May 27, 2020-The Maryland Farm Bureau welcomes Governor Larry Hogan’s announcement of nearly $9.6 million in funding, which will be administered by the Office of Rural Broadband, to support broadband internet connectivity for more than 5,000 households and businesses in Maryland’s rural counties and communities. Housed in the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the Office of Rural Broadband was established by executive order in 2017 to expand broadband capabilities statewide in rural areas of Maryland.

 
“Connectivity has always been important to rural Marylanders, but this unprecedented shift to teleworking and distance learning puts a spotlight on the most underserved and least connected parts of our state,” said Maryland Farm Bureau Executive Director, John Torres. “This funding is a welcome and important step in the right direction for rural broadband in Maryland.” 
 

June 9, 2020– The Maryland Farm Bureau announced three key staff changes in May. 

Lindsay Stine, former Maryland Farm Bureau Communications Intern has been named Regional Field Manager for the western and national capital area region of Maryland. 

Stine will provide leadership and assistance to county Farm Bureau’s in the western and national capital area territory, which includes Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s and Charles counties. Stine graduated from Oklahoma State University in May with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Leadership. 

“We couldn’t be prouder to have Lindsay join our staff on a full-time basis. She spent the past year and a half doing remarkable work helping us tell the story of Farm Bureau both out in the field and inside of the statehouse. We are excited to see the work that she will do alongside our county members and volunteers as we strive to advance our mission to protect and grow Maryland agriculture and preserve rural life,” said MFB Executive Director, John Torres. 

Ryan Zimmerman, will shift his current territory as a Regional Field Manager in West and Central Maryland to Central and Souther Maryland, which includes Howard, St. Mary’s, Calvert, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Baltimore, Harford and Cecil counties. Ryan has been with MFB for two years as a Field Manager, coordinating the Maryland Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee and providing support for county boards, committees and volunteers. 

Emily Solis, left her position as the Communications Manager for Maryland Farm Bureau in early May to take a position at the Animal Agriculture Alliance as a Communications Specialist. “We wish Emily well with her new professional opportunity and look forward to working with her and the team at the Animal Agriculture Alliance on common strategic issues,” added Torres. 

Lyndsey Murphy, has been named the interim Communication Director for Maryland Farm Bureau. Murphy hails from Ohio and has previously worked for Ohio Farm Bureau, the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation as a communication professional.

June 26, 2020- Maryland Farm Bureau welcomes Kyler Mitchell as the new Marketing and Communications Manager.

Mitchell fills the vacancy left behind by Emily Solis who took a new position with the Animal Agriculture Alliance earlier this year. She is a graduate of Frostburg State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in English, Writing and Literature in 2015. Since graduating Summa Cum Laude Mitchell has been working as the Marketing Coordinator for MainSpring, Inc. In her five-year tenure at MainSpring she helped the company to build a strong brand through innovative storytelling and digital communication methods.

Mitchell will serve as the organization’s primary point of contact for public relations, coordinate media relations internally and with members, as well as contribute to the editorial production of content across all Maryland Farm Bureau’s print, audio/visual, and digital platforms.

“We are so excited to have Kyler join our team. Her background and skillset, not to mention her dynamic personality, will help elevate and highlight the work Farm Bureau does to grow and protect Maryland agriculture and preserve rural life.” said John Torres, Maryland Farm Bureau’s executive director.

Mitchell and her husband live in Frederick and enjoy staying active together, both playing rec sports in Frederick County and keeping up with their two big, friendly rescue dogs.

May 20, 2020– The Maryland Farm Bureau welcomes today’s announcement from the United States Department of Agriculture detailing how $16 billion in direct payments to farmers from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will be distributed.

Payments will go directly to farmers who have suffered a 5 percent or greater price loss and who are facing significant marketing costs due to the coronavirus. Eligible commodities include cattle, hog, dairy, specialty crops and row crops. Payments will be limited to $250,000 per person.

“This aid is vital for Maryland farmers as many face unprecedented struggles and mounting losses,” said Maryland Farm Bureau President, Wayne Stafford. “We are grateful to the Administration and Congress for hearing American agriculture’s need as we try to recover from the breakdown of our normal distribution channels and lost markets.”

Background on COVID-19 Impact:

• Farm bankruptcies increased 23% in March 2020 compared to a year earlier.
• By mid-April 2020:
• Class IV Milk prices fell 35%
• Class III Milk prices fell 12%
• Corn futures fell 21%.
• Soybean futures fell 14%.
• Wheat futures fell 11%.

