MDA Blog

July 22, 2017

Upcoming Events Recognize Local Agriculture

Secretary Joe Bartenfelder

Published in the July 22, 2017 issue of Lancaster Farming

Our summer celebration of local products continues next week with the Buy Local Challenge (July 22-30) and moves right into a watermelon promotion at the world’s largest crab feast August 4 and Maryland Farmers Market Week (August 6-12). We hope you will join in the fun!

Buy Local Challenge

Some of us take the Buy Local Pledge every chance we get, but not everyone does. Governor Larry Hogan has officially declared July 22-30 as Buy Local Challenge Week to raise awareness about the benefits of local farms and food so that Marylanders will become more familiar and more frequent consumers of fresh, local agricultural and seafood products. I join the Governor in encouraging all Marylanders to take the pledge and eat well the week of July 23.

Buying and eating local is more than just enjoying fresh, delicious, nutritious food that tastes better – although that’s good enough reason for me. Local food is better for the environment. It keeps land open, in production and requires less fuel for transportation and therefore less pollution. Local produce is also better for you since food that travels less time and distance holds more of its nutrients. Eating local food also supports local farm families, local economies and local communities. Buying local helps preserve open space, especially in rural areas where growing development pressures put both the environment and our quality of life at risk.

In its 2012 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.  The Buy Local Challenge gives them an opportunity to do just that.

The Buy Local Challenge was created by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission and has since become a statewide program. The Buy Local Challenge Week is always the last full week of July. Take the Buy Local Pledge here: http://buylocalchallenge.com

To promote and kick off the Buy Local Challenge Week, Governor Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan hosted the 10^th Annual Buy Local Cookout at Government House on July 20. Recipes for the event showcased the many ways local Maryland ingredients can be used in all kinds of ways. Recipes were submitted by teams of Maryland chefs and producers and selected based on their availability of ingredients, geographic representation, maximum use of local ingredients and creativity. The Buy Local Cookout also featured grocery store chains, distributors, restaurants and institutions that support farmers.

Each year, the department publishes a cookbook of all the recipes submitted for the cookout. They can all be downloaded for free from our website at: http://mda.maryland.gov

All recipes include wine, beer or spirits pairing recommendations from the Maryland Wineries Association, Brewers Association of Maryland and the Maryland Distillers Guild.

Ask for Maryland-grown products whenever possible – while shopping for weekly groceries, eating at a Maryland restaurant, visiting children’s schools and cafeterias, even while visiting someone in the hospital. Ask where the local products are and if there aren’t any, ask them to stock some.

And don’t forget, there are nine dairy farms on Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail. Enjoying a nice scoop of farm fresh ice cream counts as buying local as well!

The Buy Local Challenge and Buy Local Week helps residents – many of whom have had no connection or contact with a real, working farm – realize how delicious local products are. Once they do that, we are certain they will continue to seek out and demand more avenues for obtaining fresh, local food.

So take the pledge, take the challenge, eat well, preserve the environment, and support your local farmers – all at the same time!

Maryland Farmers Market Week

We hope that after purchasing at least one local product each day during Buy Local Challenge Week, Marylanders will continue the practice every day of the year. To encourage consumers to continue supporting Maryland agriculture, Governor Larry Hogan has designated August 6-12 as Maryland Farmers Market Week. During this week, many markets will offer food preparation demonstrations, music and children’s activities along with an assortment of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, wine tastings, and more.

Many fruits and vegetables are now in season, and Maryland farmers are offering their freshest products at more than 145 farmers’ markets across the state. Every county and Baltimore City has at least one market and the demand for local products continues to grow. We are working hard to connect local producers with local consumers, and we invite everyone to check our searchable database at www.marylandsbest.net to find local products and markets nearby.

Purchasing locally grown products strengthens our local economies, the health of our environment and our families, and also keeps land open and productive. Farmers markets also connect urban, suburban and rural communities. By talking with farmers, consumers can learn about fresh produce as well as how to prepare and store it, while developing a bond of trust in the integrity and accountability of our growers.

Mar-Delicious Watermelons at World’s Largest Crab Feast

The Maryland Department of Agriculture together with the Mar-Del Watermelon Association will participate in the world’s largest crab feast on August 4, at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis to highlight the economic and nutritional value of watermelon. Mar-Del watermelon farmers will be on hand along with National Watermelon Queen Madison Laney, Mar-Del Watermelon Queen Connor Vincent and other state queens to hand out fresh, cool watermelon slices and fun giveaways. Maryland and Delaware are significant growers and suppliers of watermelons, which are in their prime in August.

This special event, hosted by the Rotary Club of Annapolis, is not only the world’s largest crab feast but also a major fund-raiser that benefits local community and cultural organizations. Nearly 2,500 people are expected to attend and finish off 350 bushels of crabs, 3,400 ears of corn, 100 watermelons, 100 gallons of crab soup, 1,800 hot dogs, 150 pounds of beef barbeque, and hundreds of gallons of soft drinks and beer. If you are in the Annapolis area on Friday, August 4, join the fun at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Tickets are available online at:  www.annapolisrotary.org/crabfeast

Fair and Show Season

With fair and show season in full swing, we want to re-emphasize the importance of practicing strict biosecurity when handling show pigs. Follow the link below for more information.  In light of the devastating effects of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV), there is increased awareness about the need for strict biosecurity, especially when pigs come together at events such as shows and weigh-ins. With the animals being commingled at an exhibition, sale or during a weigh-in event, spreading disease is a known risk, but it can be minimized by following proper biosecurity procedures. Visit www.pork.org/show-pigs for more information on how to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading PEDV.

And for anyone who works with poultry, either in the commercial flocks or backyard flocks, I encourage you to keep taking extra biosecurity precautions so that those safety practices become habit when the risk for High Path Avian Influenza increases this fall. For more information about avian influenza and how to protect your flock, visit: www.mda.maryland.gov/Avianflu

June 24, 2017

Cover Crops and Ice Cream Trails

By Joe Bartenfelder

Published in the June 24, 2017 issue of Lancaster Farming

Summer is always a busy time for Maryland farmers, but I wanted to take a moment to give you an update on a few things happening here at the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Cover Crop Program

The signup period for the department’s 2017-18 Cover Crop Program will run from June 21 to July 17 at soil conservation district offices statewide. This popular program provides grants to help farmers offset seed, labor, and equipment costs to plant cover crops on their fields this fall. Governor Hogan has allocated approximately $22.5 million for this year’s program.

There are several important changes to this year’s cover crop program. As a cost-saving measure, farmers who choose to harvest their cover crops will no longer receive payment through this program. Farmers may enroll all eligible acres and decide later which acres will be harvested. There also are several exciting new program changes for farmers—legume mixes now qualify for early planting incentives, cover crop mixes containing up to three species (small grains, legumes, forage radish) are now eligible for grants, and the aerial seed planting deadline has been extended to October 7.

