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 Maryland Department of Agriculture News
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Secretary’s
Corner 
In these tough economic times, there is no better way to save on fuel, help the environment, and keep your money in your community than by buying local products directly from a producer whenever possible. You may even find they are less expensive than at stores where goods have been transported long distances. Regardless, they will be fresh, great tasting and unique.
Look for locally-grown and -made products for holiday meals, decorations, and gifts. There are still many farmers’ markets open in the winter with a bounty of products such as cheese, meat, jams, and salsas. Creameries and wineries are open too. You can also look and ask for local products in favorite grocery store or retail market. Visit MarylandsBest.net for locations near you. Southern Maryland has also put out an online Holiday Guide.
Cover Crops
Thank you to all who have planted cover crops. We had another record enrollment again this year, and I hope we will continue that record with record planted acreage. Our farmers are a national model for voluntarily implementing the latest technological advances and scientifically-proven best management practices to protect and conserve our soil and water resources. We are proud of your efforts and all that you do to help move agriculture forward.
FSCAP
The Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts has established the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP) to acknowledge those farmers who are good stewards of their natural resources. FSCAP aims to encourage and reward farmers to put more conservation best management practices on the land and reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
To date, more than 50 farms have been evaluated for the program and 39 have already been certified. For an application or more information about the program, contact Lynne Hoot.
Hudson Case
We have been closely following the trial of the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance against Alan Hudson and Perdue Farms, alleging that manure from the Hudson’s poultry operation is polluting the Pocomoke River. Closing arguments are slated for November 30. We are hopeful for a positive outcome for Maryland’s agricultural community.
Farm Bill
The Farm Bill remains in jeopardy. We hope that, at a minimum, Congress will extend the 2008 Farm Bill for one year. It is important that Congressional members understand the significant impact the Farm Bill has on agricultural operations throughout the nation.
Estate Tax Reform
A reminder that the Family Farm Preservation Act of 2012, better known as the “estate tax” bill, was signed into law this spring. It allows farms valued less than $5 million to be passed down from generation to generation without incurring estate taxes, provided that the land stays in agricultural use for at least 10 years. The legislation also reduces the Maryland estate tax rate to 5 percent for qualified agricultural property valued more than $5 million, down from the current 16 percent.
This new law, long sought by the agriculture community, will make it easier for farmers to pass down farmland through generations by decreasing the estate tax burden upon the owner’s death.
No Marylander should be forced to sell a farm that has been in his or her family for generations just because the family cannot afford the tax bill. For questions, consult with your estate planner or accountant.
Election Changes
On a different note, as a result of the election, there have been changes with some of your elected officials.
I encourage you to take time to get to know your municipal, county, state and federal elected officials. Let them know who you are and how they can help support Maryland agriculture before the next session of the General Assembly begins in January.
Many industry groups, task forces and commissions are working hard to create a policy environment that is favorable to moving Maryland agriculture forward. You can help by working with them to educate your elected officials.
I look forward to seeing many of you at the Maryland Farm Bureau annual meeting in Ocean City next week.
Best wishes to you and yours for the holiday season.
Sincerely,
Buddy Hance
Secretary
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MDA Encourages Residents to Buy Locally Grown Christmas Trees During Agency Tree Lighting
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Secretary Buddy Hance, Deputy Secretary Mary Ellen Setting and MDA staffers at the official Christmas tree lighting.
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Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance, Deputy Secretary Mary Ellen Setting and other MDA staff members gathered outside the agency’s Annapolis headquarters this month to light a 16-foot, Maryland-grown white pine Christmas tree and to encourage citizens to buy fresh cut, locally grown Christmas trees, rather than artificial trees or those grown out of state. Artificial trees are often petroleum based, imported from overseas and do not biodegrade so they eventually end up in landfills forever. Buying locally grown trees, including choose and cut trees, supports family owned farms and businesses, preserves farmland, and protects the environment. For more information.
For the second year in a row, Wilma and Bob Muir, owners of Deer Creek Valley Tree Farm in Harford County, donated a Christmas tree to MDA. Mrs. Muir is president of the Maryland Christmas Tree Association.
To find a Christmas tree farm near you, visit www.marylandsbest.net. To read about the environmental benefits, the top 10 Myths vs. Facts about Christmas Trees, visit the Maryland Christmas Tree Association.
To view pictures of the lighting.
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51 Maryland Farmers Donate More than One Million Pounds of Produce to the Maryland Food Bank
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Amy Cawley, food solicitor for the Maryland Food Bank, helps with the gleaning.
