Maryland Agricultural Highlights – January 2019

State Soil Conservation Committee to Meet January 17

The State Soil Conservation Committee has announced that its next meeting will be held Thursday, January 17 at 9:30 a.m. at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis. The meeting is open to the public and will focus on soil conservation and water quality program implementation and policy development. Established in 1938, the State Soil Conservation Committee coordinates the activities of Maryland’s 24 soil conservation districts, and advises the Maryland Secretary of Agriculture on matters relating to soil and water conservation. For more information, contact Alisha Mulkey at alisha.mulkey@maryland.gov.

Nutrient Management Training and Certification Offered for Urban and Peri-Urban Farmers

The Maryland Department of Agriculture and University of Maryland Extension will offer training and certification workshops for urban and peri-urban farmers who want to become certified to write nutrient management plans for their own operations. The workshops are designed specifically for Intensive Small-Scale Food Production Operations and will be offered at the University of Maryland Extension Baltimore City Office, 6615 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, on the following dates: March 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 21, and 28. Professional staff will be available to assist with plan writing. Seating is limited, so interested farmers should enroll right away. For a registration form, click here.

State Agriculture Department Reminds Citizens Not to Use Fertilizer as a De-Icer

Now that winter is here, the Maryland Department of Agriculture reminds citizens that Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law prohibits the use of fertilizer products to de-ice frozen surfaces. Once temperatures rise, these products can easily wash into nearby storm drains and streams with the first rain or snow. Fertilizer contributes to the growth of algae blooms that block sunlight from reaching Bay grasses, rob the water of oxygen, and threaten underwater life. The University of Maryland recommends using sand and kitty litter as possible substitutes. For more information, visit: http://extension.umd.edu/learn/melting-ice-safely-fs707.

2018 Maryland Nutrient Management Reporting Forms Now Available Online

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced that the 2018 Nutrient Management Annual Implementation Reporting Forms (AIRs) and instructions are now available online here. Farmers use the reporting forms to document how they implemented their nutrient management plans during calendar year 2018. The forms are due to the department by March 1. Most farmers will also receive printed copies of the reporting form in the mail. For more information, contact the department’s Nutrient Management Program at 410-841-5959.

2018 Nutrient Management Program Annual Report Published

The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Management Program has published its 2018 annual report highlighting its activities and accomplishments in helping Maryland farmers protect streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay from nutrient pollution. The report is available online at mda.maryland.gov.

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The Maryland Agricultural Awareness Alliance is a coalition of federal, state and local agricultural agencies and commodity groups dedicated to educating Marylanders on agricultural issues.