Maryland farmers are leaders when it comes to protecting water quality and caring for our precious soil resources. Adding cover crops into a cash crop rotation makes good sense for our farmland and our waterways. I urge all farmers to visit their soil conservation districts to sign up for cover crop grants during the enrollment window. This will be your only opportunity to apply for grants to plant cover crops on your fields this fall.

Ice Cream Trail

The Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail season officially started on May 26. The trail is made up of nine Maryland dairies that produce and sell their ice cream directly to consumers. The trail stretches more than 290 miles from Ocean City in the east to Washington County in the west. The purpose of the trail is to highlight the important contributions of Maryland’s 414 dairy farms which accounted $164 million in sales in 2016; and to increase the public’s general understanding of dairy farming.

Since June is National Dairy Month, Deputy Secretary Jim Eichhorst and I started our journey through the trail at Rocky Point Creamery in Tuscarora and Woodbourne Creamery in Mt. Airy on June 13. Our goal is to hit all nine creameries before the season ends on September 25.

GICA – Defining Agritourism

Earlier this month, the Governor’s Intergovernmental Commission for Agriculture (GICA) held its first meeting of 2017. The meeting included a presentation from Grow & Fortify detailing how counties and the state can help promote value-added agriculture and agritourism. There was also a presentation from State Fire Marshall Brian Geraci on inspection guidelines for on-farm venues.

Kirk Engle of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygeine gave a presentation on his department’s work with dairy farmers to ensure that they are in compliance with state and federal laws.  Lastly, Exuctive Director Charlotte Davis of the Rural Maryland Council shared information on grants available through the council.

The Commission also voted to adopt an official definition for ‘Agritourism’ as: a series of activities conducted on a farm and offered to the public or to invited groups for the purpose of education, recreation, or active involvement in the farm operation.  These activities may include, but are not limited to, farm tours, hayrides, corn mazes, seasonal petting farms, farm museums, guest farms, pumpkin patches, “pick your own” or “cut your own” produce, classes related to agricultural products or skills and picnic and party facilities offered in conjunction with the above.

Copies of the presentations and meeting minutes will be available on the GICA website.

Buy Local

As we move into July, I want to remind all Marylanders of the many different ways to buy local products throughout the state. Farmers’ market season is in full-swing, and there are a variety of U-Pick operations offering fresh produce.

Another way to support local producers is to buy fresh Maryland seafood. Maryland is home to some of the best seafood in the world: blue crabs, rockfish, oysters, etc. The relationship between farmers and watermen goes back to the beginning of our state’s history, and summer is the perfect time to enjoy all of the fresh, local products available statewide.

Visit MarylandsBest.net to find a farmer or producer near you!

2017 Census of Agriculture

I want to close out this month’s column by encouraging all Maryland farmers to participate in the upcoming Census of Agriculture. USDA-National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) compiles this report once every five years, giving us the most credible agricultural data available. The information obtained by Census of Agriculture will help to inform everyone from farmers to lawmakers and will surely have an impact on the agriculture industry in our state. I urge all Maryland farmers to participate in the surveys so we can make sure that everyone is working with the most accurate data possible.

May 20, 2017

Spring Ag Commission Tours Dorchester, Wicomico Farms

By Joe Bartenfelder

Published in the May 20, 2017 issue of Lancaster Farming

Last week I joined the Maryland Agricultural Commission for their spring agricultural tour, which featured Dorchester and Wicomico counties. We covered the Lower Shore’s major commodities: Poultry, seafood, nurseries, and fresh market produce. The commission is an advisory board to the Secretary of Agriculture, which represents all major commodities in Maryland.

J.M. Clayton Seafood Company

The tour started at J.M. Clayton Seafood Company in Cambridge, which has been in its current location since 1921 along the Choptank River. A family business now operated by the 5^th generation, J.M Clayton is the oldest working crab processing plant in the world. Co- owner Jack Brooks walked the group through the processing plant from unloading crabs on the dock, to cooking 400 pounds (10 bushels) at a time in each of their two heavy duty steel steamers, to the picking, processing and packing rooms.  Perhaps the thing that made the greatest impact on the group was the labor that goes into getting a pound of crab meat from the Chesapeake Bay to final market. The department is excited to have the state’s seafood marketing program officially return to Agriculture from the Department of Natural Resources in July.

Double Trouble Farm

The group then toured the Murphy family’s Double Trouble Farm – the first Maryland poultry operation to install cutting-edge technology that converts poultry litter to energy. The Maryland Department of Agriculture awarded about $1 million from the Animal Waste Technology Grant Fund to Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc. (BHSL) for the Rhodesdale project.

It’s exciting to see Maryland farmers finding alternative uses for manure to address environmental issues while improving the farm’s bottom line. The Ireland-based BHSL system utilizes poultry litter as a feedstock by converting it to energy to heat the farm’s chicken houses and generate electricity. The system is projected to generate 526 megawatts of electricity per year. Adding heat to poultry houses has been proven at other sites to improve the flock growth rate and overall bird health.  The Murphys are working with BHSL to explore markets for the high-phosphorus ash by-product including Maryland fertilizer companies.

Marshall’s Riverbank Nursery

Our third stop highlighted the second largest ag sector in Maryland – horticulture – which in 2014 accounted for $251 million (about 10 percent of total farm cash receipts). John Marshall, former Commission member, led the group on a tour of his 60 acre irrigated nursery that houses 400 hoop houses and continues to expand acreage. He also highlighted one of his biggest challenges is finding people willing to do the manual labor required in nursery work.  His Salisbury-based business focuses on a mix of re-wholesalers, garden centers and landscape contractors from Northern Virginia to Massachusetts and west to Pittsburgh and Ohio.

Wright’s Market

At our final stop, Charles Wright IV, along with his wife Michelle, explained the family’s farming business in their 13,000 square foot retail market in Mardela Springs. Wright’s Market offers fresh local produce, eggs meat, seafood, ice cream, bakery items, gifts, home and garden items and Amish-made furniture. Their Longhorned cow Zorro – and the goats that keep him company – are a big attraction for visitors. Additionally, the family grows poultry, grain, processing vegetables and retail produce. In the spring, they offer pick-your-own strawberries and in the fall, they host agritourism activities for the public and about 2,000 local students for field trips.

Ice Cream Trail Opens May 26

The 2017 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail will kick-off on May 26.  I hope all Marylanders will visit a local farm or two and enjoy some delicious local ice cream this Memorial Day weekend (and continue on the trail this summer). The trail includes nine dairy farms that produce and sell ice cream directly to consumers. The Ice Cream Trail stretches more than 290 miles from Ocean City in the east to Washington County in the west. The purpose of the trail is to highlight the important contributions of Maryland’s dairy farms and to increase the public’s general understanding of dairy farming.

You can pick up an Ice Cream Trail Passport at any of the creameries (or online at www.marylandsbest.net). Everyone who returns a completed Ice Cream Trail passport by visiting each of the nine farms on the trail and answering a question from each creamery between now and September 25 will be entered into a drawing to be named the 2017 Ice Cream Trailblazer. The grand prize includes a $50 gift certificate to a favorite creamery; a DVD set of the latest season of Maryland Public Television’s number one show – Maryland Farm and Harvest; a signed copy of “Dishing Up Maryland,” a cookbook by Lucie Snodgrass; and statewide bragging rights!