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So far this year, 51 Maryland farmers have donated more than one million pounds of fresh produce through the “Farm to Food Bank” Program – which equates to more than 769,000 meals, according to the Maryland Food Bank. Of the 51 farmers participating, 41 are on the Eastern Shore, four are in Washington County, three are in Baltimore County, two are in Southern Maryland, and one is in Anne Arundel County. Of the million pounds donated (so far), just over 719,000 pounds came from the Eastern Shore.
The Farm to Food Bank program is in its second year. Last year, 27 farmers – all but one on the Eastern Shore – participated in the program and donated 515,000 pounds. Only five months into its fiscal year, the Farm Bank has received twice as much as it did all of last year. For more information
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Ag Census: Your Voice. Your Future. Your Responsibility
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will mail the 2012 Census of Agriculture to millions of farmers and ranchers in mid-December, and MDA urges all Maryland farmers to participate.
The Ag Census defines a farm as any place that produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the Census Year (2012).
The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches, and the people who operate them. It is the only source that has detailed agricultural information down to the county level. Local and national leaders use the Census to make decisions that directly impact your business, your community and your industry.
The Ag Census is taken every five years. This year, there will be several new questions asking farmers about the conservation measures they take on their farms. This information will be critical to showing the work farmers are doing collectively to be good stewards of the environment. You will be hearing more about the Ag Census in December. Be sure you are counted. Your participation is also required by law. For complete information.
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MDA Issues Guidelines for Implementing New Nutrient Management Regulations
 MDA this month issued new guidelines for farmers and wastewater treatment operations outlining immediate actions necessary to comply with Maryland’s newly revised nutrient management regulations, which took effect October 15.
The revised regulations redefine how a farm nutrient management plan is developed and implemented while changing the way organic nutrient sources and other materials are managed. They are designed to help Maryland meet nutrient reduction goals spelled out in its Watershed Implementation Plan to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The new guidelines issued by MDA address the implementation requirements affecting the remainder of the 2012-2013 season, which is now well underway. For more information. |
Agriculture Secretary, Deputy Congratulate Animal Health Lab Staffs for International Accreditation
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A2LA President/CEO Peter Unger presents Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance with accreditation certificates.
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Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance and Deputy Secretary Mary Ellen Setting visited the Animal Health Laboratories in Salisbury and Frederick to congratulate staff for their efforts in achieving an internally recognized accreditation. Earlier this summer, both labs became accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for specific tests. To qualify for accreditation, the lab had to demonstrate, through detailed documentation, that it adheres to strict, internationally recognized standards and protocols when conducting the accredited tests. Only eight animal health labs in the nation have been accredited by A2LA. MDA’s Salisbury and Frederick labs are also two of three A2LA-accredited labs that are associated with a state department of agriculture. For more information.
To see photos of the Salisbury Lab Visit or the Frederick Lab Visit.
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State Vet Board Urges Residents to Ensure their Veterinarian is Licensed and Registered
As more veterinarians begin to offer house call services, the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (SBVME) urges consumers to take the simple step of checking either its webpage or the State’s online database to make sure a veterinarian is properly licensed to practice in Maryland before requesting treatment or medications for their pets. If a veterinarian is not on the SBVME’s list, the individual is likely not legally allowed to practice in Maryland. There are more than 2,550 veterinarians licensed and registered with the SBVME, and more than 530 veterinary hospitals licensed in Maryland. Make sure yours is one of them. For more information.
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New: Proposed Regulations for Public Comment Now Available Online
MDA recently launched a new webpage to make it easier for the public to access proposed regulations.The page highlights regulations that are available for public comment and proposed emergency regulations pending approval that have been requested by the Maryland Secretary of Agriculture and published in the Maryland Register. Currently the page lists four proposals available for public comment through December 17. Click here for more details. |
Four Seasons, 50 Events to Watch Maryland Horses
 The Maryland Horse Industry Board, a program of MDA, brought more than 50 people from various equine spectator events together this month to meet with tourism officials to find new ways to jointly market and advertise equine spectator events. The result is a four-page brochure that lists 50 spectator events in Maryland – at least one each month except February. The events include internationally known events like The Preakness Stakes, which is the second leg of the Triple Crown, to the annual Ride for Life & Dancing Horse Challenge in Prince George’s County.
The brochure is free and available online.
