Author: Parker Welch

Maryland Farm Bureau Advocates for Farmers and Key Legislation in Capitol Hill Meetings

Sept. 22^nd 2023 – Representatives of the Maryland Farm Bureau (MDFB) met with their Members of Congress and staff this week to advocate on behalf of a number of federal bills that will help Maryland farmers – including the 2023 Farm Bill. MDFB members emphasized the importance of policies that empower farmers to produce food efficiently while safeguarding our precious land, waterways, and air quality.

*Maryland’s Senators meet with MDFB members (L to R: Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Ben Cardin, MDFB President Wayne Stafford)*

“As Maryland’s largest commercial industry, it’s imperative that our federal representatives understand the issues currently facing Maryland farmers,” said MDFB President Wayne Stafford. “We greatly appreciate our Members of Congress and their staff for listening to the concerns of our members, and we remain optimistic that they will keep our farmers’ needs in mind when supporting legislation, like the 2023 Farm Bill.”

On Thursday afternoon, MDFB met with Maryland Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen. The day prior, MDFB met with staff members from the offices of Congressman David Trone, Congressman Jamie Raskin, Congressman Steny Hoyer, Congressman John Sarbanes, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, and Congressman Andy Harris.

*MDFB Member Ian Reike speaks with Alex Chanock from Rep. Trone’s Office | MDFB Members pose in front of Rep. Harris’ office with staffer Travis Trejo*

In addition to their advocacy for the 2023 Farm Bill, MDFB members highlighted several federal bills to significantly benefit Maryland’s farming community. These include:

H.R. 1437 – Black Vulture Relief Act

Introduced in the House by Rep. Rose (R-TN) & Rep. Soto (D-FL)

H.R. 5096, S. 2235 – Healthy Poultry and Indemnification Act

Introduced in the House by Rep. Blunt Rochester (D-DE) & Rep. Alford (R-MO)

Introduced in the Senate by Sen. Coons (D-DE) & Sen. Wicker (R-MS)

H.R. 4708 – H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers Act

Introduced in the House by Rep. Gonzales (R-TX) & Rep. Cuellar (D-TX)

H.R. 1147, S. 1957 – Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act

Introduced in the House by Rep. Thompson (R-PA) & Rep. Schrier (D-WA)

Introduced in the Senate by Sen. Welsh (D-VT) & Sen. Marshall (R-KS)

H.R. 4721, S. 1706 – Main Street Tax Certainty Act

Introduced in the House by Rep. Smucker (R-PA) & Rep. Cuellar (D-TX)

Introduced in the Senate by Sen. Daines (R-MT)

As discussions surrounding federal appropriation bills continue throughout the year, MDFB is committed to maintaining active engagement through outreach campaigns that emphasize the 2023 Farm Bill’s significance. Both MDFB and the American Farm Bureau Federation unite in their advocacy for the swift passage of the Farm Bill this year, recognizing its importance for the agricultural community. Earlier this year, MDFB joined the Farm Bill for American Families initiative, a multi-state effort to promote the passage of the Farm Bill.

Women in AG Conference

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2022 Ag Ambassador Application Now Available

Parker Welch

Applications are now open for the 2022-2023 Maryland Farm Bureau Ambassador program, a scholarship and leadership development initiative for Maryland’s Farm Bureau member-families. After receiving entries from the county Farm Bureaus, the state Farm Bureau will choose one female and one male ambassador to represent Maryland Farm Bureau and the importance of agriculture’s role in the state from December 2022 – December 2023.

Winners will receive $1,500 over their tenure as the ambassador, representing Maryland Farm Bureau at such events as the Maryland State Fair and Day-in-Annapolis; reimbursements for public appearances; and an all-expense paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership conference in February.

Contestants must be between the ages of 17 and 21 (by Sept. 16, 2022), pursuing either a two- or four-year college degree. Each county Farm Bureau is eligible to nominate one female and one male nominee. Of those, a judging panel will evaluate contestants based on virtual interviews. From there, finalists will be called to take part in the final selection at Maryland Farm Bureau’s annual meeting on December 3 – 4. Contestants will share their prepared presentations and take part in a “Discussion Meet,” with the winner being announced at the annual meeting.