April 28, 2017

Impact of the 2017 Legislative Session on Maryland Agriculture

Published in the April 22, 2017, issue of Lancaster Farming

Throughout the 90-day session as the Maryland General Assembly gathered in Annapolis we focused on educating legislators about Maryland’s number one industry and a number of bills that would have had a direct negative impact on the agriculture industry and the operational and fiscal functions of the department.

We also continued with our outreach to inform legislators about the Department of Agriculture and services we provide to the industry, consumers and the general public. I personally participated in two agricultural briefings to various committees on the status of Maryland’s agricultural community and the department’s function as a state agency, in addition to countless individual meetings with legislators and their staff to ensure they understand the importance of Maryland’s agriculture industry to the economy and rural life.

The Department put forward three departmental bills this session that were adopted by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Larry Hogan. We are particularly excited about HB 120 – Seafood and Aquaculture Product Marketing, which transfers the marketing responsibility for Maryland seafood products to the Maryland Department of Agriculture from the Department of Natural Resources. Seafood marketing will join the current Agriculture Marketing and Development Program, which will be renamed Agriculture & Seafood Marketing and Development.

Along with the marketing program, HB 120 moves approximately $190,000 in special funds from fees collected on commercial watermen and processing licenses by the Department of Natural Resources. The department will pursue further funding from USDA and other grants to support the new program, as well. Our department’s marketing program has made great strides in supporting and promoting local agriculture products, and I am confident that we can have the same success with the state’s seafood and aquaculture industry.

Governor Hogan signed two additional departmental bills into law that focused on promoting Maryland agriculture products and streamlining processes identified by industry and county governments. These bills include:

• HB 130 – Maryland Wine and Grape Promotion Fund – creates a more efficient review and approval process for applications submitted to the Maryland Wine & Grape Promotion Fund

• HB 155 – Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation- Easement Termination – streamlines the easement termination process by having the county conduct its review and hearing and deciding whether the request should be approved or denied. If the county denies the request, the request fails and does not move forward to the Foundation, resulting in the Foundation not expending time and effort on termination applications that it cannot approve.  If the request is approved, it moves forward to the Foundation to determine whether the land may be farmed profitably.

Governor Hogan continued to show support for Agriculture in his budget. He increased the funding for the Maryland Ag Cost Share Program (MACS) from $6 million to $8 million to help offset the lost funding from last year. This program provides farmers with grants to cover up to 87.5 percent of the cost to install conservation measures known as best management practices on their farms to prevent soil erosion, manage nutrients and safeguard water quality in streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation and the other land preservation programs received full funding this year along with $2.5 million in funding for MARBIDCO’s Next Generation Ag Land Preservation Program.

The Governor included an additional $2.5 million in his supplemental budget to pay for the record 560,000 acres of cover crops acres planted by farmers last fall. Cover crops are one of the most cost effective practices and environmentally sustainable ways for farmers to help the State reach its Chesapeake Bay clean up goals. During budget deliberations, the legislature cut the funding for this important program. The department is looking at other funding sources to ensure farmers who participated in the program are compensated for their certified planted acres.

The General Assembly also passed the following legislation of interest to the agricultural community:

SB 422 – Keep Antibiotics Effective Act of 2017– after being severely amended, prohibits the administration of a medically important antimicrobial drug to cattle, swine, or poultry solely for the purpose of promoting weight gain or improving feed efficiency. The Maryland Department of Agriculture must annually collect, and report on, specified publicly available data on the use in the State of medically important antimicrobial drugs in cattle, swine, and poultry. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to impose an administrative penalty for a violation of the bill’s provisions and may adopt regulations to carry out the bill. As amended, this bill conforms to the federal rule that went into effect on January 1, 2017.

HB 1063 – Maryland Healthy Soils Program – establishes the Maryland Healthy Soils Program within the Maryland Department of Agriculture. The primary function of this bill is to assist and educate farmers on how to improve their soil health. The key objective of this bill is to improve soil quality. The removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, also known as carbon sequestration, will also be reviewed and studied through the program.

HB 1035 – Motor Vehicles – Seasonal Exceptional Milk Hauling Permit – re-establishes the Exceptional Milk Hauling Permit that was allowed to sunset last October. This bill would make permanent the annual permit to allow up to 88,000 pounds on a 5-axle truck during the “spring flush,” which includes the months of March through June.

SB 917- Motor Vehicles – Gross Weight and Axle Load and Exceptional Hauling –establishes an Exceptional Hauling Permit for hauling live poultry within the nine Eastern Shore counties. This permit would be similar to the Exceptional Milk Hauling Permit and allow up to 88,000 pounds on a 5-axle truck. However, the permit is only valid for six months of the year (November through April) and has a five-year sunset. Additional data and reporting requirements must also be sent from the poultry haulers to the State Highway Administration.

SB 416 – Income Tax Credit – Qualified Farms – Food Donation Pilot Program – creates a pilot program for a state tax income credit of up to $5,000 for qualified farms donating food to authorized organizations. The program, which goes into effect on July 1, 2017, would be limited to Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties.

The department will continue to work with a wide-range of various stakeholders, commissions, and advisory boards, after the session to address any possible legislative issues or policy developments.

March 28, 2017

Celebrating Maryland Agriculture Week

Published in the March 25, 2017, issue of Lancaster Farming

We just celebrated the 44^th National Agriculture Day (March 21), which recognizes the contributions of agriculture to American society and thanks our farmers for providing us with life’s necessities – food, fiber, clothing and shelter. To coincide with this national celebration, Governor Larry Hogan declared March 19-25 as “Maryland Agriculture Week.”

There are 2.1 million farms in the United States, a country with nearly 319 million people. Agriculture products remain the nation’s top export. Each American farmer today feeds more than 155 people – a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. American agriculture is doing more – and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.

From the mountains of Western Maryland with its dairy farms and hay to Central Maryland with its greenhouse and livestock industries to the Eastern Shore’s acres of corn and poultry – Maryland truly grows something for everyone. Our vibrant agricultural industry is a critical component of our state’s economy, and our farmers go above and beyond to provide fresh, quality food that is accessible, affordable, and safe for our citizens. That’s a lot to celebrate during Ag Week!

Frederick Douglass High School New Ag Program

I spent National Ag Day with Mayor Catherine Pugh and Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford and students at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore City, where the department has been working with the school leaders, Maryland Nursery Landscape and Greenhouse Association, Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation and other industry and community leaders to bring hands-on agricultural experiences to the students. The school has created a Garden Club and developed an Urban Agriculture class with 24 students involved this inaugural year.

Thanks to the many partnerships and generous support of the industry, two new hoop houses were erected last fall. The Lt. Governor and I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the hoop houses during a statewide kick-off event for Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week at the school last September.

