MARYLAND FARM BUREAU

Connect with us

JOIN/RENEW

Author: Parker Welch

Maryland Farm Bureau thanks Governor Hogan for 2021 Rural Broadband and Infrastructure Budget

Maryland Farm Bureau thanks Governor Hogan for 2021 Rural Broadband and Infrastructure Budget

On behalf of our more than 12,000 members, Maryland Farm Bureau thanks Governor Hogan and his administration—Speaker Adrienne Jones, Senate President Bill Ferguson and their leadership team—for prioritizing broadband infrastructure investment in this year’s budget agreement. In 2020, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have clearly shown that rural broadband access continues to be severely limited in our state. Nearly 25% of Maryland’s rural citizens have limited to no internet service. 

We encourage the Governor and the General Assembly to prioritize infrastructure in rural communities across Maryland. As precision agriculture expands in the farming landscape, the need for internet service is critical. Utilizing GPS technology, both on-board computer updates and green-seeker in-field crop analysis have become valuable tools that farmers use to control over-application of nutrients and crop protectants; this helps reduce runoff and improve water quality. In addition, access to telemedicine and telehealth services for rural residents is essential for those who do not live close to cities and towns where in-person medical services are easier to access than in rural parts of the state. Furthermore, the need to provide online education to children living in rural areas where broadband access is sparce continues to put our rural youth at a learning disadvantage.

Expanding the broadband infrastructure into our rural communities not only helps Maryland’s farm families but all rural citizens in our state. We look forward to working with state leaders to bring internet connectivity to every corner of Maryland. 

Posted on

Second Cyberag Symposium Takes Deep Dive into Cybersecurity Issues Affecting Agriculture and Aquaculture

Second CyberAg Symposium Takes Deep Dive into Cybersecurity Issues Affecting Agriculture and Aquaculture

EASTON, MD (March 19, 2021) – To help address the ever-increasing threat of cyberattacks against the U.S. food industry, the second CyberAg Symposium on April 14 will bring together experts from the agriculture and cybersecurity sectors to discuss and discover solutions to security problems. Registration is free and the symposium will be held virtually.

“Advancements in American agriculture technology have broad security implications for the country, making data security a top concern,” said Mike Thielke, executive director of the Eastern Shore Entrepreneur Center (ESEC), organizer of the symposium. “This second symposium will further build awareness about how data protection can be leveraged to protect the agriculture and aquaculture sectors.”

While the agricultural industry has historically had little demand for cybersecurity, new innovation and advancements have left the sector in dire need of safeguarding from exploitation and hacking from outside influences. According to a recent survey by Farm Journal Pulse, less than 20% of farmers feel confident in their data security.

The symposium also provides the opportunity for members of the cybersecurity community to become aware of the problems facing the agricultural community. This will provide access to new markets for cyber firms to offer their existing solutions as well as for developing novel solutions for ongoing and newly-developed problems in the agriculture-aquaculture world.

This second symposium will feature speakers from Skyward Apps (Columbia, Maryland), Rantizo (Iowa City, Iowa), AgLaunch (Memphis, Tennessee), Corteva’s Granular Division (San Francisco, California), and the FBI (Washington, DC). The symposium is sponsored by Rantizo; the Maryland Department of Commerce; MidAtlantic Farm Credit; the Maryland Farm Bureau; Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI); and F3Tech, an ESEC initiative.

Registration is now open at cyberag.org.

REGISTRATION

A session from the first CyberAg Symposium – Data Security from an Agriculture Perspective, which was held last December – can be viewed at cyberag.org by clicking on the video on the right side of the page. The ongoing conversation can be joined through social media at #cyberag.

About ESEC: The Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, based in Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, with a mission to educate and support entrepreneurs. Its initiatives include F3 Tech, a program that focuses bringing technology solutions to the Farm, Fish, and Food industries.

