July 17, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE: Unscheduled Mosquito Control Activity in Prince George’s County Planned for July 19

ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 17, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), in cooperation with the Prince George’s County Health Department, will expand mosquito control services in areas due to a public health concern over the potential for mosquito-borne diseases.

Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) truck-based spraying to control adult mosquitoes is planned for the evening of Sunday, July 19, 2026 near the following localities: Cottage City, Brentwood, Hyattsville, Mt. Rainier and North Brentwood.  

Spraying will occur after 9:00 p.m. ET. In the event of inclement weather, spraying will be rescheduled for the next available evening. Any existing spray exemptions in the area will be temporarily suspended. 

MDA Mosquito Control Program personnel will use a permethrin-based solution that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved for use in public health mosquito control programs without posing unreasonable risks to human health. However, out of an abundance of caution, MDA recommends avoiding outdoor activities during spraying.

While not all mosquitoes carry diseases, MDA suggests that residents take precautions to minimize their exposure to mosquito bites. These measures include:

• Wear long, loose fitting, light colored clothing.
• Wear insect repellents according to product labels.
• Avoid mosquito infested areas during prime periods of activity (between dusk and dawn).
• Install, inspect, and repair window and door screens in homes and stables.
• Regularly clean bird baths and bowls for pet food and water.
• Remove or empty all water-holding containers.

Routine spray program schedules are available by county on the program’s website. Please contact MDA’s Mosquito Control Program with any questions or concerns at (410) 841-5870.

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July 15, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE: Maryland Agencies to Treat Potomac River for Black Fly Control on July 16

ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 15, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, will treat a targeted area of the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia to control black fly populations in the area. Treatment is scheduled to occur on Thursday, July 16, 2026 between 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET.

A gray Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter with blue and red stripes will apply a Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti)-based larvicide throughout the targeted area. The helicopter’s tail number is N653HA. Bti is a bacterial insecticide, not a chemical, that is naturally-occurring in soils. It is harmful to a limited variety of organisms, including midges, black flies, mosquito larvae and a few other species of aquatic insects.

The treatment may cause a temporary discoloration of the water but is harmless and will dissipate naturally. The treatment will not impact drinking water supplies, fish, crabs or other aquatic organisms outside the targeted insect groups. 

The Black Fly Program was established in 2016 in response to resident concerns in Washington County. Additional information about the program, including further details about Bti, is available on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Black Fly Program website.

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July 13, 2026

Maryland Department of Agriculture Invests $670,000 in Innovative Soil Health and Agroforestry Practices

ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 13, 2026)— The Maryland Department of Agriculture today announced $670,000 in grant funding to assist farms and organizations in adopting conservation practices that benefit the climate, soil and water. 

The Healthy Soils Competitive Fund awards grants of up to $50,000 to qualifying applicants to support three years of enhanced soil health and agroforestry practices. It was established in 2023 following recommendations from the Soil Health Advisory Committee. 

Nineteen projects across the state of Maryland will implement the following innovative conservation practices and share progress updates throughout the grant period:

• Baltimore City: Development of soil health resources for equestrians.
• Baltimore County: Pollinator habitat and conservation cover enhancement project.
• Calvert County: Use of innovative equipment to enhance adaptive grazing.
• Caroline County: Agroforestry and pasture improvements for enhanced adaptive grazing.
• Carroll County: Innovative use of a roller crimper for expanded cover cropping and delayed termination. 
• Charles County: Establishment of an alley cropping system in a culturally significant vegetable operation.
• Frederick County: Agroforestry, reduced tillage in vegetable production and innovative equipment to enhance adaptive grazing.
• Harford County: Soil biology analysis and trailing compost extraction project.
• Howard County: Establishment of a silvopasture and improved adaptive grazing systems for an equestrian operation.
• Prince George’s County: Alley cropping and reduced tillage systems for vegetable production.
• Washington County: Implementation of an agroforestry project.

