MDA Blog

April 28, 2021

Every Day is Earth Day for a Maryland Farmer

Photo Credit: David Harp, Bay Journal, Chesapeakephotos.com

By: Secretary Joseph Bartenfelder

Published in the April 25, 2021 print edition of Lancaster Farming

For my fellow farmers who live and work off of the land, every day is Earth Day.

Given our proximity to the Chesapeake Bay, water quality and resource conservation are always front and center for farmers across the watershed.

In celebration of Earth Day, I had the pleasure of hosting a virtual meeting with my counterparts from the bay states and federal partners from the USDA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to discuss our shared priorities as we work toward our Watershed Implementation Plan Phase III goals.

This kind of collaboration is key to meeting the challenges facing our industry and the environment, which is why I am proud to announce that the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has become the first state agency to endorse the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA) Decade of Ag Vision.

This is the first sector-wide movement to align a shared vision for the next decade centered on investing in the next generation of agricultural systems, restoring our environment, regenerating natural resources, and, in doing so, strengthening the social and economic fabric of America.

Maryland has long been committed to these principles, leading the nation in sustainable agriculture practices, including cover crops, no-till farming, and soil health initiatives.

Our department provides financial and technical assistance to farmers in installing best management practices designed to prevent soil erosion, manage nutrients, and improve water quality in local waterways.

The following programs have been working to help the state meet its WIP Phase III goals to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay by 2025:

Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program

This program provides cost-share grants for farmers to install various conservation practices.

In fiscal year 2020, MACS provided Maryland farmers with $32.8 million in cost-share grants. This investment contributed to the installation of 375 conservation practices on farms, nearly half a million acres of protective cover crops planted in fields, and more than 300,000 tons of manure hauled away from areas with high soil phosphorus levels.

All together, the MACS programs will prevent an estimated 3.5 million pounds of nitrogen, 24,500 pounds of phosphorus, and 13,150 tons of soil from entering the Chesapeake Bay.

Nutrient Management Program

This program ensures that farmers and urban land managers apply fertilizers, animal manure, and other nutrient sources in an effective and environmentally sound manner.

Maryland was one of the first states to require farmers to follow a nutrient management plan.

MDA is currently working with the University of Maryland on a comprehensive study of phosphorus loss risk tools, which will provide the most complete, current science available on soil phosphorus.

Healthy Soils Program

This program launched in 2019 to explore the co-benefits of soil health for farmers and the environment.

The program established and continues to promote best practices that contribute to the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, which calls for a 40% reduction of emissions levels by 2030.

Maryland is actually witnessing a reduction of around 49%.

Conservation Buffer Initiative

This is a pilot program that provides a new funding option for farmers who want to plant streamside buffers to improve the health of local waterways. In addition, these buffers provide wildlife habitat and sequester carbon.

Animal Waste Technology Fund

This fund provides grants to companies that demonstrate new technologies that provide alternative strategies to managing animal wastes.

Over the next decade, the Maryland Department of Agriculture has pledged to continue working with the USFRA and other leaders from across the agriculture value chain to accelerate bold action and realize our shared Decade of Ag Vision.

I look forward to working with all of our partners to continue making progress in enhancing, protecting, and restoring our natural resources. While agriculture is often identified as part of the problem, Maryland farmers have proved that we are an important part of the solution.

For more information on the Decade of Ag Vision, visit usfarmersandranchers.org.

April 1, 2021

March Madness Has Another Meaning for Maryland Farmers

Photo Credit: Lancaster Farming, Ken Wiedemann

By: Secretary Joseph Bartenfelder

Published in the March 28, 2021 print edition of Lancaster Farming

For many Marylanders, March means cheering on the Terps in the NCAA tournament or celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. For my fellow Maryland farmers, March is the start to one of the busiest times of the year — planting season.

Farmers are hard at work from sunrise to sunset, preparing their fields for this season’s crops. Maryland farmers are required to use nutrient management plans to guide their use of when, where, and how fertilizer is applied. These plans help ensure that nutrients are being used by crops and not washed into local waterways.

Those of us that live in farm country know, and can probably smell, that farmers have begun spreading manure on their fields. Manure is an all-natural crop fertilizer and soil conditioner packed with nutrients that are essential for plant growth.

To protect local streams, Maryland livestock farmers store manure over the winter. As of March 1, they use the stored manure to fertilize their fields and improve their soil’s health, following state guidelines. The smell can be pungent, but it won’t last long. After all, today’s manure grows tomorrow’s flowers.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s (MDA’s) annual public education campaign, Manure Happens, is in full swing and helping educate citizens about how and why farmers recycle manure. The 2021 campaign focuses on how farmers protect local streams from runoff when using chicken and livestock manure. Farmers or citizens interested in learning more about this campaign should visit: www.mda.maryland.gov/ManureHappens.

With a flurry of activity happening in the field and an increase of farm equipment on rural roads, the department is working to remind motorists and farmers to drive with caution and share the road. Farmers must display slow-moving vehicle signs on the back of their equipment — this is the neon orange triangle emblem. When moving equipment, farmers should try their best to avoid traveling during high-traffic times and should travel during the day when they can be more visible. Remember to use turn or hand signals when making any directional changes. By being patient and extra cautious, we can ensure farmers get to their fields and motorists get to where they need to go. For other road safety tips, visit: www.findmedriving.com.