A Time for Policy Over Politics – No Need to Override Hogan’s Veto on SB300

A Time for Policy Over Politics – No Need to Override Hogan’s Veto on SB300

The Maryland State legislature convened in January for an unprecedented, largely virtual, legislative session. COVID-19 and other important issues from the trying year that was 2020 have given the legislature plenty of priorities to focus on and overcome during the 2021 session. Given the limited time for legislators on the floor and priority issues to advance during a global pandemic; one would assume the Senate would not spend precious legislative time overriding a Gubernatorial veto on a bill for which the provisions have already been enacted through regulation. That is why they should not seek to override the veto on Senate Bill 300 “Pesticides – Use of Chlorpyrifos – Prohibition” that passed in the waning hours of the truncated 2020 session.

Senate Bill 300 sought to set a precedent as the first legislative ban of an agricultural pesticide in Maryland history; a process historically done through regulation at the Federal and state levels. Senate Bill 300 sought to end the use of Chlorpyrifos by December 31, 2021 and regulations have already been enacted to do exactly that. Overriding the veto and expending limited floor time on this issue which has already been resolved instead of using that time to advance policies that could create real, positive change does not serve Maryland’s citizens.
During the 2020 legislative session, the agricultural community worked with bi-partisan members of the Senate and the Governor’s administration to craft a regulatory solution to meet the intent of Senate Bill 300. These regulations were drafted and submitted during the 2020 legislative session to phase Chlorpyrifos out of use in Maryland on the same timeline proposed in the bill and took effect in June 2020. Upon enactment of the regulations, aerial application of Chlorpyrifos was banned immediately. All other uses were banned as of December 30, 2020 with the exception of snap bean seed treatments and fruit trees in order to give those farmers time to seek out and transition to alternatives. Use of Chlorpyrifos in those instances be eliminated as of June 30, 2021 with a provision for emergency exemptions until December 31, 2021 after which time, Chlorpyrifos will no longer be registered for use in Maryland. Finally, the regulations set up an advisory committee to help farmers transition to alternative products.

There is nothing more to be achieved from a policy perspective by overriding the veto on Senate Bill 300. We believe proponents of the bill seek to override the veto to set a precedent of legislatively banning pesticides in Maryland and circumventing the robust, regulatory process in place governing pesticides. Pesticides are reviewed and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency through an extensive, scientific process. Authority for pesticide regulation at the state level in Maryland is delegated to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. This process often takes nearly a decade with review at least every fifteen years.

Governor Hogan was not alone in vetoing pesticide legislation in favor of regulation in 2020. Both Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) of New York vetoed pesticide ban legislation in 2020 in favor of regulatory solutions. When Governor Cuomo vetoed Chlorpyrifos ban legislation in New York, he summed up the reasoning in his veto letter stating, “legislatively banning pesticides substitutes the legislature’s judgment for the expertise of chemists, health experts, and other subject matter experts in this field.”

Any change to the regulations banning Chlorpyrifos would be a public and open process requiring submission to the Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review Committee of the Maryland State Legislature, publication in the Maryland Register, and public comment to be considered before enactment. That being said, the agricultural community has no intentions of going back on our word to support the regulatory phase out of Chlorpyrifos in Maryland and seeking changes to the regulations. Banning Chlorpyrifos in Maryland is not without consequences. Many farmers are now faced with a daunting task of finding alternative products to protect their crops to continue growing safe, reliable and affordable food for Marylanders. We hope the Maryland legislature will spend their time improving the lives of their constituents through meaningful policy rather than overriding a veto on a bill that will achieve nothing beyond what has already been done through regulation.

– Melvin Baile, President of Maryland Grain Producers Association & farmer in Carroll County
– Wayne Stafford, President of Maryland Farm Bureau & farmer in Carroll County

Five Maryland Farm Bureau Scholarships Available for 2021

DAVIDSONVILLE, MD (December 17, 2020) – Maryland Farm Bureau (MDFB) is offering five $2,000 scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year. Applicants must be high school seniors starting college in the fall of 2021 or full-time college students at any accredited community college or four-year institution. Applicants, or their parents/guardians, must be members of Maryland Farm Bureau. Three of the scholarships will be awarded to students pursuing academic disciplines in food, agriculture, and/or natural resources. The remaining two scholarships are open to students in any academic discipline.  

