As the weather begins to warm, homeowners are reminded that their regular spring cleaning activities can help reduce mosquito populations and make spring outdoor activities more pleasant.

Maryland’s Mosquito Control Program provides direct service to approximately 2,100 communities in 22 Maryland counties and Baltimore City.  In addition to the state program, homeowners can take the following seven simple steps to help reduce standing water and resulting mosquito populations:

Robin Breeding is currently the chair of the Dairy Oversight and Advisory Council, which is charged with developing recommendations for the Governor on ways to improve and sustain the economic viability of Maryland’s dairy sector. The council members include representatives of the dairy cooperatives, milk processors, dairy farmers, consumers and elected officials.

Maryland’s dairy industry is a vital component of agriculture and open space in the state, representing about 250,000 acres and over $200 million in farm income. However, dairy farms have been on the decline in Maryland. There are currently fewer than 600 dairy farms in Maryland, down from more than 1,000 in 1995. The decline is projected to continue largely due to the insufficient financial returns resulting from extreme price volatility and extended periods of depressed milk prices.

“Ensuring that Maryland’s dairy industry remains profitable and sustainable is vital to retaining this important sector of Maryland’s farm economy,” said Robin. “The council made great progress in raising legislator awareness about the plight of dairy farmers with the establishment of the Maryland Dairy Emergency Fund. The fund would kick in to provide assistance to farmers when milk prices are low, but due to the budget deficit it was not funded.”

“I’ve been in the dairy business for more than 30 years and this is the worst I’ve seen it. I feel so bad because we have not yet been able to help our producers when they need it the most,” Robin continued.

With very few exceptions dairy farms are full time family farms; a rarity in the rapidly changing Maryland landscape. “Once a dairy farm is lost, it’s not likely one will come in its place. There is too much competition in land prices due to development. If farms are not left down through generations, it is very hard to get started up today,” said Robin.

Robin has been in the dairy business for more than three decades. He was raised on a small dairy and grain farm in southern Delaware. After college, he returned to the farm and then worked for the Eastern Milk Producers Cooperative as a field representative from 1976 until the organization merged with Milk Marketing, Inc. in 1992. In 1998, the company became part of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) where Robin continued to inspect farms and supervise other representatives in the southern Pennsylvania area. In 2000, Dairylea Cooperative and DFA formed a joint venture called Dairy Marketing Services, which is a marketing agency for the two coop groups plus a group of independent farms throughout the northeast. Robin currently is the division manager and, with another regional manager, supervises 20 field staff. Dairy Marketing Services works with about 8,000 farms, plus haulers, plants, and state and federal regulatory personnel.

Robin earned his B.S. in Biology from Shepherd College in West Virginia. He currently lives in Greenwood, Del., with his wife Carol and children Caroline and Collin. He and Carol are active in their local church and have coached youth soccer for last eight years.