SB 407 /
HB0255 Public Schools – Agricultural Education Programs
Another repeat bill that failed to make it through the General Assembly in 2018, this bill defines Ag Education in Maryland public schools and encourages county school programs to adopt and use this definition in their existing Ag Education Programs or when they are creating new Ag Education Programs. Each county board of education is encouraged to implement an Agricultural Education Program that prepares students for:
Hearing date: House 2/14; Senate 2/13
Proposed MaGIC position: Supportive
SB546 /
HB 904 – Agriculture – Nutrient Management – Monitoring and Enforcement
Requiring a person who holds a certain certificate or license to comply with certain reporting requirements and deadlines related to implementation of the Phosphorus Management Tool and the submission of certain soil test phosphorus levels; requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish a voluntary certification program for certain commercial manure haulers and brokers…effective October 1, 2019.
Hearing date: Senate 2/27; House not yet scheduled
HB 808 – Weed Control – Noxious Weeds – Regulations and Penalties
Repealing a certain list of plants considered to be noxious weeds in the State; requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to adopt regulations to establish a list of plants considered to be noxious weeds in the State; altering a certain condition under which the Secretary may designate as a noxious weed certain plant species; specifying that certain criminal penalties apply to certain violations; requiring certain administrative penalties to be distributed to a special fund used only for the control and eradication of a noxious weed; etc.
Hearing date: not yet scheduled
MDA supports this bill
HB 511 – Maryland Commercial Fertilizer Law – Definition of Soil Conditioner – Alteration
This bills seeks to expand the definition of soil condition to include the capitalized words, as follows: “Soil conditioner” includes but is not limited to materials such as compost, peat, vermiculite, [or] perlite, OR DIGESTATE PRODUCED BY ANAEROBIC DIGESTION that are incorporated into the soil.
Hearing date: House 2/27
Proposed MaGIC position: Pending - not yet established