On National Ag Day, we helped students transplant begonias into larger pots. These are the first plants to be grown in the school’s new hoop houses, and will give each student in the school an opportunity to take home a flower on Mother’s Day weekend that was grown by Frederick Douglass students.

Hopefully in the future, we can start a FFA chapter at the school. Next year, we hope the school will be able to grow plants in the hoop houses and hold a plant sale to raise money for the school’s agriculture program.

Ag Literacy Campaign

Next month, I will join Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Dr. Craig Beyrouty, University of Maryland Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, to visit third grade classrooms at Beltsville Academy Elementary School. We will be reading the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation 2017 Ag Literacy Campaign book “Hatching Chicks in Room 6” by Caroline Arnold. This book teaches children about the life cycle of a chicken, incubating eggs, watching them hatch, and raising the chicks until they are old enough to return to the chicken coop.

This is the seventh year for Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation’s annual Ag Literacy Program. This Ag in the Classroom program seeks to instill the importance of agriculture in student’s daily lives.

You can be a Literacy Volunteer and set up a time to visit in a nearby school and read to students in grades K-3. Following the reading of the book, volunteers conduct an activity with the students and share their experiences in agriculture.  The book is then left in the classroom or media center with a book plate indicating the donor.

Lesson plans and ideas for many activities can be found at www.maefonline.com. To order hardback copies of the book for $10 each, or for more information, visit maefonline.com, or contact Jeanne Mueller 410-848-4745 or jmueller@maefonline.com.

2017 Ag Census

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service just launched the 2017 Census of Agriculture in conjunction with National Ag Day. This data is so important on a number of levels, and there is strength in numbers.

As a farmer, I encourage you to participate in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. It is our voice, our future, and our opportunity to shape American agriculture – its policies, services, and assistance programs – for years to come.

If you are new to farming or did not receive a Census of Agriculture form in 2012, there is still time to sign up to receive the 2017 Census of Agriculture report form by visiting www.agcensus.usda.gov and clicking on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button through June.

Spring Means Farmers’ Markets

Spring also means farmers markets will be opening up across the state. Farmers’ markets provide an important source of income for farmers.  They also serve as integral links between urban, suburban and rural communities. By talking one-on-one with farmers, consumers can learn about fresh produce including preparation and storage tips. Consumers also develop a bond of trust in the integrity and accountability of our growers.

In preparation for the season, the department will hold its annual farmers’ market conference with nearly 100 participants on April 10. This conference provides participants an opportunity to network and connect with experts on farmers’ market issues in Maryland and nationally. It will also introduce market managers to prospective farmers and vendors. We look forward to a great season!

February 25, 2017

Eastern Shore Tours with Governor Hogan and Legislative Update

Published in the Feb. 25, 2017, issue of Lancaster Farming

Governor Larry Hogan made several key agricultural stops on February 13, during a day-long visit to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and I had the privilege of joining him.

Animal Waste Technology

Last week, the Governor and I toured the first Maryland poultry operation to install cutting-edge technology that converts poultry litter to energy at the Murphy family’s Double Trouble Farm in Dorchester County.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture awarded a $970,000 animal waste technology grant to Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc. (BHSL) for the manure-to-energy project and an additional $139,000 to monitor its operation for one year.

This project has the following benefits:

• Reduced environmental impact: A reduction in the potential environmental impact of manure resources
• Lower energy costs: A reduction in energy costs through using heat from the manure as a source for heating poultry houses
• Improved animal welfare: Improved animal welfare, with improved health and reduced risk of diseases
• Improved performance: Faster growth – poultry reaching target weight more quickly
• Additional revenue: Potential expansion of revenue streams – earnings from the sale of excess electricity and a fertilizer by-product

Projects like this can help to improve water quality, increase energy independence, improve animal waste management, and ensure sustainability of animal agriculture in Maryland – all while improving the farm’s bottom line.

The Murphy farm and its new technology were featured on Maryland Public Television’s Maryland Farm & Harvest show on January 24.  The show is available to watch online at www.mpt.org/farm.

Maryland’s Animal Waste Technology Fund is a grant program that provides seed funding to companies that demonstrate innovative technologies to manage or repurpose manure resources.

To date, the program has approved $3.7 million in grants to six projects.

The next operational project we plan to feature will be Planet Found Energy Development project at Millenium Farms in Pocomoke City. Planet Found received a $676,000 state grant for the project, which uses an anaerobic digester to convert chicken litter into methane gas which, in turn, is used to produce electricity (26 kilowatts/hour plant producing an estimated 100,000 kilowatts/year). The system will send excess electricity not used on the farm to the grid. Excess heat generated may be used to offset propane costs for poultry house heating

Also, CleanBay Renewables, which received a $1.4 million state grant, is ready to break ground for the first of four regional facilities to convert poultry litter to energy. They should be operational in Somerset County by 2018 and will be starting one other facility in Maryland and two in Delaware.

Moving Seafood Marketing to MDA

We also toured J.M. Clayton – the world’s oldest crab processing facility – in Cambridge in support of House Bill 120, which would move the state’s seafood and aquaculture marketing program from the Department of Natural Resources back to the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

There’s a reason there is a farmer and a watermen on our State seal. This bill is an important step toward recognizing the bond between farmers and watermen.

During the visit, Governor Hogan unveiled a new logo concept for “Maryland’s Best Seafood.” We all know that Maryland is home to the best seafood, and with a strong marketing plan from the Department of Agriculture, Maryland will be open to new markets and opportunities for our watermen.

The industry would benefit from established relationships with distributors, restaurants, grocery chains and other institutions, in addition to the department’s experience in promoting products to international buyers through the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA).

HB120 will move approximately $190,000 in special funds from fees collected on commercial watermen and processing licenses by the Department of Natural Resources. In addition to this funding, the department will be able to pursue further funding from USDA and other grants to support the new program.

The House Environment and Transportation Committee held a hearing on February 8 where the departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources and industry leaders testified in support of the bill with no opposition.

Legislation of Interest

HB 130 – The bill creates a more efficient review and approval process for applications submitted to the Maryland Wine & Grape Promotion Fund. The bill repeals the definition of the Maryland Wine and Grape Promotion Council and the Council. It requires the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Maryland Wine and Grape Growing to advise and recommend to the Secretary of Agriculture for approval the allocation of specified funds for specified projects in the Maryland Wine and Grape Promotion Fund.

HB 155 – Provides a process correction. Currently, if a landowner submits a request to terminate the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation’s easement, the statutory process requires separate, simultaneous review processes by the county receiving the request and the Foundation. If the county denies the termination request, the Foundation cannot approve it, however, the Foundation is statutorily compelled to complete its review and conduct its own hearing. This requires expenditure/s up to or in excess of $10,000 in expert fees, and a substantial amount of personnel time and resources, all of which may be unnecessary should the county find through its own process that the easement termination cannot be approved.