Please share this application with full details with any individual you feel would make a great representative for Maryland Farm Bureau. Student membership nominees are also welcome. Applications are due by 5:00 PM on September 16, 2022. Previous finalists are unable to compete.

Please contact Parker Welch, director of organization, for more information.

Two Maryland Fire Departments Will Keep Farm Workers Safer, Thanks to Nationwide

Nationwide® continues to be on the farmer’s side with mindful concern about their safety, augmenting the protection they provide through insurance and other services. This month Nationwide awarded 48 fire departments in the U.S. with grain rescue tubes and training, which can help save farm workers who may become entrapped in grain bins. Winners included two Maryland fire departments.

In a national contest with more than 1,000 applicants, Nationwide® in partnership with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), awarded fire departments based on nominations. Applications stated why the tube and training is needed in their area, and how they could help their neighboring fire departments if they won.

In Maryland, the Friendsville Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department in Friendsville and the Willards Volunteer Fire Department in Willards won. Regionally, other winners included:

Cambridge Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Cambridge Springs, PA
Camden-Wyoming Fire Company, Camden, DE
Citizens Volunteer Fire Company, Fawn Grove, PA
Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Department, Edinboro, PA
Rawlinsville Volunteer Fire Company, Holtwood, PA.

NECAS, based out of Peosta, Iowa, will deliver the rescue tubes and training to the winning agencies throughout 2021, traveling to each location with state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulators and rescue tubes. The comprehensive training sessions include classroom education and rescue simulations using the entrapment tools, which are loaded onto 20-foot trailers and able to hold about 100 bushels of grain each.

According to researchers at Purdue University, more than 900 cases of grain engulfment have been reported in the past 50 years with a fatality rate of 62%. In 2020, grain entrapments led to 20 deaths.

Maryland Farm Bureau is proud to be a supporter of this program. With 2021 donations included, Nationwide® and partners have supplied these resources to 200 departments across 30 states. At least four fire departments have utilized their rescue tubes and training to successfully rescue entrapped workers.

Learn more here at Nominate Your Fire Department Contest, a key piece of Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety advocacy campaign.

Nominate your fire department to win a grain bin rescue tube

Rural fire fighters are often the first and only line of defense when someone becomes helplessly trapped in grain. Unfortunately, many fire departments lack the specialized rescue techniques and equipment necessary for a successful grain bin rescue.

In conjunction with Grain Bin Safety Week (third full week of February), Nationwide teams up with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), KC Supply¹ and others to award emergency first responders with grain rescue tubes and hands-on rescue training to help save lives.

What you can win

Winning entries will be awarded:

One (1) grain rescue tube, valued between $3,000 to $5,000
One (1) six-hour grain entrapment rescue training session, at winner’s location, valued at up to $5,000

Winners and prizes are made possible by the generosity of our partners. Learn how you can partner with us to help save lives.

The annual grain bin rescue tube contest begins January 1st of each year

The contest begins on January 1 at 8:00 a.m. CT and extends through April 30 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Only entries submitted during this time will be considered for the contest.

To enter, describe how your local fire department or emergency rescue team and community would benefit from grain entrapment training and a rescue tube, and how the tube and training could be shared with nearby departments. Please include:

Your name
Occupation
Phone number
Mailing address
Email address
Name, address and phone number of the fire department or rescue team nomination

Nominations are accepted from the general public as well as from fire fighters who wish to nominate their own fire department. Employees and agents of Nationwide are not eligible to submit nominations for the contest.

Submit your entry during the contest:

Fill out an online form
Via email: gbswinfo@nationwide.com or
Mail to: NECAS, Grain Bin Safety Week Contest, 8342 NICC Dr., Peosta, IA 52068

Limit one (1) entry per person, per email address and per household or department

Abbreviated rules

No purchase necessary. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the contiguous United States and the District of Columbia, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. Void where prohibited. Enter Contest by: 4/30/22. Contest ends: 4/30/22. See Official Rules and prize descriptions.

