During the latter half of 2017, Maryland Farm Bureau worked with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on some possibilities to address the increased crop damage from deer. In those meetings, one tool that was discussed was the Deer Cooperator Permit.

Recently, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff rolled out the new Agriculture Deer Cooperator Permit (DCP) at a workshop hosted by the Maryland Farm Bureau. Click here to learn more about the permit. 

Learn more about our plans to reduce crop damage.

Click here to view a video of deer damage in Charles County.

Click here to view photos of crop damage in various MD counties.

Click here to view a video of Sika Deer in Dorchester County.

During the 2018 Maryland legislative session, HB 698 & SB 1201 were passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Hogan.  The law goes into effect on July 1, 2018.

These bills created a pilot program that allows the production, harvest and sale of industrial hemp in Maryland.  Even though regular production of industrial hemp is still illegal in Federal law, the 2014 Federal Farm Bill created a program that would legally allow the production of industrial hemp as a college/university research project.  

This new pilot program makes it legal to grow industrial hemp in coordination with a college/university research project.

Click here to read more about the regulations and viability of industrial hemp in Maryland.

Rural road safety is more important than ever as we start the fall harvest. With 55% of the nation’s roadway fatalities occurring on rural roads, this is a major concern farmers face each year. 

Through the support of Governor Larry Hogan, Maryland Farm Bureau has been working with the State Highway Administration and the Maryland Department of Agriculture to carry out a farm road safety caution campaign to last through November.

Here is a video of MFB President Chuck Fry discussing rural road safety during harvest season.

MFB, MDA, and SHA held a press conference at MFB headquarters on Thursday, September 27th to kick-off the caution campaign. The event was recorded live on our Facebook page.

Here are some testimonies and claims of collisions related to farm equipment.

Farmers follow special practices to keep themselves and other drivers safe while on the road. Slow-moving vehicle signs are one of those practices intended only for farm equipment.