Scholarship recipients will be selected by a designated committee of the Maryland Farm Bureau. To apply, students must apply online via the official application website. The application includes the following essay question to be answered by each applicant: 

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? 

Applications must be received by March 15, 2021 at 5:00 PM. For more information or to apply, visit:

https://mdfarmbureau.com/scholarships/  

About Maryland Farm Bureau

Maryland Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization that serves as the united voice of Maryland farm families. Maryland Farm Bureau’s organizational strength comes from the active participation of over 12,000 individual and family members who belong to the state’s 23 county Farm Bureaus. Since 1915, Maryland Farm Bureau has been committed to promoting and protecting Maryland agriculture and rural life. Maryland Farm Bureau is a proud member of the American Farm Bureau Federation.7

Poll Shows Americans’ Unwavering Trust in Farmers and Approval of Sustainability Practices

WASHINGTON, November 12, 2020 – A majority of U.S. adults have a positive view of farmers’ sustainability practices, and an overwhelming majority trust farmers, according to a new national public opinion poll from the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The survey of 2,200 U.S. adults found that more than half (58%) rate the sustainability practices of U.S. farmers positively, with broad agreement from a majority of adults across demographic groups.  

Nearly nine in 10 adults (88%) trust farmers, a 4% increase from AFBF’s June 2020 polling, which is evidence the public recognized that food supply chain challenges brought on by the pandemic were not within the control of farmers and ranchers.

The survey also explored public attitudes about the environmental sustainability achievements of farmers and ranchers, as well as future direction to advance climate-smart farming. Overall, the public agrees farmers shouldn’t be expected to bear the financial burden alone. More than four in five adults (84%) say environmental sustainability and economic sustainability are both important for farmers, and most adults say both are very important. More than four in five adults also say feeding the world (84%) and farmers passing farms on to future generations (83%) are important.  

“Americans have a high level of trust in farmers, and they understand that we’re committed to protecting the soil, air and water,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We want to leave the land better than we found it for our children and grandchildren, as well as our nation. Our survey demonstrates that Americans are impressed by advancements in climate-smart farming and we look forward to building on that success.”

Support for farmers’ sustainability efforts swelled when government data was shared about achievements. More than eight in 10 Americans (81%) were impressed when they learned that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency and Agriculture Department, farmers have put 140 million acres in conservation programs, more than doubled the amount of renewable energy sources they use, and nearly tripled the amount of food grown in the last 70 years with the same or fewer resources.

Looking to the future, the survey explores how Americans think sustainability efforts on farms and ranches should be funded. Seventy percent of adults say government incentives to encourage farmers to adopt additional sustainable agricultural practices would be effective. More than three-quarters of adults believe it is important for the government to fund science-based research (76%) and improve infrastructure (78%) to support agriculture.

At a time when some corporations are making sustainability commitments that include or impact agricultural production, a bipartisan majority of adults (62%) say corporations should compensate farmers for the additional cost of implementing environmental practices to help achieve sustainability goals.

The survey also revealed there is still work to be done to increase awareness of agriculture’s comparatively small contribution to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. More than four in five adults (84%) were not able to correctly identify agriculture’s impact. On a brighter note, nearly half of adults (45%) correctly ranked agriculture as the smallest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector. According to the latest EPA data, agriculture accounts for 10% of total U.S. emissions, far less than the transportation, electricity production, commercial and residential, and industry sectors. 

View the full survey results here. 

Seven receive the Friend of Farm Bureau Award for the 116th Congress

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) congressional award program is known as the Friend of Farm Bureau. This award is given each Congress to legislators who have supported AFBF policy, as shown by their voting records. They are recognized and nominated by their state Farm Bureau for actions taken on behalf of Farm Bureau and their nominations are approved by AFBF’s board of directors.

