Preliminary Testing Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Caroline County

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 29, 2026) — The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced a presumptive positive case of H5 avian influenza in a commercial broiler farm in Caroline County. This is the first case of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza (HPAI) on a commercial poultry farm in Caroline County this year and the first case in Maryland in 2026. State officials have quarantined all affected premises, and birds on the property are being or have been depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the affected flock will not enter the food system.

Confirmation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory is pending, with final results anticipated in the coming days.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among birds through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers. This virus affects poultry, like chickens, ducks, and turkeys, along with some wild bird species such as ducks, geese, shorebirds, and raptors.

According to the Maryland Department of Health, the risk of transmission between birds and the general public is low. Those who work directly with poultry or dairy farms may be more at risk and should follow key biosecurity practices.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture continues to urge growers and backyard flock owners to implement enhanced biosecurity practices and become familiar with what to do if HPAI is suspected in a flock. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shares more guidance here.

• Look for signs of illness. Know the warning signs of infectious bird diseases.
• Report suspected sick birds:
• To report a possible case of HPAI in a commercial or backyard flock, call the Maryland Department of Agriculture at 410-841-5810.
• Commercial chicken growers and backyard flock owners can email questions about the outbreak to

MD.Birdflu@maryland.gov.

• To report a sick wild bird in Maryland, call the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Services hotline at (877) 463-6497 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Key biosecurity practices:

• Clean and disinfect transportation. Don’t walk through or drive trucks, tractors, or equipment in areas where waterfowl or other wildlife feces may be. If you can’t avoid this, clean your shoes, vehicle, and equipment thoroughly to prevent bringing disease agents back to your flock. This is especially important when visiting with farmers or those who hunt wildfowl, such as when gathering at a local coffee shop, restaurant, or gas station.
• Remove loose feed. Don’t give wild birds, rodents, and insects a free lunch. Remove spilled or uneaten feed right away, and make sure feed storage units are secure and free of holes. Wild birds can carry HPAI.
• Keep visitors to a minimum. Only allow those people who take care of your poultry to come in contact with your birds, including family and friends. Make sure everyone who has contact with your flock follows biosecurity principles.
• Wash your hands before and after coming in contact with live poultry. Wash with soap and water. If using a hand sanitizer, first remove manure, feathers, and other materials from your hands because disinfectants will not penetrate organic matter or caked-on dirt.
• Provide disposable boot covers (preferred) and/or disinfectant footbaths for anyone having contact with your flock. If using a footbath, be sure to remove all droppings, mud, or debris from boots and shoes using a long-handled scrub brush BEFORE stepping into the disinfectant footbath, and always keep it clean.
• Change clothes before entering poultry areas and before exiting the property.
• Visitors should wear protective outer garments or disposable coveralls, boots, and headgear when handling birds, and shower and/or change clothes when leaving the facility.
• Clean and disinfect tools or equipment before moving them to a new poultry facility. Before allowing vehicles, trucks, tractors, or tools and equipment - including egg flats and cases that have come in contact with birds or their droppings - to exit the property, make sure they are cleaned and disinfected to prevent contaminated equipment from transporting disease. Do not move or reuse items that cannot be cleaned and disinfected - such as cardboard egg flats.
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For more information on High Path Avian Influenza in Maryland, please visit: https://mda.maryland.gov/Pages/AvianFlu.aspx.

University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and University of Maryland to Host Free H-2A Farm Labor Workshop in Mid-Atlantic Region

10 AM to 2 PM (check-in 9:30 AM)

February 2, 2026, Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 121 Northville Road, Bridgeton, New Jersey 08302

February 3, 2026, Carvel Research and Education Center, 16483 County Seat Highway, Georgetown, Delaware 19947

February 4, 2026, Central Md Research and Education Center, 4240 Folly Quarter Road, Bldg 671, Ellicott City, MD 21042

February 5, 2026, Charles County Agricultural and Environmental Service Center, 4200 Gardiner Rd, Waldorf, MD 20601

University of Maryland Extension (UME), the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC), and the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension will host a series of free one-day workshops, “Exploring H-2A Farm Labor in the Mid-Atlantic Region,” in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey.  

This workshop is designed to help Mid-Atlantic agricultural employers better understand the costs, legal requirements, and compliance responsibilities associated with using the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. As farms increasingly rely on seasonal labor, this program provides essential guidance to help producers make informed labor management decisions.

Ag Tax Workshop

February 10 | 1 PM - 3 PM

Virtual Workshop

This 2-hour virtual tax workshop will cover essential farm taxation basics including IRS Publication 225 (Farmer’s Tax Guide), 1040 Schedule F tax form, and key differences between farming as a business versus as a hobby. The workshop will also touch on practical recordkeeping tips and tax considerations for agritourism activities.

Registration is $25 plus Eventbrite fees ($28.52).

UME Hosts Free Farm Succession & Estate Planning Workshops for Landowners

10 AM-2:30 PM

February 11, 2026 - Eastern Shore Hospital Center, English Room, 5262 Woods Rd, Cambridge, MD 21613.

