Notes from Your Team at MGPA

Thank you for everything you do!

Governor Hogan released a descriptive Roadmap to Recovery . A timeline has not yet been released and will depend on a 14 day downward trend in hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19.

Taking Care of Yourself During a Pandemic

Ways to cope with stress:

The National Corn Growers Association has more infromation on handling stress here. You are welcome to connect with others.

Planting Progress Report

Farmers across the nation are moving their planters across the fields, view USDA's most recent Crop Progress Report here. NASS said Maryland has 12% of our corn planted, view report here.

Chlorpyrifos - Update

Yesterday, Governor Hogan vetoed Senate Bill 300 which would have legislatively banned the use of Chlorpyrifos in Maryland. This would have been the first agricultural pesticide banned by the Maryland General Assembly. The Maryland Department of Agriculture filed regulations in February to phase out the use of Chlorpyrifos through regulation as opposed to legislation. This was a request from agricultural organizations, including Maryland Grain Producers, in order to avoid the precedent set by the legislature banning pesticides. Governor Cuomo (D-NY) said it well in his veto letter for the New York Chlorpyrifos ban bill, "legislatively banning pesticides substitutes the legislature’s judgment for the expertise of chemists, health experts, and other subject matter experts in this field.”

Maryland Grain Producers thanks Governor Hogan for vetoing this legislation in order to maintain the robust regulatory process in place for pesticides. Read more here .

Market and Trade Update

Internationally - May is World Trade Month and USGC will post content on social media all month long. Recently we have seen some progress in trade! U.S. pork and beef exports were up 46% and 18% from a year ago, view the full story here. For the week ending April 23rd, China bought 600,000 tons of U.S. soybeans, 400,000 bales of U.S. cotton, 1,000 tons of U.S. beef, and more than 300,000 tons of U.S. sorghum and 35,000 tons of U.S. pork according to Brownfield Ag. The U.S. Grains Council worked to include barley malt to the list of products eligible for tariff exemptions and has some headed to China. A new pest risk assessment has been approved by both the USDA and Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, opening the door for U.S. sorghum to flow into Vietnam for high-value uses, read more here. AgriPulse, said that USMCA will be ready for implementation on July 1st mainly welcoming dairy and poultry. Lastly, the U.S. Grains Council reported yesterday that China purchased 686,000 metric tons of corn and Mexico purchased 109,135 metric tons.

Nationally - The Clean Fuels Deployment Act of 2020 was welcomed to incentivize the deployment of fueling infrastructure for ethanol blends greater than 10% and biodiesel blends greater than 20%, read more here. Last week, Trump used the Defense Production Act to classify meat processors as critical, giving processors protection from liability for workers who become sick on the job. Teams will review companies mitigation plans to continue operation, view more here. Hogan has opened a testing site at Perdue Stadium for poultry workers. The USDA announced details to purchase $470 million in food in addition to previously announced purchases.

View May 4, 2020 Maryland Grain Bids here.

Wheat Condition Report

University of Maryland, Nidhi Rawat provides a wheat update for Maryland farmers. Wheat on the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland is flowering. The risk of Fusarium Head has increased with the rain and is currently high. Growers are advised to spray head scab fungicides at wheat flowering and should be aplied at the full rate recommended by the manufacturers. In the North, wheat is booting and still roughly 17 to 10 days away from flowering. Read more here.

Economic Relief

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance, is a $10,000 loan to relief businesses that are currently experiencing temporary difficultires. This loan does not have to be repaid and at this time, only agricultural business will be accepted due to limitations in funding availability. Learn more here.

We Are Here for YOU

We hope this weather clears up so that you can get in the field for a good period of time, we understand the struggle of on and off rain during planting season. Stay safe and healthy! If there is anything we can do for you, we want to hear from you. It is best to contact our cell phones or emails. We will continue to have one person in the office during normal business hours.

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

Jenell Eck, jenell.mdag@gmail.com, Programs and Public Relations Director

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

443-262-8491

NEWS/FARMER RESOURCES

Giveaway - Enter By May 15th

The Maryland Grain Producers are collecting photos of farmers busy in the fields this spring. Send us a photo through Facebook or by emailing jenell.mdag@gmail.com by May 15th. Please provide the farm name, city, and county with your entry.

All photos will be shared on our social media page after May 15th and the most liked photo by the public will recive a $25 VISA gift card sponsored by Willards Agri-Service.

By submitting a photo, your are authorizing Maryland Grain Producers to use it in future posts and promotional materials.

Maryland Wheat Spotlight

The U.S. Wheat Associates spotlights Maryland Grain Producers Utiization Board through a series. Jason Scott currently serves as our Maryland Representative. The article updates readers on Maryland wheat and trade. Read the full spotlight here.

#HungerHeros - Maryland Farm Bureau and Food Bank

With COVID-19, the Maryland Farm Bureau and Maryland Food Bank partner to meet the demand of hungry families and individuals across the state. The goal is to raise awareness of the Maryland Food Bank and strengthen the connection bewteen food and agriculture. Help Farm Bureau raise $10,000 here.

Maryland Soybean Board Invests in Research

Maryland Soybean Board awarded 17 research project grants totaling an investment of $185,387 that best met research priorities within soy utilization, production research, and market alternatives. Read more here.

ShoreRivers and Chesapeake Bay Foundation Sue Trump

The ShoreRivers andd CBF plan to sue the Trump administration for repealing the Obama-era Clean Water Rule. Learn more here.

Senators Announce $10.7 M for Bay

Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen Announce $10.7 million in grants through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program within USDA NRCS. Read more here.

USDA Biofuels Infrastructure

The USDA announced additional details on the $100 million in grants available to fuel retailers and distributors under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. This program is intended to increase the sale and use of higher blends by expanding infrastrucutre for renewable fuels. Learn more here.

PepsiCo Partners with Farmers

Corn farmers and PepsiCo have documented the ability to cut CO2 emmisions through cover crops and other sustainable farming practices. Read more here.

National Corn Yield Contest

The National Corn Yield Contest officially opened May 1st with an early registration discount. NCGA wants to challenge you to take advantage of this opportunity to explore new ideas and production techniques, while gleaning knowlege to enhance your future yield potential. Learn more here.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Dairy Management Inc. Scholarship

Bruce W. Hotchkiss Scholarship

National Sorghum Foundation Scholarship

Created By: Jenell Eck

Programs and Public Relations Director

jenell.mdag@gmail.com

www.marylandgrain.org

Please contact with any questions.