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MDA and MAEF Offers Workshop for Farms Working with School Groups
The Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation (MAEF), in partnership with MDA’s Farm to School program, is sponsoring a workshop designed to provide important information to farms that work with schools groups K-12 on Monday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at MDA in Annapolis. The workshop is free, but space is limited and registration required. Registration due by Dec. 6. For more information.
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Dep. Secretary Mary Ellen Setting, Lucie Snodgrass, Mark Powell
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Lucie Snodgrass, author of Dishing Up Maryland, a cookbook featuring local agricultural products and the growers who raise them, recently made a generous donation to the Maryland’s Best program. The contribution is a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book and will be used to promote the sale of Maryland products through the Maryland’s Best website.
“Lucie Snodgrass absolutely cares about this state’s farmers, as witnessed in her wonderful book. This donation to the Maryland’s Best program will help us promote Maryland-grown agricultural products and our farmers. We thank her,” said MDA Chief of Marketing Mark Powell.
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Maryland Agricultural Commission Tours Anne Arundel County & Baltimore City
Operations
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Members of the Maryland Agricultural Commission, which includes representatives of all major commodity groups and serves as and advisory body to the Secretary.
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The Maryland Agricultural Commission, which tours different agricultural operations around the state twice a year, toured Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County during its Fall tour last month. Among the Baltimore stops were the Domino Sugar Plant, which produces 6.2 million pounds of sugar every day; the Real Food Farm, an urban agricultural enterprise growing fresh produce on six acres of land in Clifton Park in northeast Baltimore; and the Samaritan Women Farm, which includes 2.3 acres of cultivated farm and 4,300 square foot of greenhouse/hoop house space. The Anne Arundel County visits included Hancock’s Resolution, a historic farm; Papa John’s Farm stand, owned by the Schillinger family for four generations; and Thanksgiving Farm Vineyard and Winery,which sits on 58 acres off Route 2. After the tours, the Commission held a public meeting at MDA where participants discussed issues impacting the agricultural community. To view photos of the tour.
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Inside MDA:
Family Support Committee Food Drive Brings in Massive Donations for MDA Family
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Family Support Committee members (from left) Wendy Lloyd, Rama Dilip, and Mary Darling with donations from MDA Food Drive.
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Every year, MDA’s Family Support Committee organizes various events and fund raisers to support a Maryland family in need. During November, the committee arranged a food drive for the holidays and asked MDA staffers to contribute non-perishable goods to the effort. Secretary Hance and Deputy Secretary Setting visited each office with Committee members, who needed several carts to collect all the goods. Family Support Committee members are Mary Darling of Fiscal Services, Rama Dilip of the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, Wendy Lloyd of Resource Conservation, Phyllis Riggins of the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program, Therese Montano of Pesticide Regulation, Mike Webster of the Nutrient Management Program and Corey Thomas of Central Services. Thank you to the Committee for their charitable efforts! And thank you to the MDA staff for their generous contributions in November and throughout the year. |
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Featured Recipe:
Roasted Turnips and Rutabagas
The mellow complexity of these roasted roots complements meat and vegetarian dishes alike. Recipe courtesy of Dishing Up Maryland by Lucie L. Snodgrass
Ingredients:
3-4 cups trimmed, unpeeled baby turnips, rutabagas, or a mixture
3 tablespoons, olive oil
1 teaspoon, salt
1/2 teaspoon, freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons, chopped onion
1 tablespoon, minced garlic
2 teaspoons, chopped fresh thyme or rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut any larger roots into pieces about 1-1/2 inches long; leave smaller ones whole. Place the roots in a roasting pan, and add the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until only the very centers of the larger roots are still hard.
- Add the onion, garlic, and herbs, and continue roasting for 15 minutes longer, until all the roots are just soft. Many roots will have begun to caramelize (turn brown, shriveled and sweet). Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
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We invite your feedback.
Thank you for reading our latest publication. We are always looking for ways to improve how we serve our constituents. Please send your comments, suggestions and ideas to [email protected] or call 410-841-5881.
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Maryland’s Best Promotes Maryland Christmas Trees
Support Maryland Producers, Buy Local
Maryland’s Best encourages Maryland families to purchase fresh, real Maryland Christmas tree rather than artificial trees that do not biodegrade and are often made overseas. By buying a real Maryland Christmas tree, you will not only support our Maryland farmers, but you will also be making the overall best “green” choice for the environment and local economy. Click here to find a Maryland choose and cut Christmas tree farm near you.
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