Maryland Agricultural Highlights – January 2015

State Soil Conservation Committee Meeting Set For January 15

The State Soil Conservation Committee (SSCC) will hold its next meeting on Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis. The meeting is open to the public and will focus on soil conservation and water quality program implementation and policy development. Established in 1938, the SSCC coordinates the activities of Maryland’s 24 soil conservation districts, while advising the Secretary of Agriculture on matters relating to soil and water conservation. For more information, contact Louise Lawrence, executive secretary, 410.841.5863.

2014 Annual Report Published for Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has published its 2014 annual report for the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. The report highlights the program’s role in helping farmers install agricultural best management practices on their farms to control soil erosion, manage nutrients and protect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The report is available on-line at www.mda.maryland.gov.

MDA Publishes Q&A on 2015 Animal Waste Technology Grants

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has posted a Question and Answer fact sheet for vendors, businesses, and individuals who are interested in submitting proposals for its 2015 Innovative Animal Waste Technology Grants. On December 5, 2014, MDA issued a request for proposals (RFP) for demonstration projects offering technologies, equipment, infrastructure or services that can improve the management and utilization of manure. MDA has $2.9 million available to invest in these types of innovative technologies during State Fiscal Year 2015, which ends June 30, 2015.  Proposals are due to MDA by March 6, 2015. View the RFP and Q&A at mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Pages/innovative_technology.aspx.

MDA Reminds Citizens Not to Use Fertilizer as a De-Icer

With old man winter settling in for the long haul, the Maryland Department of Agriculture reminds citizens that Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law prohibits using fertilizer products as a de-icer on frozen surfaces. When temperatures rise and the rains return, fertilizer can easily wash into nearby storm drains and streams that empty into the Chesapeake Bay. Once in our waterways, excess fertilizer contributes to the growth of algae blooms that block sunlight from reaching Bay grasses, rob the water of oxygen and threaten underwater life. University of Maryland recommends sand and kitty litter as possible substitutes.  For more information, visit extension.umd.edu/learn/melting-ice-safely-fs707.

2014 MDA Nutrient Management Reporting Forms Available Online

The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s 2014 Nutrient Management Annual Implementation Reporting Form (AIR) is now available online at www.mda.maryland.gov. Farmers use the form to document how they implemented their nutrient management plans during calendar year 2014. It is due to MDA by March 1, 2015. Most farmers also will receive copies of the form in the mail. For more information, go online or contact MDA’s Nutrient Management Program at 410.841.5959.

Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification Exam and Training Offered

Lawn care professionals seeking certification by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to apply fertilizer to turf may register for one of the following exams: January 29, February 12, February 25, March 9, or March 23, 2015. All exams will take place at MDA headquarters, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401.  Optional training sessions are offered from 9 a.m. to 11:30 am the day of the exam. Lawn care professionals hired to apply fertilizers to turfgrass must be certified by MDA’s Nutrient Management Program or work under the direct supervision of an individual who is certified. The requirement is a major component of Maryland’s new Lawn Fertilizer Law, which took effect October 1, 2013.  To register for MDA’s Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification Exam, visit www.mda.maryland.gov/fertilizer. To help professionals prepare for the exam, a training manual and review questions are posted on the website.

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The Maryland Agricultural Awareness Alliance, a coalition of federal, state and local agricultural  agencies and commodity groups dedicated to educating Marylanders on agricultural issues.