Background on CFAP Direct Payments:

• Direct support sign-ups will begin on May 26, 2020, through local Farm Service Agency offices. 
• There is a payment limitation of $250,000 per individual as well as a $900,000 adjusted gross income limit for individuals who do not derive 75% or more of their income from farming.
• Corporations with up to three individuals actively engaged in farming will be eligible to receive up to three payment limits.
• Eligible farmers will receive 80% of the total payment, up to the payment limit, upon approval of the application.  The remaining 20% will be paid at a later date as funds remain available.
• The $16 billion includes $9.5 billion appropriated by the CARES Act and $6.5 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act

May 4, 2020 – 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 (MFB) have partnered to launch the #HungerHeroes campaign.

The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of the work that the Maryland Food Bank is doing to help struggling families, and to strengthen the connection between food and agriculture. 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.

“Our farmers have been actively engaged in the effort to feed hungry and struggling families in Maryland during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Maryland Farm Bureau President Wayne Stafford. “We’re glad to be officially partnering with the Maryland Food Bank to collect donations to fight the current hunger crisis.”

“The Maryland Food Bank understands and appreciates the critical role farmers play in ensuring our ability to support hungry individuals and families amid this public health crisis, especially as the demand for food assistance continues to surge,” said Carmen Del Guercio, Maryland Food Bank President & CEO. “We are grateful to the Maryland Farm Bureau for creating this #HungerHeroes campaign to collect both monetary and food donations on our behalf and for joining us in the fight against food insecurity.”

Monetary Donations

1. Visit www.mdfarmbureau.com/HungerHeroes.
2. Click “Donate Now.”
3. Fill out the donation form.
4. 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. Visit www.mdfarmbureau.com/HungerHeroes.
3. Fill out the “Food Donation Tracking” form with the number of pounds donated.
4. Share the campaign on your social media using the hashtag #HungerHeroes.

Background

• Congress has provided $600 million in the last two COVID-19 relief bills for emergency food purchases, but food banks say it’s not enough given the needs triggered by the pandemic.
• The Maryland Food Bank has seen a 100% increase in demand, with community partners distributing 23% more food despite fewer distribution points being operational.
• 2 million pounds of food were distributed by the food bank in the first two weeks of April.
• Between now and June 30^th, the Maryland Food Bank aims to raise $12 million to fund its COVID-19 Food Access Response Plan.

###

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 15,000 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.

About Maryland Food Bank
The Maryland Food Bank is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization dedicated to feeding people, strengthening communities, and ending hunger for more Marylanders by partnering with local organizations from the western mountains to the Eastern Shore. The food bank’s statewide network of food assistance brings enough resources together to provide the equivalent of 110,000 meals every day (over 40 million meals annually) to hungry children, seniors, veterans, and hard-working families, meeting the immediate needs of hungry Marylanders while simultaneously working to create pathways out of hunger. To learn more about the Maryland Food Bank, visit www.mdfoodbank.org.

March 30, 2020 – Maryland Farm Bureau announced today the winners of the 2020 Maryland Farm Bureau scholarships, each valued at $2,000. The scholarships were awarded to: Sophie Chance of Annapolis, Ryan Ross of Lothian, Courtney Schrader of Earleville, Allison Stoner of Taneytown, and Lynne Thomas of Fallston.

Applicants were required to write an essay answering the following question: Products like cell-based food products have demonstrated the food system is rapidly changing. How can future food technologies and related products be beneficially integrated into modern agricultural production without hampering the success of traditional products and the farmers and ranchers who grow them?

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

Sophie Chance of Anne Arundel County Farm Bureau is a sophomore at North Carolina State University. She is studying Poultry Science, with a minor in Genetics.

Ryan Ross of Anne Arundel County Farm Bureau is studying Agricultural Business Management at the University of Maryland. Ross is currently a freshman.

Courtney Schrader of Cecil County Farm Bureau is a freshman at Salisbury University, studying Management and Communications.

Allison Stoner of Carroll County Farm Bureau will be an incoming freshman at Carroll County Community College this fall. She plans to study Early Childhood Education.

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

March 18, 2020 – At a time when consumers of all ages are growing in curiosity about where their food comes from, a new children’s book introduces readers to the round-the-clock work and ingenuity of dairy farming. “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” is now available from Feeding Minds Press, the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s publishing venture.