“Healthy soils are the foundation of productive farms, thriving ecosystems and long-term resilience,” said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks. “It’s exciting to see more Maryland farmers embracing innovative conservation practices each year. With applications increasing more than 16% over last year, this program is helping producers invest in practices that strengthen their operations while protecting our natural resources for future generations.” 

Since its inception, the grant program has supported 88 projects across the state. Funding for the Healthy Soils Competitive Fund is made possible through the Moore-Miller Administration’s implementation of the Climate Solutions Now Act and a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant awarded to the Atlantic Conservation Coalition by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The 2026-2027 grant cycle will open in November 2026. For more information about the program and the most up-to-date information, please visit our website. 

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Maryland Department of Agriculture Welcomes New Staff Members

ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 9, 2026)—Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks is pleased to announce the appointment of two new key staff members to the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA).

Allie Carter Cavanagh has been named MDA’s new Director of Legislative and Government Affairs. In this role, she will be responsible for all aspects of the department’s state, local and federal legislative activities, and actively represent MDA during the Maryland legislative session. 

Photo courtesy of Allie Cavanagh

Cavanagh previously served as a Policy Advisor to Maryland Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), and as the Congresswoman’s Chief of Staff during her final two years in the Maryland Senate. Her policy areas covered agriculture, animal welfare, energy, environment, education, labor and health care. She was a fellow with the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine in the Climate Crossroads Program from 2025-2026.

She holds a Master of Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Music from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Cavanagh served as a Program Manager for the Career & Technical Education Committee at the Maryland Department of Labor, is a former music educator and was nominated as Baltimore County Teacher of the Year in 2016-17.

Additionally, Rachel Felver has been appointed MDA’s new Director of Communications. In this role, she will lead communications efforts for the department, serve as the primary media point of contact, and support the communications needs of the Secretary and other senior agency officials.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Felver

Felver previously spent 10 years as the Communications Director for the regional Chesapeake Bay Program, where she was employed by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. She holds a Masters in Environmental Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a professional certification in Sustainability & Behavior Change from the University of California at San Diego Extension. Felver also served on the Marketing Team at the National Aquarium in Baltimore and spent eight years in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, most notably as the Director of Communications for the former Office of Environmental Information. 

“We are incredibly fortunate to add two leaders of this caliber to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and their arrival marks a major win for our state’s agricultural community,” said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks. “Allie’s impressive tenure navigating complex legislative environments and her deep background in policy make her uniquely equipped to champion our farmers at local, state and federal levels. Rachel’s decade of high-level communication leadership on critical regional issues like the Chesapeake Bay brings an immense asset to our team. Her unique ability to translate complex agency initiatives into meaningful, actionable public outreach will bridge the gap between the agency, the agricultural community and the public.Together, their deep professional expertise will directly translate into stronger advocacy, clearer communication and more robust support for Maryland’s farmers and producers as they work to feed our families and power our economy.”

For more information, please visit mda.maryland.gov. 

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June 30, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE: Share Your Thoughts on Seafood Marketing in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND (June 29, 2026)—The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) invites local seafood harvesters, processors, restaurants, distributors and other industry stakeholders to join them at upcoming public meetings to share their perspectives and insights on challenges and opportunities specific to marketing Maryland’s seafood industries. 

MDA, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and industry partners, is engaging stakeholders to identify barriers and opportunities related to seafood marketing across the state. Feedback gathered during these sessions will help inform strategies to strengthen seafood marketing efforts and promote locally harvested Maryland seafood. Findings and recommendations will be included in a formal report to be published in December 2026.

Attendees are welcome to attend one or both sessions, but we ask that you please register in advance. Each session will provide an overview of current seafood marketing initiatives in Maryland and offer participants the opportunity to help shape future marketing strategies. 

• Tuesday, August 18, 2026
• 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
• Maryland Department of Agriculture
• 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
• Annapolis, MD 21401

• Tuesday, August 25, 2026
• 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
• Eastern Shore Innovation Center
• 104 Tech Park Drive
• Cambridge, MD 21613

Please complete this registration form to attend. Registration for in-person attendance will close on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. 

Please contact MDA’s Chief of Marketing and Agricultural Development, Martin Proulx, at [email protected] with any questions. 