The voting for this year’s recipients took place at AFBF’s July 2020 board meeting.

Maryland Farm Bureau is proud to announce that seven of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation are receiving the Friend of Farm Bureau Award this year. 

  • Senator Christopher Van Hollen
  • Senator Benjamin Cardin
  • Representative Andrew Harris
  • Representative Charles Ruppersberger
  • Representative John Sarbanes
  • Representative Steny Hoyer
  • Representative David Trone

Their support of the USMCA, agriculture funding appropriations, ag funding in the PPP and CARES Act, along with continued assistance with COVID issues, were the deciding factors for this award.

We want to thank our Friend of Farm Bureau award recipients for their work to make sure our issues were raised, as well as their help to find solutions. We thank them for making sure Maryland farmers have a voice in Washington D.C.

Baltimore Farmer named semi-finalist for 2021 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge

WASHINGTON, October 5, 2020 – The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is advancing ag innovation by supporting start-ups from across the country through the 2021 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. AFBF and Farm Credit today announced the 10 semi-finalist teams in the competition. Among these semi-finalists is Maryland Farm Bureau member, Richard Francis.

“The current climate requires immediate action to support our children and elderly during COVID-19 pandemic,” said semi-finalist, Richard Francis. “This national visibility will secure Ag Education in all elementary schools in Baltimore and ensure food security by promoting junior urban farmers who can move on to become Maryland Farm Bureau members.”

The Ag Innovation Challenge competition provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations in agriculture. This is the seventh year of the Challenge, which was the first national business competition focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs launching food and agriculture businesses. This is also the second year in a row that a Maryland Farm Bureau member was named as a semi-finalist.

“On behalf of the Maryland Farm Bureau, we are so proud of Richard Francis and all that he has done for the field of agriculture,” said Maryland Farm Bureau President, Wayne Stafford. “[Francis] continues to break down barriers in his community and has been essential in helping create a better quality of life for Baltimore youth. We want to thank him for his leadership, as well as wish him, and the other contestants, the best as they move forward in the competition.”

The 10 semi-finalist teams were awarded $7,500 each. They are:

Francis, and the remaining nine semi-finalist teams, will compete at the AFBF Convention on Friday, Jan. 8, to advance to the final round where the four finalist teams will receive an additional $7,500 for a total of $15,000. The final four teams will compete live in front of Farm Bureau members, investors and industry representatives on Tuesday, Jan. 12, to win:

  • Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year, for a total of $50,000
  • People’s Choice Award, for a total of $20,000

The top 10 semi-finalist teams will participate in pitch training and mentorship from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business faculty, and network with representatives from the Agriculture Department’s Rural Business Investment Companies.

“The hard-working entrepreneurs recognized today are committed to providing solutions for some of the biggest challenges facing agriculture,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “This includes supporting farms, ranches and rural economies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Farm Bureau would not be able to recognize and support these rural businesses without generous funding provided by sponsors Farm Credit, Bayer Crop Science, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services, FMC Corporation and John Deere.

To learn more about the Challenge visit fb.org/challenge

Hunger Heroes

#HungerHeroes

Fighting food insecurity in Maryland amid the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has left food banks under tremendous pressure to meet the skyrocketing demand of hungry families and individuals. To assist in efforts to feed hungry Marylanders, Maryland Farm Bureau and the Maryland Food Bank have partnered to launch the #HungerHeroes campaign.

Maryland Farm Bureau has set a goal to raise $10,000 and collect 10,000 pounds of food donations for MFB through the campaign. A “Hunger Hero” digital badge will be awarded to individuals, organizations, and businesses who have made a donation of at least $1,000.

Monetary Donations

  1. Click “Donate Now” below.
  2. Fill out the donation form.
  3. Share the campaign on your social media using the hashtag #HungerHeroes.

Food Donations

  1. Contact one of the Maryland Food Bank offices in Baltimore, Salisbury, or Hagerstown to organize a drop-off or possibly schedule a pick-up.
  2. Fill out the “Food Donation Tracking” form below with the number of pounds donated.
  3. Share the campaign on your social media using the hashtag #HungerHeroes.