Every March, the agriculture industry celebrates Agricultural Literacy Week and National Agriculture Week. Agricultural Literacy Week promotes ag education in the classroom and highlights the important role the industry plays in our everyday lives. This year, I was asked to read “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” virtually to students at Galena Elementary School, Fallstaff Elementary School, and the Watershed Public Charter School. This book showed the children all about the dairy industry and how everyone’s favorite frozen dessert, ice cream, is made. 

To highlight the efforts of Maryland’s agriculture industry, Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed March 21-27 as Maryland Agriculture Week. This year’s celebration ran alongside National Agriculture Week and coincided with National Agriculture Day on March 23. 

On National Ag Day, I joined students from Hereford High School in Baltimore County for a virtual panel discussion where we discussed agriculture’s role in the economy and the exciting career opportunities the industry offers. Fostering the next generation of agriculture leaders is critical to the future success of the industry and something I feel personally passionate about.

After an incredibly trying year, celebrating agriculture and recognizing the people who have been working tirelessly to ensure we are all fed and provided for is more important now than ever before. For more information on Maryland Agriculture Week or for other ways to celebrate, visit: mda.maryland.gov.

February 28, 2021

There’s Never a Slow Day at the Maryland Department of Agriculture

Published in the Feb. 28, 2021 edition of Lancaster Farming

By: Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

From Maryland’s 2021 Legislative Session to virtual events honoring Maryland farm families, just like on the farm, there’s never a slow day at the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA).

Legislative Update. 

Following an unprecedented 2020 legislative session that ended 11 days early due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly convened on January 13 with lawmakers sitting behind seven-foot-tall plexiglass barriers, wearing face masks, and waving to their colleagues from a distance.

Though this year’s 90-day session looks much different in Annapolis, one thing remains the same, our department’s commitment to tracking and providing feedback on the bills that impact Maryland agriculture, our farmers, and the constituents we serve.

While much of the focus of this year’s session will continue to be on the COVID-19 pandemic, our department has submitted two pieces of legislation designed to further our ability to promote installation of conservation practices and to better address weed management priorities.

• Senate Bill 344 – Agriculture – Cost-Sharing Program – State Cost-Sharing Funds. This legislation allows MDA to provide up to 100% state funding assistance, currently limited to 87.5%, for the implementation of certain high-priority conservation practices that improve water quality and provide other environmental benefits. MDA’s ability to provide additional funding assistance will be an important incentive for farmers to install these practices, helping the state reach its Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) goals.

• Senate Bill 352 – Agriculture – Multiflora Rose Management – Repeal. This legislation repeals the Maryland Multiflora Rose Management Law. The state’s agricultural industry has this plant contained and under control, therefore the law is no longer needed.

More information on these bills along with others affecting the industry can be found on MDA’s website: mda.maryland.gov.

Celebrating Maryland’s Farm Families.

Around this time each year, Maryland farm families are recognized by the Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame and the Maryland Century Farm Program. In 2021, the tradition of honoring deserving Maryland farmers did not stop. Both award ceremonies, though held virtually this year, acknowledged the hard work and legacy of Maryland’s farm families.

The Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame, the state’s most prestigious agriculture award, honors farmers with high standards of achievement and commitment to the industry and their communities. More than 50 families from around the state have been inducted into the hall of fame since its inception in 1991. In early February, the Cross Family of Prince George’s County was inducted by Governor Larry Hogan during the virtual Taste of Maryland Agriculture event hosted by the Maryland Agriculture Council. The Cross’ grow corn and soybeans in rotation with cover crops of hay and operate a farm store called R&D Cross, Inc. in Brandywine. They are leaders in their community and their family’s roots in agriculture date back to the mid-1800s.

Maryland Century Farms is a program within MDA that recognizes farms that have been owned and operated by the same family for more than 100 years. In total, 200 farms have received this designation. The following seven farm families were honored with video remarks from Governor Hogan in mid-February.

• Bish Farm, (Westminster, Carroll County), est. 1879
• East Farm, (Pocomoke City, Somerset County), est. 1916
• Hutschenreuter Family Farm, (Glen Arm, Baltimore County), est. 1919
• Margroff Farm, (Accident, Garrett County), est. 1901
• Noble Farm, (Federalsburg, Caroline County), est. 1857
• Shellcross Farm, (Centreville, Queen Anne’s County), est. 1916
• Stoney Cove Farm, (Cambridge, Dorchester County), est. 1920

The challenges of the past year have only magnified the importance of our local farmers and producers. I want to take a moment to congratulate the newest Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame inductee and the seven Century Farm inductees on their well-deserved achievements. A special thank you to each family for the decades of service they have provided to Maryland agriculture. 

January 31, 2021

New Year, Same Commitment to Resource Conservation

Published in the Jan. 31, 2021 edition of Lancaster Farming

By: Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

For most Marylanders, the beginning of the new year serves as a time for reflecting on the past and setting goals for the future. The same is true for many of us farmers across the state. 