The proposed legislation segments the termination process by having the county conduct its review and hearing and deciding whether the request should be approved or denied. If the county denies the request, the request fails and does not move forward to the Foundation, resulting in the Foundation not expending time and effort on termination applications that it cannot approve. If the request is approved, it moves forward to the Foundation to determine whether the land may be farmed profitably.

HB602 / SB422 – Antibiotics bill – will prohibits cattle, swine, or poultry premises from administrating antimicrobial drugs without a prescription or Veterinary Feed Directive order issued by a veterinarian licensed in Maryland. The Maryland Department of Agriculture opposes the legislation as written because it is duplicative and incomplete compared to the national effort by FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine to place the use of medically important antibiotics in feed and water under veterinary oversight.

For the latest information, positions and testimony on 2017 legislation impacting Maryland agriculture, visit our website.

February 17, 2017

Updates on the Food Safety Modernization Act and Maryland Legislative Session

Published in the January 28, 2017 issue of Lancaster Farming

Legislative Update

During the Legislative Session, the Maryland Department of Agriculture follows many bills that may impact the agency and the customers we serve. We will regularly post a synopsis of the bills the department is tracking and a hearing schedule that is updated from the Department of Legislative Service​​s’ website. If we provide a PowerPoint presentation or written testimony for any bill, it will be posted on our website after the hearing, if not sooner.

Last week my team and I briefed the Maryland Senate Education, Health & Environmental Affairs and House Environment & Transportation committees on a number of issues and provided status updates on the Phosphorus Management Tool and Manure Transport Program at the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

You can access those presentations and all of our 2017 Legislation information at www.mda.maryland.gov under “Hot Topics”.

Food Safety Modernization Act

Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2010 giving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate food production/manufacturing practices. FDA has promulgated seven rules to implement FSMA – four of which potentially have an impact on Maryland farmers.

The most significant impact on Maryland farmers will be the Produce Safety Rule, which for the first time regulates production practices (human pathogens in irrigation water, use of biological soil amendments, worker health and hygiene and proximity of livestock, poultry, domestic and wild animals to fruit and vegetable production).

FDA awarded $3.6 million over five years to the Maryland Department of Agriculture to develop a Maryland Produce Safety Program equivalent to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule that includes: outreach; education and technical assistance for produce growers and packers; and eventually inspection and enforcement of the provisions of the Produce Safety Rule. FDA plans to continue funding the Maryland Produce Safety Program after the initial five year period in lieu of FDA conducting inspections and enforcement in Maryland. MDA has a cooperative agreement with University of Maryland and University of Maryland Extension to provide the education and technical assistance farmers will need to successfully implement practices that meet the requirements of the rule. The department will provide outreach and technical assistance to produce growers and will develop the inspection and enforcement piece. The first inspections are required to be conducted in 2018.

The Produce Safety Rule exempts the following:

• Farmers that only grow produce that is rarely consumed raw, such as potatoes and food grains.
• Farmers that only grow produce that receives commercial processing with a step that adequately reduces the presence of microorganisms of public health concern, as long as they maintain required documentation.
• Produce growers with less than $25,000 of annual produce sales.

Additionally, produce growers with less than $500,000 of human and animal food sales annually based on a three year average that sell more than 50 percent of the food directly to consumers or to a retail or food service location within the same state or no more than 275 miles away may be eligible for a “Qualified Exemption”. Although the gross sales used to determine eligibility for the “Qualified Exemption” include both human and animal food, the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule only apply to produce covered by the rule.

FSMA Compliance Dates Fast Approaching

Any grower who believes they may meet the “Qualified Exempt” criteria must begin maintaining records starting January 26, 2017, documenting their total gross sales of human and animal food and the gross sales directly to the consumer and to restaurants and retailers located within Maryland or not more than 275 miles away. Modified requirements for labeling must be in place by January 1, 2020. Very small businesses (defined as those with more than $25,000 but no more than $250,000 produce sales annually based on a three year average) are required to be compliant by January 26, 2020. Small businesses (defined as those with more than $250,000 but no more than $500,000 produce sales annually based on a three year average) are required to be compliant by January 26, 2019. All other farms are required to be compliant by January 26, 2018.

Whether a Maryland farm falls into the exempt, qualified exempt or fully covered category, all produce growers will need to follow the requirements of the produce safety rule to protect public health and meet buyer requirements. Although many farms have already implemented best practices for produce safety, there is always room for improvement. MDA is currently identifying and developing resources to assist Maryland produce growers in implementing practices that meet the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule and will provide the safest produce possible to consumers. For more information, visit www.mda.maryland.gov/fsma

January 3, 2017

New winter manure rules protect the bay

The following was published in the December 6, 2016 Baltimore Sun. 

To the Editor:

The November 30 Op-Ed “Maryland wants to weaken winter manure rules” does not provide readers with the facts about the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s proposed changes to state nutrient management regulations. These changes will balance environmental protections and maintain sustainable soil health within the realities of farming and Mother Nature. When working around unknown conditions – like weather – it’s difficult to develop a one-size fits all solution.

Weather conditions are cited as one of the main reasons for sewer overflows, which according to Maryland Department of Environment 2016 overflow reports accounted for more than 117 million gallons of sewage directly entering our waterways.

The proposal adds a an emergency provision during winter restrictions to allow the Department to work with farmers to prevent an overflow from a storage structure by following procedures to minimize impact and prevent runoff into waterways. This exemption does not apply to biosolids or food waste. It is only for on-farm generated manure for which the farmer cannot store due to extraordinary circumstances.

Farmers have been taking action to comply with the manure storage regulations. Since 2012 dairy farmers constructed 58 waste storage structures and 14 are underway. Livestock farmers have applied to construct an additional 394 manure storage facilities. Storage structures are only one of many best management practices that state Soil Conservation Districts staff handle and there is currently a back log. Therefore, an emergency provision is still needed for those farms that have some storage and shown intent, but have not yet been able to build additional facilities.

The department strengthened the regulations by adding a provision that farmers cannot ever apply manure if the ground is frozen or snow covered and requiring 100 foot setbacks from surface water for any spreading during the winter.

Additional proposed changes include:

1)      Removing the incorporation requirement for spring and fall manure spreading. National Resources Conservation Service studies show soil health is improved with little or no soil disturbance other than planting.

2)      Extending the fall spreading dates to reflect Sept. 10 – Dec. 15 and eliminating the east and west of the Bay distinction to provide consistency across the State and with average weather conditions. New winter dates will be Dec. 16 – March 1.

We discussed the proposed changes at the Nutrient Management Advisory Committee and Phosphorus Management Tool Advisory Committee meetings over the summer, as well as several dairy workshops and one-on-one meetings with environmental organizations. The consensus from the meetings is that these are reasonable changes that account for the variability in weather conditions across our state, and providing sustainable soil health practice options for farmers while still providing environmental protections.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the significant progress that has been made already and that Maryland agriculture is on track to meet its 2017 water quality goals. These proposed changed will not impact our progress in meeting these goals.

Maryland farmers continue to plant record cover crop acreage, which is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep nitrogen out of ground water and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, the State invested $31.2 million in grants last year for farmers to install 2,440 conservation projects that control soil erosion, reduce nutrient runoff and protect water quality in streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay.

