Dear BCFB Members:
Spring has certainly sprung! I think we have all been more than ready for it.
Please help us share the word of the availability of three $2,500 scholarships. Applicants must be at least high school seniors starting college in the fall of 2019 or full-time college students at any community college or four-year institution. Full information on the opportunities are below, and the deadline to apply is less than two weeks away, April 26, 2019.
Please take a few minutes to read the newsletter below as it has many important announcements relevant to the industry as well as upcoming events.
As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our office.
Vanessa A. Finney
BCFB County Secretary
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This section will be full of information that the BCFB needs to communicate in a timely fashion. Please use the links below for full information on each topic.
BCFB Scholarships 2019
Attention BCFB Members! The Baltimore County Farm Bureau 2019 Scholarship information is available!
The deadline to apply is April 26, 2019. Please pass this information along to anyone that you feel as though would be interested. We hope that you will take advantage of this fantastic opportunity!
Baltimore County Farm Bureau may offer up to three $2,500 scholarships annually. Applicants must be at least high school seniors starting college in the fall of 2019 or full-time college students at any community college or four-year institution. Applicants or their parents/guardians MUST be members of Baltimore County Farm Bureau. Two of the scholarships will be offered to students majoring in an agricultural curriculum and one scholarship will be offered to a student majoring in any curriculum.
Baltimore County Miss Farm Bureau Contest 2019
Do you want to compete for the title of Baltimore County Miss Farm Bureau? Baltimore County will be hosting a “Little Miss” and “Miss” Farm Bureau contest!
To qualify:
• Girls ages 6-10yrs or 16-19yrs
• Must be Interested in agriculture
• Be enthusiastic and have a great attitude!
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Watershed Implementation Plan Workshops
Registration Open
Registration is open for three information sessions and one webinar that will be held in April and May 2019 as part of Maryland's engagement strategy for its most recent Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP). The meetings and webinar will feature an overview of the current draft WIP and provide you with opportunities to ask questions of State agency representatives. There is no cost to participate in these sessions or the webinar.
Read More and find links to register.
- Monday, April 29, 2019 Western MD: Hagerstown Community College
- Friday, May 3, 2019 Eastern Shore: Chesapeake College, Todd Performing Arts Center
- Monday, May 6, 2019 Central MD: Harford Community College, Chesapeake Dining Rooms
- Friday, May 17, 2019 Webinar
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Motorists and Farmers Urged to Share the Road During Planting Season
Spring is here and the planting season is underway throughout much of Maryland. That means motorists traveling Maryland highways and rural roads may find themselves sharing the road with the large, slow-moving farm equipment from one of Maryland’s 12,300 farms. Planting season usually extends from early April through May.
“Farmers are legally allowed to operate farm equipment on public roadways and there are times when farm vehicles must operate on highways to move between farm and field,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “I encourage all motorists to be patient when traveling on roads near Maryland farms and drive with caution to ensure the safety of motorists and farmers.”
Read the full press release.
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MFB - Discussion Meet
Note from MFB
:
Calling all Young Farmers! Are you interested in winning an expenses-paid trip to Austin, TX or Louisville, KY and a $250 Dungarees gift card? Read more below about our Young Farmer Discussion Meet competitions, and
let Parker Welch know you're interested
.
Discussion Meet competitive events simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each participant. This competition is evaluated on an exchange of ideas and information on a pre-determined topic. Participants build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues, and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems.
More Information on Discussion Meet 2019
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MDA Partnering with Horse Council
Equine Nutrient Management and Conservation Training
The Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Horse Council’s Farm Stewardship Committee are offering an environmental training event for owners and managers of large and small equine operations. The training is scheduled for Thursday, May 2, at the department’s headquarters.
The training will focus on Maryland’s nutrient management requirements, conservation planning, pasture management techniques, and best management practices that can be installed on horse farms to protect soil and water resources. The program features speakers from the department, University of Maryland Extension and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Topics include manure storage, handling and spreading procedures; soil health and reseeding; and establishment of sacrifice lots, setbacks and streamside buffers.
Read More.
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Maryland Agricultural Highlights
April 2019
Lawn Care Professionals Must Be Certified to Apply Fertilizer
The Maryland Department of Agriculture reminds citizens that Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law requires all lawn care professionals for hire to be certified and licensed by the department to apply fertilizer to the lawns that they manage. Citizens can verify that their lawn care provider is certified by visiting the department’s
website. For information on how to work with a lawn care service, check out this
helpful resource.
Nutrient Management Training Course Set for June 17-18
The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Management Program will offer a two-day Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Pre-Certification Training Course on June 17-18 at the department’s headquarters, 50 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis. The training provides an overview of material covered by the Maryland Nutrient Management Certification Examination scheduled for August 2. Topics include state nutrient management regulations, nutrient management principles, basic soil science, and soil fertility recommendations. The non-refundable registration fee is $125 and includes learning materials and lunch. Register by mail by Wednesday, June 12.
To download the registration form, visit the department’s website or call 410-841-5959.
