Dear BCFB Members:
We hope that this email finds you all well, and enjoying a busy and beautiful Fall. We thank all of our members who came out to the Annual Meeting in October - you all play a vital role in the association and policy making for the upcoming year.
Take a look at the whole newsletter below as there is a lot of great information shared including the return of Farm & Harvest and information on AFBF Annual Convention!
Be sure to save the date for our 2020 Trucking Forum
hosted with Harford County Farm Bureau on January 30, 2020 at the Baltimore County Ag Center.
See the flyer for more information
.
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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"The Timely Harvest"
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.
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Member Benefit - Nationwide Insurance
Nationwide® is proud to be the #1 insurer of farms and ranches in the U.S.* as well as the exclusive insurance provider of the Maryland Farm Bureau. Nationwide also offers a variety of other insurance and financial services to Farm Bureau members including auto, home, pet, powersports, commercial and life insurance. To learn more, contact your Nationwide Farm Certified agent Reeder Insurance Agency at 410-256-6101, or visit
Nationwide.com/mfb to get a quote today.
MFB and Nationwide Webinars
MFB is committed to helping you protect your financial independence. That’s why they're partnering with Nationwide® to deliver a series of valuable learning sessions designed to help you plan for retirement. Each quarter, they'll introduce a new topic, so watch for updates.
Register today for an upcoming webinar!
Member Benefit - Ford and Lincoln Vehicles
Ford and Lincoln offer Farm Bureau Members an exclusive $500 Bonus Cash offer towards the purchase of a new vehicle. The link below makes it very easy for members to use their Farm Bureau Membership ID to generate their $500 Bonus Cash certificate online. You can then use the certificate at an authorized Ford or Lincoln dealership for the exclusive savings. It's that simple!
Really the only restriction is that the individual must be a Farm Bureau Member for at least 30 consecutive days prior to purchase to be eligible for the incentive.
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Maryland Farm and Harvest Returns!
Maryland Public Television is bringing back the popular original series Maryland Farm & Harvest for its seventh season on November 12 at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD.
Find out more here.
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CCLC Turning a New Leaf Conference set for December!
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American Farm Bureau Convention 2020
Come join American Farm Bureau in Austin, Texas January 17-22, 2020 for the 101st American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention. This celebration is an opportunity to meet Farm Bureau members and supporters from around the country, participate in educational and informative workshops, get inspired by great speakers, and enjoy the sights, sounds, and good eats of Texas. Registration for the AFBF Annual Convention is now open.
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November 2019 - Maryland Agricultural Highlights
- Hadaway named Baltimore County Soil Conservation District Supervisor
- 2019-20 Nutrient Management Voucher Training and Renewal Courses announced
- Northern Maryland Field Crops Day set for December 5th
- Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board Seeks Proposals
- National Corn Growers Association Scholarships Available
- Get MD Farm Fresh Turkeys and More for Thanksgiving
- 2020 is a MD State Census Year
- 50th Annual Taste of Maryland Agriculture Event set for February 6th
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Fertilizer Blackout Dates Begin November 16th
The Maryland Department of Agriculture reminds citizens that fertilizer blackout dates authorized by Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law will begin on Nov. 16, 2019 and run through Feb. 29, 2020. Under the law, fertilizing lawns with products containing phosphorus and nitrogen between blackout dates is prohibited. There are some exceptions for lawn-care professionals, but please
r
ead the full press release here.
Support Maryland Agritourism!
The department is encouraging Marylanders to support their local farmers and rural communities this fall by visiting a Maryland farm that offers agritourism activities. Maryland agritourism operations provide opportunities for the general public to learn about farming, agriculture, and where their food comes from.
Learn about upcoming events and how to support this growing industry here.
Meeting Notice - State Soil Conservation Committee
The State Soil Conservation Committee will meet Thursday, November 21 at 9:30 a.m. in the lower level conference room 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.
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MARBIDCO Next Generation Farmland Acquisition Program Now Open!
The Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO) has announced that the Next Generation Farmland Acquisition Program (Next Gen Program) will reopen on a monthly basis to help qualified young and beginning farmers who seek to purchase farmland, but need some specialized financial assistance to enter (or continue in) the agricultural profession in exchange for helping to preserve the farmland.
Read the rest of the press release here.
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Options and Considerations for a Business Owner when Planning Their Retirement- Nationwide
Planning for retirement isn't easy and it's especially difficult for self-employed individuals. They spend years and years building their business. Some may expect to sell it and live off the proceeds into their golden years, while others may have a different transition plan in mind. Sometimes those plans actually work! But, often, a little more is involved.
Click here for more information.
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Call for 2020 Young Farmers Competitive Events!
Interested in winning an expenses-paid trip to AFBF's annual convention or Young Farmers conference? Register today for one of our Young Farmers competitive events - Discussion Meet, Excellence in Agriculture, and Achievement Award! Applications are due to Parker Welch by Friday, November 29th.
Click here for more information.
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Sign-Up For USDA's Dairy Margin Coverage Program - Open Now
Farmers can begin signing up for the federal
Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program at their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) field office. Governor Larry Hogan included $1.5 million in his supplemental budget to pay 2019 premium costs for Maryland dairy farmers participating in the DMC program. Premiums will be paid directly from the Maryland Department of Agriculture to USDA FSA on behalf of Maryland producers.
“Dairy farmers across the country have been struggling with low milk prices and high feed costs for years,” said Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “The state cost-share program gives Maryland producers an opportunity to receive much needed protection from the DMC program at no cost. I encourage all of our dairy farmers to visit their local FSA office and enroll today.”
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.
Candidates must pass the state level competition before moving on to the national level. The state competition will take place on December 8th during the annual MFB Convention in Ocean City.
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 Implements New Pesticide Sensitive Crop and Beehive Locator
The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Regulation Section has announced the implementation of
FieldWatch, an online registry that connects beekeepers, specialty crop growers, and pesticide applicators around the state. This registry uses precision mapping tools to help commercial applicators know where beehives and specialty crops are located, thus showing which areas are more sensitive to pesticides.
“We are thrilled to have this new system in place so we can promote better communication between beekeepers, specialty crop growers, and pesticide applicators,” said the department’s Pesticide Regulation Section Program Manager Dennis Howard.
Read the full press release.
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Fun Fact-
Did you know that Agriculture is the #1 commercial industry in Maryland, providing more than 350,000 jobs - thank a farmer today!
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H-2A Employer Information
Source: UMD Ag Law Education Initiative
In the past 12 months, inspectors from the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Wage and Hour Division have been conducting inspections on farms and nurseries in Maryland. These inspections have focused on employers with H-2A workers and have required employers to produce years of required records. Following the inspections, severe fines and penalties have been issued to employers. After hearing about these inspections, ALEI partnered with the Maryland Department of Labor and Licensing Regulation and created some resources to help better prepare farm employers for these inspections. The first is a
self-audit worksheet to help employers do an internal review of operations and recordkeeping related to both H-2A and non-H2A employees. The second is a recorded
webinar
on this subject that is available for download.
Remember: If you have migrant or seasonal workers (non H-2A) you are subject to the federal Migrant and Seasonal Worker Protection Act (MSPA). For more information on this law and what is required
check out this publication and for more information, please contact the Agriculture Law Education Initiative (410-706-7377).
It is very likely these inspections will continue to occur throughout Maryland in the near future. If you have H-2A, migrant and/or seasonal laborers at your operation please take advantage of the resources above and make sure your operation is in legal compliance prior to an inspection.
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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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Baltimore County Farm Bureau | 410-823-1789 |
Email |
Website
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