Though there are less tractors moving about and no corn standing high in the field, Maryland farmers are hard at work across the state using the “off season” to continue to care for animals, wrap up last year’s business operations, and prepare for the upcoming planting season.

Many of us use this time to submit our Annual Implementation Reports (AIRs) that detail nutrient applications from the previous calendar year. For those doing this now, AIR forms can, for the first time, be submitted electronically and are due to the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) by March 1. Visit mda.maryland.gov for more information.

In terms of planning for the year ahead, farmers are drafting nutrient management plans and making critical decisions about planting season. This includes how, when, and where to fertilize crops. MDA is encouraging Maryland farmers who are able to apply phosphorus to consider making the switch from using commercial fertilizers to using poultry litter in their fields. 

Poultry litter is a natural fertilizer that is rich in nutrients and micronutrients that promote soil health and produce strong, viable crops. Additionally, it serves as an excellent low-cost, slow release fertilizer for grain, hay, and organic-certified field crops.

MDA’s Manure Transport Program offers “FastTrack” grants that provide cost-share assistance for qualified farmers interested in using poultry litter for crop production and soil health. Currently, the “FastTrack” grants offer up to $22.50/ton for qualified farmers interested in receiving and applying poultry litter. New improvements to the program allow farmers to haul poultry manure now and apply for cost-share reimbursement later, making it easier than ever to make the switch from commercial fertilizer. Visit mda.maryland.gov/manure for more details.

This initiative is also an important part of the state’s efforts to reduce nutrient runoff from fields with high phosphorus levels and to protect the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Manure Transport Program allows farms with high phosphorus to ship their litter to fields in other parts of the state that are able to safely apply phosphorus. 

The transport program is one of the most effective tools in our toolbox as we move forward into the final phase of implementation of the Phosphorus Management Tool (PMT). The PMT is a crucial component of the state’s efforts in meeting Maryland’s Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) targets, which work to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

Just this past month, MDA also launched the Maryland Conservation Buffer Initiative. A program that offers attractive incentive payments, easy sign-up, and more management options for farmers who want to plant streamside buffers to improve water quality. The enrollment period runs from Jan. 11-Feb. 5, 2021, and more information can be found on the department’s website: mda.maryland.gov.

For Maryland farmers living and working within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, we encourage you to think about incorporating these soil health and best management practices into your operation this year.

MDA remains staunchly committed to working with our regional partners to protect the health of the bay and to make it as easy as possible for our farmers to do so, as well. Maryland agriculture is often looked to as the national standard for resource conservation and sustainable farming practices, and we look forward to continuing this legacy in 2021.

October 31, 2020

New Assistance for Maryland Farmers Impacted by COVID-19

As published in the October 31 edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

As a farmer myself, I know how difficult the COVID-19 pandemic has been for our industry. Many of us are facing drops in prices and reduced demand from restaurants and other traditional food service venues. Poultry growers are facing lower chick placements and extended layouts between flocks. Farmers markets, farm stands and pick-your-own farms are adjusting their operations to protect the health of workers and customers.

Despite these challenges, I have seen our farmers work tirelessly throughout the state of emergency to ensure that our food supply chain continues to run with minimal interruptions. Though some operations have been able to adapt, there is no farm business in Maryland that has not taken a hit during this global pandemic. 

Last week, I joined Governor Larry Hogan for a roundtable discussion with farmers in Hurlock, Md., where we heard firsthand accounts of how the pandemic has impacted the agriculture industry. Recognizing a need for state assistance, I was proud to stand alongside Governor Hogan as he announced the new Maryland Farmer COVID-19 Relief Program.

This $10 million initiative will provide critical support to thousands of Maryland farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will offer direct assistance to contract poultry growers and a bonus payment to any farm operation that received funding through the first round of the federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

Direct Support For Contract Poultry Growers. Federal CFAP funding is currently not available to contract poultry growers, which is Maryland’s top agricultural commodity. Under the Maryland Farmer COVID-19 Relief Program, the Maryland Department of Agriculture will issue direct payments of $1,000 per poultry house, up to five houses per farm. Growers whose flocks were depopulated during the pandemic will be eligible for an additional $1,500 per house.

Bonus Payments For Farmers. The new initiative will also offer a 15% bonus payment to any Maryland farmer who received federal funding through the first round of CFAP payments. CFAP provides financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a 5% or greater price decline, or who had losses due to market supply chain disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of Maryland distributed nearly $24 million through the first round of CFAP payments and has distributed more than $16 million in the second round of the program.

Applications for the program are available on the department’s website at https://mda.maryland.gov/farmrelief.

The dedication and resilience of our farmers and producers never ceases to amaze me, and has been on full display through these past several months. I understand this program may not make everyone whole, but I am hopeful that it will provide some much needed support for our family farmers and workers. 

On behalf of the Hogan-Rutherford administration, we deeply appreciate all that you do to ensure that Marylanders continue to have access to a fresh, healthy food supply. Please keep up the great work and stay safe!