Sponsor: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, 1100 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50391.

Contest history

Since 2014, the contest has received over 5,000 nominations and has awarded grain rescue tubes and hands-on rescue training to over 207 fire departments in over 31 states. Five of the tubes have been used to save the lives of five farmers.

Dan Neenan, director of NECAS, travels with a state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulator and rescue tube to the winning locations to conduct the training session. Loaded on a 20-foot trailer and able to hold approximately 100 bushels of grain, the simulator is the perfect training ground¹.

As part of 2020’s event, Nationwide joined forces with Corteva Agriscience and hosted an event in Peosta, IA. Dan Neenan, director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), conducted a live grain engulfment simulation and rescue demonstration. He submerged Marji Guyler-Alaniz, TV host and FarmHer® founder, in grain up to her waist — demonstrating for the audience how the tubes are used to extract someone who’s trapped in a grain bin. The event was live streamed on Facebook and received more than 782,000 views.

¹Alternate training organizations utilizing similar training methods may be used. https://www.mynsightonline.com/libraries/sites/1/assets/RMT%20PDFs/GBSW21%20Contest%20Rules%20(1).pdf

Prevailing Wage and Practices – Agricultural Employment Surveys

Sarah Everhart and Margaret Todd

University of Maryland, Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI)

The Maryland Department of Labor (MDOL) has started conducting the 2021 Agricultural Employment Surveys (AES), beginning May 17th and continuing until early October. The results will provide an inside look at Maryland’s prevailing wages and employment practices for agricultural jobs within the state by sector – useful information for those employers preparing agricultural job offers.

Agricultural employment is a complex undertaking that requires employers to consider not only which wage to offer, but also to factor in other services, such as providing transportation and housing, using farm labor contractors, etc. Access to prevailing wage and practice data can help farm employers competitively recruit and retain the best workers. Likewise, producers who are looking to expand their operation or diversify can benefit from reviewing survey reports to understand the regional employment trends they will need to conform with to provide attractive employment opportunities.

The AES are normally done in-person through farm visits by Maryland Department of Labor (MDOL) representatives, however, social distancing measures over the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to changes in survey administration. MDOL has switched to a phone and mailing campaign. The surveys for wage and practices are two separate forms that ask for information by sector (crop) and state region. Maryland is divided into three regions: Central, Eastern Shore, and Western. Farmers will receive copies of the survey via mail that can be filled out and mailed back to the MDOL. Options to send responses back via e-mail, fax and telephone are also available this year.

To date, MDOL plans to begin phone surveys for the following crops and regions during the dates in the table.

Agricultural Area	Crop Activity	Estimated Dates of Crop Activity	Date of Survey Period
Central	Nursery	Mar 2 – Dec 15	May 17 – May 21
Eastern Shore	Nursery	Mar 2 – Dec 15	May 17 – May 21
Statewide	Turf	Mar 2 – Nov 15	June 7 – June 11
Statewide	Christmas Tree	Mar 16 – Dec 18	June 21 – July 2
Central	Diversified Crops	June 1 – Aug 31	Aug 2 – Aug 6
Eastern Shore	Sweet Corn Harvest	June 22 – July 31	July 12 – July 16
Eastern Shore	Cantaloupe Harvest	June 30 – July 31	July 12 – July 16
Eastern Shore	Tomato Harvest	July 27 – Aug 31	July 12 – July 16
Eastern Shore	Watermelon	July 1 – Aug 15	July 12 – July 16
Southern MD	Vegetable	Aug 1 – Sept 15	Aug 16 – Aug 20
Statewide	Grape	Aug 14 – Oct 1	Sept 6 – Sept 24
Statewide	Horse Farm	Mar 2 – Nov 16	Sept 13 – Sept 17
Western MD	Fall Apple Harvest	Aug 31 – Oct 30	Sept 27 – Oct 01

The state-run AES help establish prevailing wages and prevailing, or normal and common, practices in agriculture by asking for information about the number of U.S. and H-2A workers; average productivity and earnings of piece rate workers; variables affecting rates and hiring practices; experience standards, and more. Prevailing wages can be piece rates or hourly wages. Prevailing practices are those practices engaged in by employers, that fifty percent or more of employers in an area and for an occupation engage in the practice or offer the benefit, which can include the provision of family housing, frequency of wage payments, providing advance transportation, and the utilization of labor contractors.