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC), University of Maryland Extension, and the Ag Law Education Initiative will host three one-day workshops.

The free program will assist Maryland farm families in starting the estate planning process, including creating a successful succession plan, having difficult conversations, and health insurance options for farmers. A grant funds the program through the Northeast Risk Management Education Center.  

For more information or to register, go to https://agrisk.umd.edu/events. 

For more information, please contact Paul Goeringer at lgoering@umd.edu.

Annie's Project 2026

Online and In-Person Versions Available

February 18, 2026 - April 1, 2026 (Wednesdays)

6 - 9 PM

See tickets for individual class locations and site-specific details. This is a hybrid class that will be offered concurrently - in person in Centreville, MD, or online via zoom.

Annie’s project is designed to empower women in agriculture to manage information and learn about agriculture in a relaxed local network. The target audience is women with a passion for agriculture. Annie's Project is a six-week online experience designed especially for women to help them develop their management and decision-making skills. Annie’s Project will help develop an understanding, interpretation, and opportunities in agriculture.

To register, visit https://2026anniesproject.eventbrite.com. For more information on the curriculum and program logistics, please contact Shannon Dill at sdill@umd.edu or Jenny Rhodes jrhodes@umd.edu or visit the website at https://go.umd.edu/anniesproject.

2026 Precision Agriculture Technology Conference

Thursday, February 26, 2026

9am - 4:30pm

Crowne Plaza | 173 Jennifer Road, Annapolis, MD

Cost: $85 until January 25th | $120 after

Includes breakfast and lunch

Join us for a day filled with exploration into the technologies transforming the agriculture sector. Gain insights into upcoming innovations and their real-world applications in enhancing productivity and profitability

Topics Include:

• Scouting/Field Assessment Technology
• Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
• Pest Management
• Animal Waste Technology
• Irrigation & Drainage
• livestock Management

This event will offer credits for MD and DE Pesticide, nutrient management, and certified crop advisor.

Conference Link: Website

Registration Eventbrite Link: Registration

Sponsorship Link: Sponsorship

If you have any questions, please reach out to Hemendra Kumar (hemendra@umd.edu) or Elizabeth McGarry (emcgarry@umd.edu).

Register Your Poultry

Backyard flock owners are required to register their flocks with the Maryland Department of Agriculture to assist in protecting Maryland's poultry industries from diseases such as HPAI. The information collected helps animal health officials identify at-risk animals and premises. To register please visit​ Maryland Poultry Premises Registration.

Bulletins Live! Two (BLT)

Updated and new pesticide labels may require you to check Bulletins Live! Two (BLT). BLT is a web-based application that allows you to access Endangered Species Protection Bulletins (Bulletins) to see if your area has pesticide use limitations. For information on how to use BLT see the EPA website (https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/bulletins) or contact your local extension office.

Plan to attend the Winter Agronomy Meeting on February 3, 2026, for a presentation on this program.

Maryland Agriculture Reporting Tool (MART)

The University of Maryland Extension, along with state and local partners, is excited to introduce the Maryland Agriculture Reporting Tool (MART). This free, secure, online platform is designed to simplify recordkeeping, improve decision-making, and help Maryland farm producers meet both state and federal reporting requirements. MART can be accessed at https://mdagreporting.org/.  

Traditionally, many small- to medium-sized farm producers have depended on paper forms or Excel spreadsheets to track crops, nutrient applications, and harvest data across multiple farms. This method can be tedious and time-consuming—especially when calculating totals or preparing compliance reports. MART offers a streamlined, secure alternative that consolidates all this information in one place.

Visit https://mdagreporting.org/ to explore MART or contact the University of Maryland Extension – Talbot County for more information about training sessions and upcoming features.

2025 Maryland State Soybean Variety Trials Results Available

The University of Maryland offers a fee-based, soybean variety performance testing program to local and national seed companies. The results from these replicated trials provide agronomic performance information about soybean varieties tested at four locations in Maryland considered representative of the state’s geography and weather conditions.

We are grateful for the funding provided by Maryland Soybean Board (MSB) to support these trials. MSB provides our program with checkoff funding to support applied agricultural research and generate results that directly benefit Maryland soybean growers.

The soybean trials results factsheet can be downloaded from the MD Crops website at https://psla.umd.edu/extension/md-crops.

2025 Maryland Field Crop Budgets

Crop budgets vary greatly by operation! Prices and cost estimates are averages collected from retailers across the state. Input prices will vary by crop, management, region, varieties and other criteria and may not be reflective of YOUR true costs.

2025 County Rental Rates Now Available Online

Cash rent lease agreements continue to be the most common type of agricultural lease in Maryland, providing a fixed annual payment per acre and relieving landowners of operating and marketing decisions. The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) annually estimates average cash rental rates per acre for irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, and pastureland at the county and state levels based on data collected from farm-level surveys.