September 28, 2019

Fall Farm Features

Published in the Sept. 28, 2019, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

As we wrap up the growing season and move into harvest, I am happy to say that the weather has been much kinder to us than it was last year. After record setting rains in 2018, we have had a much more manageable 2019. I hope our good fortune with this year’s weather translates to a prosperous harvest season for farmers across the state and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Harvest season means lots of combines, tractors and other farm equipment moving about Maryland highways and roads—especially in our rural communities. Our department is working with the State Highway Administration to urge motorists to use caution when approaching farm equipment on roadways. Farmers are legally allowed to operate on public roads, which is sometimes necessary when moving between farm and field. Our top priority here is making sure everyone is able to get where they are going as safely as possible.

Fall also brings an increase of traffic to our rural areas, as many families from suburban and urban areas come out to visit the many farms offering a variety of agritourism attractions: pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides, fall festivals, and much more. This is a great way to spend some quality time outdoors with family and friends and while learning a little bit about Maryland agriculture.

On the topic of educating others about our industry, I was honored to visit Denton Elementary School on Thursday where we celebrated the kick-off of 2019 Homegrown School Lunch Week! This is an annual promotion in conjunction with the Farm to School program that aims to increase the amount of local products in school meals and educate students about where their food comes from.

Many kids outside of the farm community grow up thinking their food comes from a shelf in the grocery store. I am very happy to see programs like Farm to School and Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation (MAEF) making an effort to erase that misconception.

At the kick-off event in Denton, I joined leadership from Caroline County Public Schools and the Maryland State Board of Education to speak with students and join them for a lunch featuring local products. After lunch we had a chance to visit one of the MAEF mobile learning labs, and had the privilege of reading to

In my role as Secretary, agricultural education has been one of my main priorities. As new generations become further and further removed from the farm, it is important that make sure they understand the importance of our industry. Farmers provide the food and fiber we need to survive.

In addition to emphasizing the important work done by our farmers, I like to remind young people of the many career opportunities available in agriculture—it goes far beyond being a farmer. We need bright young folks to work as soil conservationists, agronomists, plant health specialists, and so much more. Technology has totally changed the way most industries operate, and that includes farming. Farmers and ag professionals rely on drones to scout their crops, many farmers rely on social media to market their products.

These kinds of opportunities are often overlooked when people think of agriculture as a profession, and it is important that we changed that misconception.

August 31, 2019

Highlights of the Maryland State Fair

Published in the August 31, 2019, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

Greetings from the Maryland State Fair! It seems hard to believe, but we are getting ready to wrap-up another outstanding installment of what we like to refer to as the “11 Best Days of Summer.” In its 138^th year, the 2019 Maryland State Fair’s motto is “More than a fair, we’re a culture.” I could not agree more. For many of us in Maryland’s farm communities, fairs and shows present a unique opportunity to share and celebrate our rural culture with folks from the more urban and suburban parts of the state.

I am proud to say our culture has been on full display throughout this week.

On the fair’s opening night I attended the 2019 Miss Maryland Agriculture contest, where several impressive young women competed for the opportunity to serve as an ambassador for Maryland agriculture. Each contestant shared their passion and dedication for farming, which is a great credit to the future of our industry. While there were many well-deserving contestants, I want to congratulate our new Miss Maryland Agriculture, Melyn Rhodes of Queen Anne’s County.

On Thursday, I was honored to celebrate Agriculture Day at the State Fair with Governor Larry Hogan. After a luncheon with industry leaders and various state and local elected officials, we embarked on a walking tour of the fairgrounds, and visited with fairgoers, exhibitors, and the many young people participating in 4-H and FFA activities. It really was a crash course in the many wonderful things our state has to offer.

We made a stop at the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s exhibit in the Cow Palace that features a variety of information and daily programming aimed at educating the public on the many vital programs housed within our department. Throughout the week, we hosted activities that highlight our weights and measure program, the state chemist section, resource conservation, and much more.

Governor Hogan and I wrapped up our afternoon at the fair as judges for the Undeniably Dairy Shake-Off, a milkshake contest featuring teams of local celebrities—it was tough work, but someone had to do it. This was a great way for everyone to have a little fun while promoting our hardworking Maryland dairy farmers.

As each generation grows a little further removed from the farm, it is important that we take advantage of opportunities like this to educate the public and advocate for Maryland agriculture. In the age of social media, information travels further and faster than ever before—whether it is accurate or not. Events like the State Fair are a great time to engage our fellow Marylanders who may be unfamiliar with farming, or misinformed about the industry, and give them a firsthand look at the hard work we do, day in and day out, to provide food and fiber for people throughout the state and beyond.

As the fair draws to a close, and kids head back to school, I encourage you all to remain vocal and engaged when talking about the accomplishments of Maryland agriculture. It is important for us to tell our story, and to educate future generations of farmers and agriculture professionals.

July 1, 2019

July Brings Maryland Produce, Ice Cream

Published in the June 29, 2019, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

July is just around the corner, which means we are heading into peak season for Maryland produce! It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy some delicious Maryland sweet corn, or sink your teeth into a Mar-Delicious watermelon. Our state grows such a wide variety of fresh, quality produce that we have a little something for everyone to enjoy.

