Dwight Dotterer Appointed to Lead Maryland Nutrient Management Program

Dwight Dotterer

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance today announced the appointment of Dwight Dotterer as Nutrient Management program administrator within the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Office of Resource Conservation. Dotterer will start in his new role October 16.

“We are very pleased that Dwight will be managing our Nutrient Management Program,” said Secretary Hance. “His knowledge of agriculture and service to the agricultural community in Frederick County, where he formerly operated a dairy farm, are among the credentials he will bring to this critically important program for MDA.”

Dotterer brings substantial experience and knowledge of production agriculture, proven administrative skills and demonstrated ability to handle challenging situations with tact, resolve and expediency. In his new position, Dotterer will oversee six regional field offices with 13 technical and support staff charged with implementing the certification, inspection and enforcement provisions of Maryland’s nutrient management law.

Dotterer joined MDA in 2001 as an Agriculture Assessment Planner responsible for responding to complaints related to agricultural operations. In 2012, he was promoted to regional coordinator for MDA’s Resource Conservation Operations Program, providing administrative supervision and program coordination between MDA and soil conservation districts in central and western Maryland. Dotterer earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration from Mount Saint Mary’s University and was named MDA Employee of the Year in 2006.

Dr. Jo A. Mercer, who led the program for the last two years, will become the training and certification coordinator for the Nutrient Management Program. She will be responsible for education, outreach and oversight of the certification and licensing for individuals working in the agriculture and urban sectors. Dr. Mercer’s educational skills and abilities to take complex material and develop training curricula and outreach will be an asset to farmers, nutrient management planning consultants and professional lawn fertilizer applicators.

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