The Hogan Administration’s Maryland Agriculture Phosphorus Initiative has also been instrumental in helping farmers reduce agricultural phosphorus and improve water quality. Last year alone, Maryland farmers moved 213,151 tons of manure away from farm fields with high soil phosphorus levels—a nearly 40 percent increase over last year’s transport figures. And since 2014, the State has issued $5.4 million in grants through the Animal Waste Technology Fund to support new on-farm manure management technologies.

Many people are concerned about the health of the Chesapeake Bay – none more so than farmers, who rely on our land and water to grow food and fiber for us all.

Joe Bartenfelder

Secretary, Maryland Department of Agriculture

Preparing for the New Year

Published in the December 24, 2016 issue of Lancaster Farming

As the holiday season draws to a close and we prepare for a new year, it’s a good time to get up to speed on potential issues for the coming year, including a new legislative session. And, if you are a poultry grower, please take note of High Path Avian Influenza outbreaks around the world and intensify your biosecurity efforts.

2017 Legislative Session

January 11 marks the start Maryland’s 90-day legislative session of the 2017 Maryland General Assembly. We are starting to hear about some legislation that may be introduced this session that would be of considerable interest to the agriculture community.

Likely topics include: legislation that would negatively affect the poultry and dairy community. Initiatives to place additional regulatory burdens on poultry producers through taxes and take away from current cost share programs like the manure transportation program. The department will closely monitor these pieces of legislation and is committed to keep Maryland farmers competitive and profitable.  The department is also looking forward to putting forth measures that will promote Maryland agriculture and streamline several departmental programs.

There is only one active farmer currently in the legislature, which underscores the need for us to help our lawmakers better understand agriculture. If the General Assembly schedules a hearing for a bill that will affect your operation, I urge you all to come to Annapolis and testify.

High Path Avian Influenza

In light of the recent High Path Avian Influenza outbreaks in Western Europe, Russia, Israel, India, Korea, and Japan, Maryland poultry growers, large and small, are at a much higher risk of seeing High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) destroy their flocks. As a result, we are calling for a renewed effort this winter by all poultry producers to intensify their biosecurity efforts.

While we have been fortunate to date, we must be vigilant and cannot afford to take any risks.  I know it’s difficult to maintain a high level of biosecurity alert day after day, but it is better than the alternative. We have to do all we can to keep this virus out of our poultry flocks.

The Eurasia HPAI outbreaks are caused by HPAI H5N8, which has very close similarities to the virus that caused so much devastation in the United States in 2015.  In Japan, the very recent HPAI outbreaks are caused by HPAI H5N6 – a new HPAI viral strain – and it is too early to tell how much devastation it will cause.

These viruses can be carried by waterfowl migrating this winter southward across the Bering Strait into Western Canada and could be introduced into the lower 48 states through one of the four U.S. migratory flyways.

To maintain a sanitary, bio-secure premise, growers should at a minimum:

• Restrict access to poultry by posting a sign stating “Restricted Access,” securing the area with a gate, or both.
• Take steps to ensure that contaminated materials on the ground are not transported into the poultry growing house or area.
• Provide the following items to anyone entering or leaving any area where poultry are kept:
  • Footbaths and foot mats with disinfectant;
  • Boot washing and disinfectant station;
  • Footwear change or foot covers.
• Cover and secure feed to prevent wild birds, rodents or other animals from accessing it.
• Cover and properly contain poultry carcasses, used litter, or other disease-containing organic materials to prevent wild birds, rodents or other animals from accessing them and to keep them from being blown around by wind.
• Allow MDA to enter the premises during normal working hours to inspect your biosecurity and sanitation practices. Growers should report any unusual bird deaths or sudden increases in very sick birds to the Animal Health Program at 410-841-5810or after hours to 410-841-5971.  All growers and others interested in HPAI are strongly encouraged to read up about HPAI and biosecurity measures on the MDA website.

Maryland Farm & Harvest

These cold winter nights provide a great opportunity to catch up on the most popular series on Maryland Public Television – Maryland Farm & Harvest. We are a few weeks into the fourth season and planning is already underway for a fifth. I am happy to report that Maryland Farm & Harvest has become MPT’s number one program with over 4 million viewers since it debuted in Fall 2013. The show has been a valuable asset in educating the public and younger generations

I am very proud of MDA’s involvement with the program, and I thank all of our sponsors for their support. Make sure you tune into MPT every Tuesday night at 7:30. Or watch online anytime at www.mpt.org/farm.

In closing, I am grateful for the hard work and dedicated efforts of our farmers who work each day to provide food and fiber for us all.  I wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

December 1, 2016

Challenges and Opportunities Awaiting Maryland Farmers in 2017

Published in the November 26, 2016 issue of Lancaster Farming

Maryland’s 12,300 farms are the backbone of our rural economies that work every day to provide the food and fiber needs of our state and nation – even the world. The most important challenge Maryland agriculture will face in 2017 is helping our elected officials and the general public understand the environmental stewardship efforts of our farmers and progress made to date to preserve our precious natural resources. We also must help them better understand the importance of Maryland agriculture to our quality of life and the overall economy. A recent University of Maryland study showed the impact of agriculture on Maryland’s economy amounts to $8.25 billion annually and 45,600 jobs – and that doesn’t even include equines.

Bay Restoration Progress

We are pleased that the EPA recognizes the significant progress that has been made already and that Maryland agriculture is on track to meet its 2017 goals. Maryland farmers continue to plant record cover crop acreage, which is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep nitrogen out of ground water and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, the State invested $31.2 million in grants last year for farmers to install 2,440 conservation projects that control soil erosion, reduce nutrient runoff and protect water quality in streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

Governor Larry Hogan’s Maryland Agriculture Phosphorus Initiative has also been instrumental in helping farmers reduce agricultural phosphorus and improve water quality. Last year alone, Maryland farmers moved 167,237 tons of manure away from farm fields with high soil phosphorus levels—a 40 percent increase over last year’s transport figures. And since 2014, the State has issued $5.4 million in grants through the Animal Waste Technology Fund to support new on-farm manure management technologies.

Maryland’s Best FRESH, LOCAL 

From in-store promotions of Maryland-grown apples and watermelons, to advertising, media events and press releases, the department’s marketing projects continued to build demand for local products and connect farmers with consumers via our Maryland’s Best program. This state agriculture branding campaign emphasizes “Fresh, Local” and develops advertising designed to drive consumers to www.MarylandsBest.net to find local farms.

The program recently expanded to promote the Homegrown By Heroes program. In an effort to support Maryland veterans who have returned home to the farm, the program will provide unique signage to identify and promote products at farmers’ markets and local groceries grown by local veterans.

Our farmers are positioned in the Mid-Atlantic to have a unique marketplace.  We have large population centers in Maryland whose residents, businesses and institutions are willing, able and happy to pay a premium for safe, fresh, delicious, locally produced food.