I was reminded of that as I reviewed the recipes we received for Governor Larry Hogan’s Buy Local Cookout. Each year, the Governor and First Lady host cookout featuring dishes prepared by Maryland chefs using locally sourced ingredients. This event marks the kickoff of our Buy Local Challenge week (July 20-28), which asks all Marylanders to take a pledge to include at least one Maryland-grown or produced item in their meals each day.

We received more than 40 recipes for this year’s event, and 16 were chosen to participate in the cookout. First Lady Yumi Hogan and the Government House staff will also prepare an entrée and dessert for the event.

The Buy Local Cookout is a great opportunity to showcase the many delicious options available right here in our state. Thanks to our hard-working family farmers, watermen and producers, we can offer a vast array of diverse, creative dishes. This year’s cookout will feature everything from duck-stuffed pork, to blue catfish gazpacho, to my personal favorite, beef and mushroom sliders.

All of this year’s recipe submissions will be published in the 2019 Maryland Buy Local Cookout Recipes, which will include wine, beer or spirits pairing recommendations from the Maryland Wineries Association, Brewers Association of Maryland and the Maryland Distillers Guild. The cookbook will be available online when completed next month.

MDA has published several cookbooks full of recipes from years past that can be made with local products. Some are simple and quick, others are more complex. Past cookbooks are available free online http://mda.maryland.gov/Pages/Buy-Local-Cookout.aspx.

During Buy Local Challenge Week, we encourage everyone to support Maryland’s farmers, watermen and producers by purchasing at least one locally grown, made or harvested product each day. After trying it for a week, we hope you will continue that practice every day of the year.

The Buy Local Challenge, created in 2006 by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, has grown into a statewide initiative that has continued to evolve. In its latest Policy Choices Survey, the University of Baltimore Schaefer Center for Public Policy found that more than 78 percent of Marylanders said they want to buy produce grown by a Maryland farmer.

Sign up for the challenge online at: www.buy-local-challenge.com/

National Ice Cream Month/Dairy Margin Coverage Program

I know we are just now wrapping up National Dairy Month, but I hope you are not tired of ice cream just yet! July is National Ice Cream Month, and there is no better way to celebrate than visiting one of our nine on-farm creameries along the Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail. This is a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends on a working dairy farm and learn more about what goes into producing this delicious summer staple.

As for our dairy farmers, I want remind everyone that the sign-up period is now open for the USDA’s Dairy Margin Coverage program. As I mentioned in last month’s column, Governor Hogan has included $1.5 million in his budget to cover premium costs for Maryland dairy farmers participating in the program. We have hosted a series of informational meetings across the state with USDA FSA and University of Maryland Extension to get the word out. Visit your local USDA FSA office to sign up today!

May 31, 2019

Summer Brings New Ag Opportunities

Published in the May 25, 2019, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer fun season. Here at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, we plan to spend the summer celebrating and promoting our state’s top industry: agriculture. One of the best ways to do that is to get out and visit one of our state’s 12,400 farms! We are lucky to live amongst a wide variety of operations that grow and produce a diverse range of food and fiber. This presents a lot of opportunities to get out in the field with family and friends and learn something new!

Here are a couple ways our department will be supporting and celebrating our farmers in the coming weeks:

Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail

This weekend marks the official start of the 2019 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail season. Now in its seventh year, the Ice Cream Trail has been one of our most popular promotions, aimed at promoting our dairy farmers and encouraging Marylanders to visit a working farm.

The trail includes nine Maryland dairies that produce and sell their ice cream directly to consumers. The trail stretches more than 290 miles from Worcester County in the east to Washington County in the west. The 2019 Ice Cream Trail dairies include: Prigel Family Creamery (Baltimore), Kilby Cream (Cecil), South Mountain Creamery (Frederick), Rocky Point Creamery (Frederick), Broom’s Bloom Dairy (Harford), Keyes Creamery (Harford), Woodbourne Creamery at Rock Hill Orchard (Montgomery), Misty Meadow Farm Creamery (Washington), and Chesapeake Bay Farms (Worcester).

You can pick up an Ice Cream Trail Passport at any of the participating creameries (or online at www.marylandsbest.net). Complete the Ice Cream Trail passport by visiting every stop on the trail and answering a question from each creamery by September 23. Send it in to us and you will be entered into a drawing to be named the 2019 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail Blazer.

Dairy Risk Management Meetings

Speaking of our dairy farmers, the department is partnering with the University of Maryland Extension and United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to host three regional meetings for dairy farmers in Carroll, Kent, and Washington counties, June 12-14. The meetings will provide information on available risk management tools, including FSA’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, and a new state cost-share program that will cover its premium costs for Maryland farmers.

Governor Hogan included $1.5 million in his supplemental budget to pay premium costs for dairy farmers participating in the new DMC program. The state program will cover Tier I production in 2019 (up to 5 million pounds of milk produced) at the $9.50 margin coverage level. Premiums will be paid directly from the department to FSA on behalf of Maryland producers. Farmers can begin signing up for the DMC program at their local FSA field office starting June 17.