“‘Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish’ is a delightful and educational story that we hope will engage young readers and spark curiosity about where their food comes from,” Daniel Meloy, executive director of the Foundation said. “That’s our goal with every resource the Foundation provides, and we’re excited to add this story to the growing library of books that tell the story of modern agriculture.”

In this “dairy-tale,” a young boy named Chuck wishes for all the ice cream he can eat, prompting his “Dairy Godmother” to show up to grant his wish with a dairy farm, where he gets a firsthand look at all the hard work and care that goes into producing his favorite treat.

Just like young Chuck, readers can learn more about the real work of a dairy farm, and the story doesn’t stop on the last page. The Foundation also released a companion video to introduce readers to a real dairy farmer named Chuck, former Maryland Farm Bureau President and “ice cream farmer,” Chuck Fry.

”People connect with ice cream more than they connect with dairy farming,” says Fry. “I’m glad that I could serve as just one example of an “ice cream farmer” to make that connection with children about where their food comes from and how it’s made.”

“Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” is the second title from Feeding Minds Press, which published “Right This Very Minute” in January 2019. The book is available for purchase directly from Feeding Minds Press, as well as on Amazon and Barnes & Noble online.

About Feeding Minds Press
Feeding Minds Press is a project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. The mission of the Foundation is to build awareness and understanding of agriculture through education. The goal of Feeding Minds Press is to publish accurate and engaging books about agriculture that connect readers to where their food comes from and to who grows it.

March 5, 2020 – The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act (S. 1822). The bill, approved by the Senate last year, will now go to President Trump for his signature. The following statement may be attributed to Maryland Farm Bureau President Wayne Stafford.

“Broadband access is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity for our farmers and rural communities. This legislation will improve the National Broadband Map to more accurately identify where there is and is not broadband service.

“Once a more accurate broadband map is created, broadband providers will be able to apply for federal grant money and will be more likely to receive that grant funding for underserved areas. This means greater access to healthcare, government services, educational and business opportunities, and a greater quality of life in rural communities.

Background: 
The DATA Act requires broadband providers to report more specific data to create a significantly more accurate and granular National Broadband Map. With more precise data, federal agencies can target funding to areas that need it most. Current broadband coverage maps are inadequate because they rely on census block data to determine which areas are covered. Census blocks are too large in rural and remote locations to accurately determine need. If even one household in a given census block is reported by a provider as being served, then the entire block is considered served. Census blocks larger than 2 square miles comprise more than 64% of the U.S. land area, so every rural area is impacted by this problem in some way.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Computer Usage and Ownership report states that 23% of Maryland farms don’t have reliable internet access. The report also identifies satellite as the most common method for farm owners to access internet.

February 27, 2020 – Maryland Farm Bureau and Nationwide have partnered to host a screening of the independent film, “SILO”, on Thursday, March 26 at North Caroline High School in Ridgely at 6pm.

Inspired by true events, the film follows a harrowing day in an American farm town. Disaster strikes when teenager Cody Rose is entrapped in a 50-foot-tall grain bin. When the corn turns to quicksand, family, neighbors, and first responders must put aside their differences to rescue Cody from drowning in the crop that sustained their community for generations.

The film screening is part of Maryland Farm Bureau and Nationwide’s seventh annual grain bin safety campaign, which aims to prevent injuries from happening by widely sharing safe bin-entry procedures, such as maintaining quality grain, testing bin atmosphere for toxic gases, and wearing proper safety equipment.

Maryland Farm Bureau and Nationwide will be donating a grain bin rescue tube to a select fire department in the state. The recipient will be announced at the film screening. Local communities are encouraged to enter the Nominate Your Fire Department Contest for an additional chance to win a grain bin rescue tube and a grain bin entrapment rescue training session.

An online RSVP for the screening of “SILO” is available at bit.ly/SILOMovie. More information on the film is available at silothefilm.com.

Grain Bin Safety Background
In 2014, 38 documented entrapments resulted in 17 deaths, according to Purdue University. It was the highest number since 2010, when at least 26 U.S. workers were killed in grain engulfment.

In 2017, there were 23 documented grain entrapment cases, 9 reported falls into or from grain storage structures, 2 asphyxiations due to deficient oxygen levels or toxic environments, and 8 equipment entanglements, such as those involving floor and sweep augers, that occurred while working inside or around agricultural confined spaces.

###

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 16,000 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. For more information, visit www.mdfarmbureau.com.

About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2020 Nationwide.