We are working to help farmers diversify their businesses and to capitalize on expanding marketing opportunities arising from the growing consumer demand for local agricultural products and desire to better understand where their food comes from. This includes our Farm to School program, the Maryland Ice Cream Trail, our recent restaurant promotion, and more.

Our farmers are moving fruits and vegetables – locally and wholesale, in addition to a variety of value-added products. Plus the majority of the grain grown in Maryland is the primary food source for our number one agricultural sector – the poultry industry.

Maryland Farm & Harvest

Season four of “Maryland Farm & Harvest,” which puts a human face on Maryland agriculture, debuts on Nov. 15. For the past six months Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) production team has filmed at more than four dozen farms and agriculture facilities across the state in preparation for the new 13-episode season.

We are very pleased that this is MPT’s highest rated, locally produced show – with approximately 4 million viewers since the series launched in fall 2013 (not including on demand or online views). New episodes will continue to air Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and repeat Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. and Sundays at 6 a.m. All episodes can be viewed online after they air at: www.mpt.org/farm). We appreciate the generous support of all the program sponsors that make this series possible.

Working with Elected Officials

As a former county and state elected official for nearly 30 years, I know first-hand how important it is for officials to understand the real-life impact of laws and regulations. Last month we hosted members of the House Environment and Transportation committee and the Senate Health Environment and Education committee, legislative staff, local elected officials, and other industry leaders to tour three mid-shore farming operations that highlighted poultry, grain, value-added agriculture, winery and ag-tourism.

At the Maryland State Fair, we hosted a breakfast and tour of the fairgrounds and had a positive response from more than a dozen officials who participated. Once the 2017 General Assembly is underway, we will invite legislators to tour the department, see our labs and hear from our employees about the work they do to protect consumers and the environment and to promote agriculture. We will continue working with elected officials, policy makers and the general public to ensure they know about the importance of Maryland agriculture to our quality of life and overall economy.

Looking Ahead

The year ahead will continue to bring more opportunities for Maryland agriculture, and I look forward to continuing to serve Marylanders.

November 3, 2016

Deadlines Extended for Cover Crop Plantings, Nutrient Applications

Published October 2016 in Lancaster Farming

The days are getting shorter and cooler, and harvests are both underway and winding down. The first frost has already hit some areas of the state, and fall farm activities are in full swing. The season is definitely changing – but it hasn’t quite changed yet.

Maryland corn harvested for grain is 11 percentage points behind the 5 year average and barley planted is 6 percentage points behind the 5 year average (as of right now).  We’ll have to wait and see what the next few weeks bring.

All in all, it’s turning out to be another year in farming.

Deadlines Extended

Due to late spring planting and a warm and unusually wet fall (so far), farmers in some areas of the state are just getting into the fields now. Because soil conditions are still favorable, we recently extended three key deadlines.

1. Cover Crop Planting: Farmers who signed up to plant wheat, rye or triticale cover crops have until 15 to get them in the ground. The extension only pertains to farmers who use no till, conventional, or broadcast with light, minimum or vertical tillage planting methods. It does not apply to legume/small grain mixes. Be sure to certify your cover crop acreage with your local soil conservation district by Nov. 18 to be eligible for cost-share assistance.
2. Nutrient Applications: On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the deadline for all nutrient applications, including commercial fertilizer and poultry litter, has been extended to Nov. 15 to allow farmers more time to fertilize crops that will be planted later this fall. The new deadline is consistent with the nutrient cut-off date that farmers are required follow in all other areas of the state. After the 15^th, farmers are prohibited from spreading commercial fertilizer and stackable manure until March 1.
3. Fall application of liquid manure on dairy farms and other livestock operations has been extended to Dec. 3 to allow farmers time to empty their waste storage structures before winter, After Dec. 3, farmers may not spread manure on their fields until March 1. The extension does not apply to dry, stackable manure or poultry litter.

The weather often decides what needs to be done, and we will remain flexible for the benefit of farmers.

Interesting Findings

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service recently released findings from its 2014 Organic Survey and its 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties. The organic survey showed that there are 120 organic farms on nearly 14,000 acres in Maryland. Together, they produced and sold $19 million in organic products. Of these – 110 farms were certified and 10 were exempt from certification because they gross less than $5,000 annually from organic sales.

The horticultural census shows that there are 313 horticultural operations in Maryland that sold $226 million in horticultural products in 2014, compared to 368 horticultural operations that sold $225 million in horticultural products in 2009. Horticulture producers in Maryland had $158.6 million in total production expenses in 2014. Hired labor expenses in Maryland accounted for 38 percent of the total production expenses. Of the 3,433 hired workers in Maryland, 1,332 worked less than 150 days compared to 2,101 who worked 150 days or more.

Ag Tourism

One of the best things about fall is the many agri-tourism activities that start up and give people who have never been on a farm an opportunity to visit one. Farms across the state offer a variety of family friendly activities, from getting lost in a corn maze to petting farm animals to enjoying home baked goods. It just doesn’t get any better than watching kids explore a farm on a crisp autumn day. Agri-tourism is a booming industry here in Maryland. According to the USDA’s most recent agricultural census, there are 307 agri-tourism farms in Maryland with revenues of $7.2 million.

Think Turkey

If pumpkins are in the field (as they are now), we know Thanksgiving isn’t far away. We, once again, remind Maryland families to order their local, farm-fresh turkeys from their local family farm early! The Maryland turkey growers across the state offer the freshest, best tasting turkey available, and they often sell out. The high demand for these birds is evidence to the superior flavor and freshness. According to the latest USDA Census, 117 Maryland farms sell more than 154,000 turkeys – although turkeys sold directly from the farm to the consumer account for a small portion of the total production. By purchasing a locally raised turkey, consumers will help support our family farms and community.

For a list of farms offering fall activities or farms that offer fresh turkeys (and other local products you’re looking for), visit www.marylandsbest.net

See you on the farm!

As Fall Arrives, an Update on Ag Initiatives

Published September 2016 in Lancaster Farming

It is hard to believe that with temperatures still hitting 90-degrees that summer is winding down, fall is on the way, and school has started, but here we are.

Homegrown School Lunch Week

The start of the new school year makes us focus on Homegrown School Lunch Week, which is Sept. 19-23 in Maryland. This is a component of our Farm to School Program and encourages school districts to bring more locally grown foods into Maryland school lunches and recognizes the efforts that each system is making.

The “Farm to School” program strives to bring locally produced foods into school cafeterias as much as possible, to teach student where their food comes from, how it is produced and the benefits of healthy eating. It also provides hands-on learning activities by bringing students to visit farms, inviting producers to visit schools and to encourage students to participate in school gardening and culinary classes. It also expands markets for farmers.

A very important component of this program is that it helps incorporate educational lessons about local food and nutrition for Maryland students – an important endeavor as more and more students live further away from farm life.