Dairy farmers across the country have been struggling with low milk prices and high feed costs for years, and we want to make sure our department is doing everything we can to help Maryland dairy farmers through these tough times. I encourage all of our dairy farmers to attend one of these regional meetings and learn more about the risk management options available at the state and federal level.

Farmers Market Season

Another staple of summertime is the availability of fresh, delicious produce from farmers markets and farm stands across the state. Maryland agriculture is unique in its diversity. Our farmers grow everything from leafy greens to sweet corn to watermelons. With at least one farmers market in each county and Baltimore City, there is plenty of opportunity to get out and buy locally sourced goods directly from our farmers.

Farmers markets provide an important venue where farmers get to interact directly with the customer. There is a lot of misleading information out there about agricultural production and this is a great way to educate consumers on exactly where their food comes from.

For a full list of farmers markets across the state, visit MarylandsBest.net.

April 27, 2019

Maryland Ag Shows Growth

Published in the April 27, 2019, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

In my five years as secretary of agriculture, I have often talked about our administration’s commitment to keeping rural Maryland open for business, and finding growth opportunities for our agriculture industry. Earlier this month, we were pleased to see statistical proof that Maryland agriculture is continuing to grow in the right direction.

On April 11, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) published the long awaited results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture. This report is regarded as the most complete, credible set of data available on our industry. This information will inform decisions for farmers, lawmakers, financial institutions and beyond.

This is the first new data of its kind since the agency’s 2012 Census of Agriculture. In those five years, we are seeing steady improvements in a number of key categories. This census also provides brand new information on farm operators and on-farm decision making.

Maryland’s total value of production for 2017 came in at $2.5 billion—a 9% increase from 2012. On a more micro level, the state’s per farm average net income increased from $38,920 in 2012 to $52,997 in 2017, which is a 36% increase.

One interesting trend in the data was an increase in the number of farms within the state: we have gained 173 farms since the last census, despite only a negligible change in acreage. This is due in part to an increase of smaller farms with less than 10 acres of land.

For the 2017 Census of Agriculture, NASS changed the demographic questions to better represent the roles of all persons involved in on-farm decision making. As a result, in 2017 the number of all producers in Maryland was 21,279, up from 19,055 producers in 2012.

We are seeing some promising trends among those 21,279 producers:

• The number of female producers has increased by 33% since 2012. Overall, females account for 38% of the state’s producers, outpacing the national rate of 27%.
• New and beginning producers with 10 years or less of farming comprised of 5,764 producers.
• Producers with military service were published for the first time with 2,054 producers represented.
• Young producers, age 35 years or less, comprised of 2,262 producers with an average age of 28.6 years old.

I am especially encouraged to see the number of young producers included in this data. As a fifth-generation farmer who has handed the operation over to the sixth-generation, I know exactly how important young farmers are to the future of our industry.

For much more on the 2017 Census of Agriculture, visit http://nass.usda.gov/

Chesapeake Bay Ag Leaders Meeting

In the spirit of looking forward to our industry’s future, I was honored to host the 5^th Annual Chesapeake Bay Ag Leaders Meeting here at MDA headquarters in Annapolis earlier this week. These meetings have proven to be a valuable opportunity to meet with my counterparts from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and New York, to discuss issues facing the industry throughout our region. This has also included valuable input and participation from our federal partners at USDA and the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA).

This year’s meeting covered a variety of topics including the emergence of industrial hemp, collaboration on animal health responses, and management of noxious weeds. As always, the main focus of the meeting was our joint responsibility to protect the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

I want to thank my colleagues who were able to make the trip to Annapolis and those who joined remotely. This open dialogue and spirit of collaboration has been incredibly helpful to our agency, and we look forward to continuing these partnerships. See you at next year’s meeting!

March 30, 2019

Increasing Public Understanding of Agriculture

Published in the March 30, 2019, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

Spring is officially here—the sun stays out a little later, the weather is a little warmer, and the Orioles have finally taken the field. More importantly, this is the time of year when farmers across the region begin planting their crops and preparing for the growing season. This is an exciting time on the farm, though I know many of us are a little anxious and hoping that Mother Nature shows some mercy after a historically wet 2018.

Here at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, we have been busy preparing for the season in a number of ways. This includes gearing up for invasive plant and pest surveys; providing technical assistance to farmers at soil conservation districts; and continuing our efforts to build new markets for Maryland products.

We are also making an effort to increase public understanding of what we do and how we do it.

Celebrating Maryland Agriculture

Governor Larry Hogan declared March 10-16, “Maryland Agricultural Week” —an annual celebration that coincides with National Agriculture Day (March 14). This is great opportunity to recognize the hard work our farmers do each day to provide food and fiber for people throughout the region and internationally. I celebrated National Ag Day by speaking with two very important groups: students and state legislators.

I started my morning in Annapolis with Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus to brief them on the state of our industry. I always appreciate the opportunity to meet with our lawmakers and provide a broader understanding of Maryland agriculture, and how their votes in Annapolis affect farmers across the state. This has become especially important this year, as we have many new faces in the Maryland General Assembly.

