0967 Cell</div>
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