Thank you so much to these contributors for being our Hunger Heroes! They have all donated $1000 or donated 1000 lbs. of food!  

  • Kathy Lyons
  • Washington County Farm Bureau
  • Frederick County Farm Bureau
  • Prince George’s County Farm Bureau
  • Garrett County Farm Bureau
  • Montgomery County Farm Bureau
  • Farm Credit 
  • MFB Women’s Leadership
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Grainger COVID-19 Recommendations

Covid-19 recommendations

Please Note: Due to overwhelming market demand, there may be some delivery delays on select safety and cleaning products at this time.   

 Product Category Spreadsheet

  • Respirators 
  • Cleaners & Sanitizers 
  • PPE

Communicable Disease Spreadsheet
The spreadsheet has four tabs.

  • Situational Insight 
  • Exploratory 
  • Product Categories 
  • Quick Links 

Moonbeam™3 UV-C Disinfecting System 

Power Breezer as a means of Disinfecting Large Surfaces 

Fluke Infrared Cameras 

Brady Safety Equipment 

Maryland Farm Bureau members get special member prices on selected categories and brands from Grainger, PLUS get free standard parcel shipping on all standard Grainger products. Get started with your price savings using 3 easy methods: 

  1. Present the Maryland Farm Bureau account number at time of purchase: 855922282 
  2. Go to https://www.grainger.com/farmbureau to establish a new account using that account number; or
  3. Call Grainger customer service at 1-800-472-4643 to update your existing Grainger account with the Farm Bureau organization account number: 855922282 

Domestic & Global Economic Outlook for Agriculture

Domestic & Global Economic Outlook for Agriculture

By Ryan Zimmerman

Farm Credit of the Virginias recently held a webinar featuring Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kohl is well-known throughout the country for his wealth of knowledge related to agricultural economics on the global and domestic markets. During the webinar, he provided his insights and an outlook of what the farm economy will look like following COVID-19.

“This isn’t a financial shock, it’s a bio-shock; we will bounce back from this.”
– Dr. David M. Kohl

Depressed Commodity Markets
It’s no surprise that many aspects of our lives and our work will be different once the chaos of COVID-19 subsides. Commodity prices will be affected with corn prices dropping as ethanol uses become less relevant. Economists predict wheat and soybean prices to increase in the near future. We shouldn’t expect this to be like the recession back in 2009 where market prices followed a V-shape. Instead, it will be an elongated L-shape where the next few quarters will show a negative economic growth, with the third and fourth quarters showing a bounce back.

Surges in Buying Local
Although it seems like doom and gloom for agriculture right now, know that there are several positive outcomes expected down the road. The general public will come out of this wanting more local, safe, and reliable sources of food. Niche markets, agritourism, and farmers markets could see a post-COVID-19 boom.

Environmental Improvements
It’s expected that our soils, water, and general environment will become healthier throughout this pandemic. Deurbanization may become more prominent as people look to step away from highly populated areas with greater rates of infection.

Increased Pressure from Lawmakers
Another big thing to take from this is once we have moved out of this Bio-shock, we need to keep our legislators and policy makers in check. Farmers are well known for managing around new policy changes on a local, state, and national scale; but this could cause some lawmakers to try to push drastic changes in order to protect us from another event like this. We can’t let fear control our future decisions, that could have negative impacts in the long run. U.S. Agriculture is resilient, the U.S. farmer and his families are some of the toughest people in the world. We will bounce back from this, we will recover, and when we do we will be stronger than ever.

Things to Watch: As we transition into the spring and summer months, farmers should pay attention to factory utilization, real estate, copper prices, and the weather in the southern hemisphere – the next area predicted to be hit with a Coronavirus surge.

Stay Tuned: Maryland Farm Bureau’s newest member benefit, INTL FCStone will be holding a free market outlook webinar for members in the next few weeks. Keep an eye on your email and social media for additional details.

Translate »