I spent the rest of the day in Caroline County where my staff and I visited with students at Immanuel Lutheran Nursery School and Federalsburg Elementary School. These students will play a critical role in the future of agriculture. We talked about where their food comes from, and read this year’s Ag Literacy Campaign book, Right This Very Minute. As younger generations are further removed from the farm, it is crucial to educate them on the incredible effort it takes by farmers and producers to feed our state.

Sharing the Road

Road safety is an issue that has affected nearly every farmer I know—especially those of us who farm in more populated areas of the state. Our department partnered with State Highway Administration and Maryland Farm Bureau last fall to raise awareness of this issue during harvest season. This is equally important during planting season.

Farmers are legally allowed to operate farm equipment on public roadways and there are times when farm vehicles must operate on highways to move between farm and field. We plan to distribute a press release and social media campaign in the coming weeks reminding motorists to be patient and share the road. I understand slow-moving farm equipment can be frustrating to other motorists, but it is important that we all practice caution and stay alert on shared roadways.

“Manure Happens” Campaign

This is also the time of year that people will begin to see—and smell—manure being applied to fields. Earlier this month, we launched our annual “Manure Happens” ad campaign. Marylanders are passionate about where their food comes from and how it is produced. This campaign helps everyone understand why farmers use manure as a crop fertilizer and the practices they follow to protect the health of nearby waterways.

The 2019 campaign includes three ads with different themes. The “Walk This Way” ad focuses on how the organic matter in chicken manure helps the soil store nutrients and ward off erosion. The “Singing the Praises of Manure” ad focuses on the soil health benefits of livestock manure. In addition, the campaign’s namesake ad, “Manure Happens,” has been updated with new imagery. To see all of the department’s manure education ads developed over the years, visit mda.maryland.gov/manure.

March 2, 2019

An Update on Legislative Priorities

Published in the March 2, 2019, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

February tends to be a slow month on the farm, but it is always a busy one for us here in Annapolis. Over the past several weeks, I have been meeting one-on-one with legislators and briefing different committees and delegations on the state of Maryland agriculture. While this has been helpful, I cannot stress how important it is for our lawmakers to here directly from our farmers. If there is a bill that could affect your farm or your community, I urge you to come testify and make sure that your voices are being heard.

With that said, I’d like to give a quick update on our department’s legislative priorities.

Departmental Bills

• HB 50 – Maryland Produce Safety Program: This legislation would establish the Maryland Produce Safety Program in the Department of Agriculture and give the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to conduct inspection, compliance and enforcement activities for the Produce Safety Rule instead of FDA. As MDA is familiar with Maryland farmers, agricultural practices, agricultural water sources, nutrient management and other relevant state regulations, we are better equipped to assist farmers with compliance while taking into account other state regulations. The legislation does not contain any provisions that would place an additional burden on Maryland farmers.
• SB 25 – Conservation Easements, Covenants, Restrictions and Conditions – Recording Notice: This would allow Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) and other state agencies to periodically update land records to evidence the state’s interest in properties encumbered by the state with a conservation or preservation easement. Public notices of older easements are sometimes not included in title searches. This bill would give MALPF and similar programs the ability to maintain those records, ensuring that prospective purchasers are able to make an informed decision.
• SB 56 – Regulation of Poultry to Protect Animal Health and Control Avian Influenza: In an effort to maximize our efforts against avian influenza, this bill would give our department the authority to regulate new and emerging poultry markets. This includes swap meets, flea markets and internet sales. This is a necessary step in making sure that we continue to safeguard our poultry industry from infectious disease.
• SB 57 – County Agricultural Land Preservation Programs: This is essentially a clean-up bill that will make changes to the current MALPF statute to be consistent with the provisions of HB 620, which passed into law in the 2018 session.
• SB 58 – Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation – Elimination of District Agreements: Another clean-up bill that will delete obsolete references to “agricultural districts” associated with an agricultural land preservation process that was phased out in 2007.

The department has also offered support to House Bill 808 – Weed Control – Noxious Weeds. This bill would amend the current law to give MDA authority to determine which weeds should be included on the noxious weed list. This is a result of the department’s 2018 Palmer Amaranth Summer Study. Within the last decade, palmer amaranth has become a prolific weed pest that has proven difficult to control. This bill would give MDA more flexibility to address this and other invasive weeds in the future.

The department will post any written testimony and updates on bills throughout the remainder of the legislative session on our website: mda.maryland.gov/about_mda/Pages/2019-Legislation.aspx

November 12, 2018

Giving Thanks and Looking Forward

Published in the November 24, 2018, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and move into the holiday season, I want to take a brief moment to say thank you to all of the Maryland farmers who continue to support the Hogan-Rutherford administration. Our governor has done a great job getting our state back on the right track, and we are all very excited that the people of Maryland have elected to give us four more years to continue changing Maryland for the better. Rural Marylanders were among the first to embrace Governor Hogan as a candidate in 2014, and I can assure that we will always remember that.