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MD Young Farmers Advisory Board to Meet April 17
The Maryland Young Farmers Advisory Board will meet Wednesday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m. at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis. Agenda items include updated reports from each board member and a presentation by Amy Cawley, Farm to Food Bank Coordinator at the Maryland Food Bank, titled "Fresh Approach to Food Access." For more information about the meeting, contact Jessica O’Sullivan at
[email protected] or 410-841-5882.
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Governor Hogan Invites Chefs to Submit Recipes for 'Buy Local' Cookout
Governor Larry Hogan invites chefs using local Maryland ingredients to submit original recipes for the Governor’s
Buy Local Cookout, which will be held at Government House in Annapolis on July 18. Recipes must be submitted by May 17, and include products from at least one Maryland farmer, waterman, or other producer. Chefs are encouraged to submit simple but creative recipes that showcase ways the average Maryland family can prepare delicious, nutritious meals with locally produced food at home.
Read the full press release.
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Deer Management Event
April 24, 2019
The UME is offering a one day in-service event for their faculty as well as anyone else that is interested in attending. Below is more information about the event as well as the link to register. If you are registering online - use the password "deer".
April 24, 2019
Location: Holiday Inn - College Park
Time: 9:00 am - 3:15 pm
The objective of the inservice is to educate people about managing deer in suburban and rural areas, options for management, and how to implement a community-based deer management program. The program will feature experts from UME, DNR Wildlife & Heritage, DNR Forest Service, Howard and Montgomery Counties deer programs, and a community deer management organizer.
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Ag Literacy Opportunities
George Mayo would like to share the following information: This Ag in the Classroom program seeks to instill in Maryland students the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. Any group or individual wishing to promote agriculture is invited to participate – Farmer Bureau members, FFA students, Young Farmers, Commodity group leaders, retirees, or interested individuals.
Literacy Volunteers set up a time to visit in a nearby school and read to students in grades K-3. Following the reading of the book, volunteers conduct an activity with the students and share their experiences in agriculture. The book is then left in the classroom or media center.
For more information or to order a book for $10, contact Jeanne Mueller at
[email protected]
or 410-848-4745.
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2019 Crops Budgets
Source: UME Ag Insight
"Effective grain marketing is as important as growing the
crop itself. By understanding your cost of production, market trends and pricing tools you can make profitable sales decisions. This tool enables the farm manager to make decisions regarding enterprises and plan for the
coming production year. The enterprise budget uses farm revenue, variable cost, fixed cost and net income to provide a clear picture of the financial health of each farm enterprise."
Read More (on page 2 of the newsletter).
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Annual Equine Nutrition Seminar
May 1st
Source: UME Ag Insight
"Mark your calendar for the 2019 Equine Seminar at the
Baltimore County Extension Office on 1114 Shawan Rd.,
Cockeysville, MD. Dinner will be served starting at 5:30, with
the program beginning at 6 pm. Topics this year will include:
De-wormer resistance, creating a pasture management plan,
how your operation can benefit from the Soil Conservation
District, and more! Bring in your equine’s fecal samples for Lee
Swift to do an egg count at a small cost.
Registration: $15 per person in advance and $25 at the door
which includes dinner; if you have any dietary restrictions,
please let us know by April 25th."
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MDA Awards Farms and Families Program Grant to MD Farmers Market Association
The Maryland Department of Agriculture has awarded the Maryland Farmers Market Association a $200,000 grant to implement the Maryland Farms and Families Act—a program that aims to double the purchasing power of residents using federal nutrition benefits at farmers markets throughout the state. These funds will be used to provide matching dollars in 2019 to federal food program benefits spent by low-income Marylanders at farmers markets. The program runs every year from June 1 through November 30. In Maryland, about 250 farmers accept federal nutrition benefits.
Read the full press release.
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4-H Summer Camps
This summer Baltimore County 4-H has 2 camp opportunities for children. Registration is now open. June starts the camps off with a 4-H STEM Camp offered
Monday, June 24, 2019 - 8:30 am to Friday, June 28, 2019 -
4:30 pm at the Baltimore County Ag Center for youth ages 8-13 yrs old.
Register Now.
Then in July, there is a 4-H Day Camp offered August 5, 2019 - 8:30 am to Friday, August 9, 2019. from 8:30 - 4:30 for youth ages 5-13 yrs. old.
Register Now.
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MD Turfgrass Association Jim Claxton Scholarship
The Jim Claxton Scholarship Fund was initiated during the Spring of 2011 in order to honor Jim and his contributions to the Mid-Atlantic area turfgrass industry and financially support students while pursuing a college degree.
Jim worked as a salesman for Newsom Seed from the early 1990's until soon before his passing on March 20, 2013. He made great contributions to turfgrass related businesses during this period, especially businesses involved in turf production.
The Jim Claxton Scholarship Fund allows for a single, annual $500.00 award to be issued to a winning applicant prior to the fall college semester.
Learn More and Apply Today.
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Baltimore County Farm Bureau | 410-823-1789 |
Email |
Website
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