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June 29, 2026

NEWS RELEASE: Additional Maryland Counties Eligible for Federal Disaster Assistance

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 29, 2026)—On June 26, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for 43 primary natural disaster area counties and an additional 61 contiguous counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Because Maryland shares borders with several of the designated Virginia counties, five Maryland counties—Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s and Washington—are now also eligible for disaster assistance through this declaration as contiguous counties. 

The USDA issued a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for Maryland on June 15 following a formal request for support submitted by Governor Wes Moore on May 27. Under this declaration Baltimore, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Washington and Wicomico are listed as primary counties, while Allegany, Anne Arundel, Harford, Kent, Prince George’s, Talbot and Worcester are listed as contiguous. The Virginia disaster declaration now provides support to Charles County as well.

These Secretarial Disaster Declarations are in response to an early morning freeze that occurred on April 21, 2026 immediately following weeks of unseasonably warm weather that struck perennial crops coming out of winter dormancy. Extensive damage assessments monitored in coordination with the Maryland Farm Bureau confirmed that crop losses heavily exceeded the 30% threshold required for a federal declaration.

In addition to the freeze, Maryland has experienced prolonged drought conditions throughout much of 2026.  The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, published on June 25, shows the majority of Maryland counties remain under D2 (Severe Drought) and D3 (Extreme Drought) conditions.

The Secretarial Disaster Declaration unlocks low-interest emergency loans and credit extensions that can help cover production costs, protect jobs and refinance certain debts for eligible producers. Impacted farmers and growers should contact their local FSA office to review eligible disaster assistance programs and begin the application process.

Please visit the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s website for the most up-to-date information.

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June 22, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE: Maryland Agencies to Treat Potomac River for Black Fly Control on June 24

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 22, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, will treat a targeted area of the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia to control black fly populations in the area. Treatment is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 between 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET.

A blue-and-gray Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter will apply a Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti)-based larvicide throughout the targeted area. The helicopter’s tail number is 651HA. Bti is a bacterial insecticide, not a chemical, that is naturally-occurring in soils. It is harmful to a limited variety of organisms, including midges, black flies, mosquito larvae and a few other species of aquatic insects.

The treatment may cause a temporary discoloration of the water but is harmless and will dissipate naturally. The treatment will not impact drinking water supplies, fish, crabs or other aquatic organisms outside the targeted insect groups. 

The Black Fly Program was established in 2016 in response to resident concerns in Washington County. Additional information about the program, including further details about Bti, is available on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Black Fly Program website. 

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June 17, 2026

NEWS RELEASE: Maryland Department of Agriculture Announces Sign-Up Dates for 2026 Cover Crop Grant

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 17, 2026)—The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is pleased to announce that sign-ups for the 2026 Cover Crop Grant Program will open on June 22 and run through July 17, 2026 at local soil conservation districts. This popular conservation program provides financial assistance to farmers that helps offset costs to plant fall cover crops. Cover crops help build healthy soils and protect the Chesapeake Bay from agricultural runoff. The budget for this year’s program is $22 million.

“Cover crops continue to be Maryland’s leading conservation practice because they deliver real results for our farmers, our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “The 2024-2025 planting season prevented an estimated 3.4 million pounds of nitrogen and 4,000 pounds of phosphorus from reaching Maryland waterways by capturing and recycling nutrients that support future crops. As we open this year’s enrollment period, we encourage farmers to continue this incredible progress by taking advantage of our conservation grants and investing in the long-term health of their land.” 

Cover crops planted in the fall provide benefits for both Maryland’s farmland and the Chesapeake Bay. As they grow, cover crops help prevent erosion, capture and recycle unused nutrients for future crops, and improve overall soil health. They also increase soil organic matter, reduce weed and pest pressure, and help protect fields from extreme weather conditions, including drought and heavy rainfall. By absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing carbon in the soil, cover crops also play an important role in mitigating climate change.