Personally, it has been an honor to serve my fellow Maryland farmers as Secretary of Agriculture, and I look forward to continuing in that role for another term. I know it has been a tough year for a lot of us with erratic weather, but I want you to know that our staff at the Maryland Department of Agriculture is here to help in any way we can, and we are all grateful for the hard work you do each and every day to provide food and fiber for us all.

In addition to its effect on crop yields, I know that wet weather has made it difficult for many farmers to get cover crops planted by the program’s planting deadline. In response to that challenge, the department has launched a Healthy Soil Biomass pilot program for farmers who were approved to participate in the 2018-2019 winter cover crop program, but were unable to plant all of their acreage. The pilot program will pay these farmers a flat rate of $45/acre to plant qualifying small grains in leftover, unplanted fields to create a healthy soil biomass and protect water quality in nearby streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

The pilot program works in a similar way to the department’s traditional cover crop program, but it is a separate and distinct program with its own set of rules and requirements. Only farmers who were previously approved to plant cover crops this fall are eligible to participate. These farmers may plant up to 500 acres of qualifying small grains on “leftover fields” that they did not plant in traditional cover crops. Farmers have a choice of planting methods, but only wheat, rye or triticale may be used as the seed source. The planting deadline for the pilot program is December 1. Farmers interested in participating are encouraged to contact their local soil conservation district office.

WIP Workshops Planned for Fall/Winter 2018

Our department has partnered with the Maryland Department of the Environment and University of Maryland’s Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology to host a series of workshops aimed at helping local communities address the third phase of Maryland’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. The series of six workshops began on November 16 and will run through December 6. Each workshop will focus on local goals, opportunities for collaboration, and how to proceed to reach targets in 2025 and beyond.

Each workshop will begin with state and region-specific overviews from the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland Department of Agriculture before a set of breakout sessions organized by counties. Participants will then reconvene after lunch for a discussion on next steps. All workshops are free to attend and sponsored by the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology and funded by the Town Creek Foundation.

For more information on these workshops, visit: https://agresearch.umd.edu/agroecol/fall-watershed-implementation-plan-wip-workshops

October 27, 2018

Reflecting on Four Years of Progress for Maryland Farmers

Published in the October 27, 2018, edition of Lancaster Farming

By Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

When Governor Larry Hogan took office in 2015, he promised Maryland’s agricultural community a seat at the table – and as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Agriculture and a lifelong farmer, I am happy to say he has kept that promise. The governor has been a steadfast ally of our rural communities, and we are seeing a renewed sense of optimism among our farmers for the first time in years. Nearly four years in, I want to take a moment to reflect on a few of the ways the administration is making sure that rural Maryland stays open for business.

In this year’s budget, Governor Hogan has provided historic support for a number of agriculture-related initiatives. For the first time since 2007, the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) received full funding at $45 million. This is a critical program that allows us to ensure that productive farmland stays in agriculture and out of commercial development. Since 1980, MALPF has preserved 312,666 acres on 2,301 farms in all 23 counties. By June 2018, MALPF managed a public investment of approximately $729 million in permanently preserved land.

The Fiscal Year 2019 budget also includes $6 million for the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund, which funds the Rural Maryland Council. This is double the amount of last year’s funding, and makes Governor Hogan the first governor in Maryland history to fully fund the program. The Rural Maryland Council embraces holistic solutions for rural issues and strives to help communities grow by bringing together stakeholders from agriculture and natural resource-based industries, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and government agencies.

Governor Hogan’s budget also includes $8.5 million for the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) program, which provides grants to farmers for installing best management practices on their farms to prevent soil erosion, manage nutrients, and safeguard water quality in streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. This an increase of $500,000 for a program that has helped our farmers stay viable while protecting our natural resources.

In the past four years, we have made tremendous progress restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and our farmers greatly contribute to that success. Under the Hogan administration, the state has invested a historic $4 billion in Bay restoration initiatives. The Chesapeake Bay recently received its highest recorded grade in the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences annual report card, and Maryland’s coastal bays hit a historic high mark in the 2017 Coastal Bays Report Card from the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. When I travel around the country and speak with my counterparts from other states, Maryland farmers are held up as the model for sustainable agriculture practices. Our farmers have really embraced the use of best management practices which has allowed them to make significant progress in reducing nutrient runoff from agricultural production, and the governor has consistently ensured that agriculture has a seat at the table so we can be part of the solution.

Here at the department, we have used our Maryland’s Best marketing program to increase demand and open new markets for Maryland products throughout the region. In addition to supporting local farmers markets and coordinating trade expos, we have made a lot of progress on an international level.

Working with groups like Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) and U.S. Livestock Genetics Export (USLGE), we have hosted incoming trade missions from several countries—including Canada, China, Korea, and Sweden—that have showcased the state’s watermelon, nursery, craft beverage, and equine industries.

As a public servant, I have worked with several different administrations, and I can tell you firsthand that none have matched this level of support and commitment to our farmers.

I am deeply proud of the work this administration has done to protect and promote Maryland agriculture, and the Maryland Department of Agriculture welcomes the opportunity to continue our work on behalf of Maryland farmers to ensure that they continue providing locally grown, nutritious food and fiber for all Marylanders.