In Maryland, there are more than 2 million acres in farmland and more than 12,000 farms. More than 70 million lunches and 24 million breakfasts are served in Maryland schools annually. We have done a good job, so far, here in Maryland where school systems spend $18 million on local food served in schools, according a recent USDA Farm to School Census.  And Maryland was also the first state in the nation to have every public school system participate in Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week.

If Maryland products aren’t on the menus of your local schools, ask the school cafeteria managers to include some. And if they need help finding local products, call our Marketing Office and we can help them locate local producers. I encourage you to learn more about www.marylandfarmtoschool.org

Celebrating The Accomplishments of Bay Area Farmers

It was my pleasure to join with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack last week in recognizing the outstanding work and significant investments that farmers and forest landowners in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have made to improve water quality across the watershed. We were also fortunate to be able to meet and talk with Maryland Farm Bureau members, soil conservation district personnel, members of various commodity groups and, of course, our colleagues at USDA and NRCS about their concerns and challenges when implementing conservation projects.

I am very proud that Maryland farmers are on the forefront of Bay conservation and restoration efforts. Our farmers have continuously stepped up to meet the goals set before them, which have become increasing more challenging.

Last week, USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service released a progress report called “Agricultural Lands Key to A Health Chesapeake Bay. “ The report details the many investments farmers have made to improve the health of the Bay through voluntary conservation measures. For instance, 99 percent of agricultural land in the Chesapeake Bay watershed has at least one conservation practice on it, and many have more than one. The report also states that that, it reports that, from 2006 to 2011, improved nutrient management has reduced the loss of nitrogen by 38 percent and phosphorus by 45 percent.  And Maryland farmers planted over 492,000 acres of cover crops on their fields in fall 2015 which prevented an estimated 2.95 million pounds of nitrogen and 98,500 pounds of phosphorus from washing into Maryland waterways. I encourage all of you to read the progress report. You can download it online here: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/initiatives/?cid=stelprdb1047323

Palmer amaranth

Finally, I encourage all farmers and land owners to get up to speed on Palmer Amaranth, an aggressive, invasive pigweed native to the desert regions of the southwest United States which has taken root in Maryland. It is resistant to both glyphosate (Roundup) and ALS type herbicides, and it can grow more than two inches a day.

I have written about this weed in this column before because it is establishing itself more and more in Maryland and has the potential to threaten our cropping systems. It is one of the most troublesome weeds that we know and aggressive steps are necessary to minimize its impact.

For information, or assistance with identifying or controlling Palmer amaranth, please contact your local extension agent.

August 9, 2016

Pollinator protection

Published in Capital Gazette on August 8, 2016

In response to “On the Bay: Beekeepers,environmentalists criticize state’s pollinator protection plan” (The Capital, July 20), I wanted to clarify a few points. Pollinator health is declining across the country, not just in Maryland. This decline puts the nation’s food supply — about one-third of which depends upon pollinators — at risk.

President Barack Obama directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to work with state agencies to develop Managed Pollinator Protection Plans (MP3) that mitigate risks to honey bees and other pollinators. In January, the Maryland Department of Agriculture partnered with the Keystone Policy Center and the University of Maryland to conduct a statewide multi-stakeholder summit to identify opportunities and barriers to pollinator health, particularly as they relate to sustainable food production. The summit convened 70 stakeholders, including state agencies, beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, landowners, and land managers.

Maryland’s Managed Pollinator Protection Plan, released on June 16, addresses some of those barriers identified at the summit and provides multiple practices that various bee-loving populations can use to improve pollinator health and habitat.

This plan is not the result of the Pollinator Protection Act of 2016 which passed theMaryland General Assembly earlier this year. The EPA is conducting a series of pollinator risk assessments of neonicotinoid pesticides. After EPA releases its recommendations, the department will review and update the State’s pesticide laws and regulations as necessary — and in accordance with the Pollinator Protection Act of 2016 to ensure they are protective of pollinators and consistent with federal law.

The department is working diligently on several fronts to improve pollinator health. Thank you for the opportunity to make this clarification.

August 8, 2016

Take the Buy Local Challenge

To be published July 2016 in Lancaster Farming

The Buy Local Pledge
 “I pledge to eat at least one thing from a local farm every day during Buy Local Week, July 23-31, 2016.”

Some of us take the Buy Local Pledge every chance we get, but not everyone does. Governor Larry Hogan has officially declared July 23-31 as Buy Local Challenge Week to raise awareness about the benefits of local farms and food so that Marylanders will become more familiar and more frequent consumers of fresh, local products. I certainly join the Governor in encouraging all Marylanders to take the pledge and eat well the week of July 23.

Buying and eating local is more than just enjoying fresh, delicious, nutritious food that tastes better – although that’s good enough reason for me. Local food is better for the environment. It keeps land open, in production and requires less fuel for transportation and therefore less pollution. Local produce is also better for you since food that travels less time and distance holds more of its nutrients. Eating local food also supports local farm families, local economies and local communities. In addition, buying local helps preserves open space, especially in rural areas where growing development pressures put both the environment and our quality of life at risk.

In its 2010 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.  The Buy Local Challenge gives them an opportunity to do just that.

The Buy Local Challenge was created by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission and has since become a statewide program. The Buy Local Challenge Week is always the last full week of July. Take the Buy Local Pledge here: http://buylocalchallenge.com/

To promote and kick off the Buy Local Challenge Week, Governor Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan hosted the 9^th Annual Buy Local Cookout at Government House on July 21. Recipes for the event showcased the many ways local Maryland ingredients can be used in all kinds of ways. Recipes were submitted by teams of Maryland chefs and producers and selected based on their availability of ingredients, geographic representation, maximum use of local ingredients and creativity. The Buy Local Cookout also featured grocery store chains, distributors, restaurants and institutions that support farmers.

Each year, the department publishes a Maryland Buy Local Cookout cookbook of all the recipes submitted for the cookout. This year’s cookbook – and every other cookbook published since 2009 – can be downloaded for free from our website at: http://mda.maryland.gov/Pages/Buy-Local-Cookout.aspx

All recipes include wine, beer or spirits pairing recommendations from the Maryland Wineries Association, Brewers Association of Maryland and the newly formed Maryland Distillers Guild.

Today, there are 145 farmers markets in Maryland and the demand for local products continues to grow. We are working hard to connect local producers with local consumers, and we invite everyone to check our searchable database at www.marylandsbest.net to find local products and markets nearby.

We also encourage consumers to ask for Maryland-grown products whenever possible – while shopping for weekly groceries, when eating at a Maryland restaurant, when visiting children’s schools and cafeterias, even while visiting someone in the hospital. Ask where the local products are and if there aren’t any, ask them to stock some.

And don’t forget, there are nine dairy farms on Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail. Enjoying a nice scoop of farm fresh ice cream counts as buying local as well!

The Buy Local Challenge and Buy Local Week helps residents – many of whom have had no connection or contact with a real, working farm – realize how delicious local products are. Once they do that, we are certain they will continue to seek out and demand more avenues for obtaining fresh, local food.

So take the pledge, take the challenge, eat well, preserve the environment, and support your local farmers – all at the same time!