MDA advised chicken companies and other stakeholders that wild waterfowl hunted near Rock Hall had been tested for HPAI and found to be positive. (Source - DCA). Most recently, a commercial turkey flock in Dubois County, Indiana has been confirmed for HPAI, by USDA APHIS.

Reach out to your local FSA office for more information and questions.

Maryland Farm and Harvest visited the Dell Brothers in Westminster to learn more about sorghum production in Maryland. Watch it online here.

Lindsay Thompson, lindsay.mdag@gmail.com, Executive Director

Jenell Eck McHenry, jenell.mdag@gmail.com, Programs and PR Director

Marguerite Guare, marguerite.mdag@gmail.com, Administration

Jennifer Gannon, jennifer.mdag@gmail.com, Student Intern

The 2022 Maryland legislative session convened on Wednesday, January 13, 2022. The House of Delegates will be holding all committee hearings virtually and the Senate will also be virtual, at least until February 11th at which time leadership will re-evaluate having in-person hearings.

New bills are being posted daily on the General Assembly website. Those wanting to testify on bills must sign up and submit written testimony two days prior to the hearing.

MGPA SUPPORTS HB562

The University of Maryland Extension is partnering with three mental health clinics on the Eastern Shore to help alleviate the issues of accessibility and availability of treatment for mental health concerns. Six free counseling sessions are available for 35 qualifying participants. If you are interested, request a referral by emailing mdfrsan@umd.edu or calling 301-405-4153. Read more here.

Taxes are one of the costs of business that farmers are unable to avoid but they have the ability to reduce taxes due by considering several options. Check out this Delmarva Farmer article for some options/tips.

Maryland and a coalition of environmental groups filed separate lawsuits against a poultry rendering plant on the Eastern Shore, alleging dozens of water, air, and hazardous waste violations in recent years. Read more here.

A generation of Maryland farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have tried to meet two goals: produce the food our growing country needs and reduce the amount of nutrients their lands deliver to the country's largest estuary. The uncomfortable truth is that, while farmers have answered the call to reduce pollution, developed areas seem to have taken it as permission to pollute more. Read the full story here.

In this episode, NCGA checks in with President Chris Edgington to hear how all these big national new stories have impacted his operation in Iowa, what lessons he learned in 2021 and what growers need to know to thrive in 2022. Listen here.

USDA is delivering on its promise to expand markets by investing $1 billion in partnerships to support America's climate-smart farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. The new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities opportunity will finance pilot projects that create market opportunities for US agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse gas benefits. USDA is now accepting project applications for the fiscal year 2022. More information here.

The EPA should refrain from moving forward with its rule that would expand the definition of the WOTUS under the Clean Water Act to include water on farmland that's removed from major waterway, NCGA told EPA. Read more here.

The University of Maryland will be holding the majority of its winter crop production meetings in person. There will be a few virtual options available as well. These meetings will take place until March 30th. Register online here.

This weekend at Brunswick Volunteer Fire Company will be the annual farm toy auction and show starting at 9:00 AM. Admission is $3 for adults and free under the age of 12. More information can be found here.

The National Farm Machinery Show has announced attendee registration is open for the show starting February 16th. Read more online here.

The Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative is hosting a webinar on the latest research on poultry manure management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. There will be Nutrient Management CEUs offered for DE, MD, and VA participants. DLLC hopes to see you on February 25th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. More here.

Farmers regulated by the Nutrient Management Program are required to submit their 2021 Annual Implementation Reporting forms by March 1, 2022. Farmers have the option to submit their forms electronically. More information here.

The annual event will take place on Thursday, March 3rd. New this year, the Taste of Maryland will be held at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, Arundel Mills. More information and tickets can be purchased online here.

The 2022 National Commodity Classic is taking place March 8th-March 12th in New Orleans. The Commodity Classic will host a series of educational sessions and updates from various commodity associations. Learn more and see the schedule here. Registration and housing is now open!

The Mid Atlantic Certified Crop Advisers will award up to two scholarships in the amount of $1,000 for students enrolled in an agronomy or related field. Applications are due Friday, February 18th, and can be found online here.

The Harry R Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, Inc and the Agriculture Law Education Initiative are seeking law and undergraduate student applicants interested in careers in agriculture, environmental conservation, forestry, and/or policy for the 2022 Brinsfield Agro-Ecology Summer Internship program. Multiple students will be selected for this eight-week internship. Be sure to apply by February 20th, more information can be found here.

For the 2022-2023 academic year, Maryland Farm Bureau is offering five $2,000 scholarships. Online applications are to b submitted by March 25th by 5:00 PM. Learn more online here.

For 2022, DCA is offering undergraduate scholarships of $2,000 and graduate scholarships of $3,000. Applications must be received no later than Friday, April 8th. Students working towards a degree in a subject relevant to Delmarva's chicken community are eligible. Find more information online here.

Growmark is offering a $1,500 scholarship program for students pursuing two or four-year degrees or trade certificates in an agriculture-related field. Applicants must complete an online application by April 14th to be judged by a panel of agribusiness professionals. More information can be found here.

Created By: Jenell Eck McHenry | jenell.mdag@gmail.com

Please contact us with any questions.