MDA’s Cover Crop Program provides Maryland farmers with grants to plant a range of cold-hardy cereal grains and mixes. Fall cover crops can be planted following the harvest of  corn, soybeans, sorghum (sorghum/Sudan hybrids), tobacco, vegetables, hemp, sunflowers, sod or millet. While enrolled cover crops may not be harvested, once well-established, may be grazed or chopped for on-farm livestock forage. 

2026-2027 Program Highlights:

• The base payment is $35/acre.
• Farmers can earn up to $65/acre by taking advantage of additional incentives. 
• Non-poultry manure can be applied to cover crop fields in the fall for a reduced payment rate of $25 /acre. 
• To participate in this program, farmers must sign up to plant at least 10 acres of cover crops.

Farmers should visit their local soil conservation district between June 22 and July 17 to apply for our cover crop grants in-person. Growers who participated in last year’s program should check their mailboxes for an information packet. Additional information is also available on the MDA’s Cover Crop website.

The Cover Crop Program is administered by MDA’s Conservation Grants Program and the state’s 23 soil conservation districts. It is open to Maryland farmers who are in good standing with the Conservation Grants Program and in compliance with Maryland’s nutrient management requirements. A completed Current Nutrient Management Plan Certification form is required at sign-up. Other restrictions and conditions may apply. Funding for the 2026-2027 Cover Crop Program is provided by the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.

In addition to our Traditional Cover Crop Program, we are pleased to announce the return of our Cover Crop Plus+ grants for innovative cover crop practitioners who commit to a three-year program. This updated program supports cover cropping scenarios that fall outside of traditional program support. If you’re interested in participating, please visit Cover Crop Plus+ website to learn more about this exciting opportunity.

June 15, 2026

NEWS RELEASE: Maryland Department of Agriculture Launches New Grant Program to Boost Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 15, 2026)—The Maryland Department of Agriculture is excited to launch a new grant program designed to support the growth and development of urban farms and community gardens. This initiative aims to enhance community access to fresh, healthy produce grown using environmentally sustainable farming practices. 

“Urban farms and community gardens are transforming neighborhoods by bringing fresh, locally grown food directly to the communities they serve,” said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks. “This program invests in the innovation and dedication of urban growers, providing resources that meet their unique needs while expanding access to healthy, nutritious food for Marylanders — no matter where they live.” 

The Urban Agriculture Grant Program supports both urban farms and community gardens, whether they are startups or existing operations looking to expand. Our grants cover a variety of areas and needs, including:

• Capital Improvements—Funding for infrastructure such as refrigerated or dry storage, wash-and-pack stations, fencing, low tunnels and more. 
• Sustainable Practices—Adoption of safe, environmentally sustainable practices, including the creation of pollinator habitat, obtaining certification in the use of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), installing composting units and nutrient management planning. 
• Innovative Farming Solutions—Investing in rooftop gardens and controlled environment agriculture.
• Education—Programs that focus on composting, soil health, and sustainable farming practices.
• Real Property—The purchase of real property in an urban area. (This option is capped at 20% of the grant award.) 
• Operating Expenses—Covers certain operating expenses. (Capped at 15% of the grant award)
  

The program invites grant applications from individual growers, organized for-profit agricultural businesses and non-profit organizations during the annual open enrollment period, which runs from June 15 through July 24, 2026. Please note that the maximum funding per application is $10,000. To ensure immediate cash flow for growers, grants will be paid using a tiered payment schedule without the need for reimbursement.

To qualify for these grants, applicants must produce a farm product that generates at least $1,000 in sales or donations annually. All grant recipients are required to comply with local, state and federal regulations, and obtain any necessary permits for their projects. Eligibility for this grant is limited to operations located in urban areas as defined by the United States Census Bureau. An interactive map link is available to help you determine if your property meets the location criteria. The Maryland General Assembly has approved up to $100,000 in annual funding for the Urban Agriculture Grant Program through Fiscal Year 2029.

A Q&A session will be offered June 25, 2026, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET. For more information, please contact Small Farm & Urban Agriculture Program Administrator Bill Tharpe at [email protected] or 410-980-6160. For additional information, please visit the Urban Agriculture Grants website.

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