Farm employers seeking certification to employ H-2A workers must offer and pay the higher of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), the prevailing wage in the area, or the federal or state minimum wage. The AEWR is usually the highest of these wages and covers a range of farm jobs in a state or multistate region, however, employers should still check the prevailing wage applicable to their particular operation and location.

State results are submitted and assessed by the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) to decide whether they can make a prevailing wage determination. Anonymized reports with previous year data for wage can be found online in the Agricultural Online Wage Library (AWOL) (https://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/aowl.cfm) and for practices in the Agricultural Employment Practice Survey Library (https://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/aowl_survey_pdf.cfm).

States often struggle to get farmers to participate, and a decreasing number of states continue to conduct prevailing wage and practices surveys. For many commodities, there is “no finding” because the state workforce agency did not conduct surveys or did not obtain data from a sufficient number of employers and workers. However, when there is sufficient participation the results can offer producers meaningful insight into what their regional hiring trends are and help them know when a job order, wage, and position requirements will be acceptable under the Foreign Labor Certification program requirements.

Successful survey efforts depend on farmer participation; the greater the participation, the better the integrity of the results. According to Norton Pereira, the State Rural Services Coordinator at the MDOL, “Maryland has a solid reputation in not only doing them every year but also getting meaningful results. We would like to continue that tradition with farmers’ help.”

For more information or to submit questions about the Maryland surveys, contact Norton Pereira at norton.pereira@maryland.gov or by phone at (301) 326-6006.

Maryland Farm Bureau Awards 2021 Scholarships

Maryland Farm Bureau is proud to announce the scholarships for 2021. Three scholarships were awarded to students pursuing academic degrees in food, agriculture and/or natural resources disciplines, and two scholarships were awarded to students pursuing degrees in other academic disciplines or are minoring in food, agriculture, and/or natural resources.

The five scholarships, each valued at $2,000, were awarded to Makenzie Hereth of Woodbine, Mackenize Ridenour of Hagerstown, Marissa Roberts of Taneytown, Courtney Schrader of Earleville, and Lynne Thomas of Fallston.

Applicants were required to write an essay answering the following question: The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters creates additional risk for farmers and ranchers. What tools and production practices can be engaged to reduce climate and weather risks?

Recipients or their parents/guardians are members of Maryland Farm Bureau. Selection was made by a scholarship committee designated by Maryland Farm Bureau.

Makenize Hereth of Howard County Farm Bureau is a freshman at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, IL. She is majoring in Agriculture Communications.

Mackenzie Ridenour of Washington County Farm Bureau is a freshman at Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown, MD. She is majoring in Veterinarian Medicine.

Marissa Roberts of Carroll County Farm Bureau is a sophomore at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD. She is majoring in Sports Management.

Courtney Schrader of Cecil County Farm Bureau is a sophomore at Salisbury University in Salisbury, MD. She is majoring in Business Management and Communications.

Lynne Thomas of Baltimore County Farm Bureau is a sophomore at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. She is majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education.

For more information about the scholarship program at Maryland Farm Bureau and within the county Farm Bureaus please visit www.mdfarmbureau.com/scholarships.

Cost-Share Funding Now Available to Assist Farmers with Poultry Manure Storage

New Incentive to Help Farmers Boost Soil Health

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 28, 2021) — The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced new cost-share assistance for the installation of satellite storage facilities on farms using poultry manure to improve soil health for crop production. Beginning May 1, 2021, Maryland farmers receiving manure from producers in qualifying areas can apply for grants to cover up to 87.5% of construction costs.

“Covered storage structures preserve the nutrient content of poultry manure, which is shown to improve soil health when applied in accordance with a nutrient management plan,” said Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “We are pleased to offer this important incentive to farmers as part of our ongoing commitment to promote sustainable, regenerative agriculture practices.”

