Five News Members Appointed to Maryland Agricultural Commission

ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 7, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley has appointed five new members to the Maryland Agricultural Commission, an advisory body comprised of representatives from different commodity groups who provide the Agriculture Secretary with information and recommendations on policies and issues facing the agriculture industry. Members serve three-year terms and are eligible to serve two consecutive terms.

“Members of the Commission are among the most knowledgeable and experienced agricultural professionals in Maryland, and they care deeply about the current and future state of this industry,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “I am grateful for their willingness to share their time and expertise on behalf of all Marylanders, and I thank the outgoing members for the time and effort they have put in to help ensure a thriving agriculture industry into the future.”

The Commission meets once a month. The new members are listed below.

• Representing the equine industry: Bill Boniface, general manager of the family-owned Bonita Farm, a 400-acre Thoroughbred horse breeding and training operation in Harford County.  He replaces outgoing member Ron Green.
• Representing the poultry industry: Charles Carpenter, director of Hatcheries and Primary Breeders for Perdue Farms in Somerset County. He replaces outgoing member Bill Massey.
• Representing ag services (at-large): Jennifer L. Rhodes owns and operates Deerfield Farms LLC, a 110-acre poultry and grain operation in Queen Anne’s County. She is also an Extension Educator. She replaces outgoing member Robert N. Stabler.
• Representing the horticulture industry: Allen Swann is a semi-retired partner of Swann Farms, a wholesale fruit and vegetable operation in Calvert County. He replaces outgoing member Henry Allenberg.
• Representing the Maryland Farm Bureau: Milly B Welsh owns and operates Rover’s Content in Prince George’s County, a 97-acre farm developed and managed for the training and trialing of hunting and field trial dogs. She also owns and operates Graden, a 20-acre horse farm in Anne Arundel County.  She replaces outgoing member Charles Fry.

There are currently 30 members of the commission, representing:  poultry, dairy, livestock, nursery, horticulture, field crops, vegetable industry, veterinary, Maryland State Grange, Maryland Farm Bureau, at large ag services, agri business, turf, equine, consumers, organic farming, direct farm marketing, viticulture, agriculture education, tobacco, forestry, aquaculture, food processing, biofuels, and agri-tourism as well as the University System of Maryland.  For more information on the commission.