In 2017, Governor Larry Hogan signed legislation establishing Maryland’s Healthy Soils Program. The program, administered by MDA’s Office of Resource Conservation, encourages farmers to adopt conservation practices that will improve soil productivity. Manure, when properly managed, supplies essential nutrients and micronutrients that plants need to grow and returns organic matter to the soil to feed microbes, build carbon, and increase water and nutrient retention.

Cost-share funding is provided by the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. Farmers who can demonstrate their eligibility and capacity to receive manure should contact their local soil conservation district to apply. Additional financial assistance to transport manure is available through the department’s Manure Transport Program. Applicants must be in good standing with the MACS Program and in compliance with Maryland’s nutrient management regulations.

For more information on Maryland’s Soil Health Program, please visit the website.

Prioritizing cybersecurity on farms

The following information is provided by Nationwide®, the #1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.*

There’s a proverbial snake in the grass when it comes to the security of high-value farm-level data generated by today’s precision agriculture technology. Prioritize cybersecurity to help secure your data from theft so it’s only used for intended purposes.

Recognize your data’s value

With the advancement of data-driven precision ag tools, vulnerability to cyberattacks is on the rise. The good news is cybersecurity capabilities also continue to advance. Protect your data by first recognizing its value, then work in secure hardware and systems.

There’s a value exchange in using any digital platform. Free services typically come with a caveat. Google is one example; when using its free services, users grant the company permission to use that data in different ways. That may mean your email data is used to enable partner companies to target ads based on interests expressed in your messages. The paid version of G Suite can cost as little as $5/month, but it includes stronger data protection.

Work with secure tech partners

Start securing your data with a look at your technology providers. Many companies are investing considerably in data security. Ask questions of your machinery and precision ag partners to confirm the security of your data on their platforms.

Steps you can take on your farm

According to a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), these steps can help shore up potential vulnerabilities in your data security at the farm level:

Be proactive and actively manage data. Be proactive with and accountable for the steps you can take to keep your data secure. Perform recommended software updates, frequently change account passwords and regularly check application and platform security settings to help ensure you’re equipping yourself with the latest security tools.
Choose the right platforms. Research your options for managing your farm data. Consider paying even a small monthly fee for stronger security settings. The right decision is a balance between expense and your data security expectations.
Store your data right. Where and how you store your data is important to its security from potential cyberattacks. If stored in the cloud, make sure the platform has adequate security protocols. If doing so locally, use a storage device with firewalls in place that’s not connected to the internet.
Involve your whole team. Create processes to manage the increasing volume of data gleaned by today’s precision ag tools. Staying up-to-date with the latest and most effective data security tools and platforms is not easy for everyone. Meet with employees and other farm stakeholders regularly to ensure everyone is on the same page to keep your data secure.

Get the right cyber liability insurance

Consult with a trusted advisor to ensure you have the right cyber liability coverage for your farm should a cyber theft or data compromise occur. Cybercrime and identity theft can be complicated and costly. Cyber liability coverage from Nationwide can help offset the devastating effects hacking, data theft and identity fraud can have on your business from a financial and reputation standpoint.

For more tips and information to help you maintain safety on your farm, visit https://www.nationwide.com/lc/resources/farm-and-agribusiness/.

Maryland Moves to Appeal Court Decision on Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations

DAVIDSONVILLE, MD – On April 12, 2021, the Attorney General of Maryland formally filed an appeal to the March 11, 2021 Assateague Costal Trust v. The Maryland Department of the Environment ruling from the circuit court for Montgomery County.

Maryland Farm Bureau, in cooperation with the Delmarva Chicken Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation, will be following the case carefully through the Court of Special Appeals. We will pursue all available options to present to the Court scientifically sound information related to how Maryland farmers have and continue to implement the best management practices that protect waters of the state and waters of the U.S. In addition, we look to inform the Court on a more clear understanding of the intent, scope, and application of the federal Clean Water Act.

On behalf of the many Maryland farm families whose livelihood depends on raising livestock in a safe, sustainable, and responsible way—we thank the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Attorney General for filing the appeal.