The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is accepting applications for the Farming for Healthy Soil Program. This three-year program begins this fall and provides financial assistance to farmers for implementing soil health practices on their farm. All livestock and crop (including grain, forage, fruit, and vegetables) farms are eligible for this program. Approved soil health practices include conservation tillage/residue management, multi-species cover crop mixtures, extended season cover crops, prescribed grazing, and precision nutrient management. Practices must be new to the farm; for example, adopting a practice never used on site before or changing from a one species cover crop to a two species cover crop.
Rates range from $10 to $55 per acre. Fields eligible for the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost Share (MACS) Cover Crop Program can receive financial assistance from this grant in addition to the MACS funding; however, MACS enrolled fields must be extended season (planted before October 1 and terminated after May 1) or multi-species cover crops. The maximum funding per participating producer is $5,000 annually. Farmers must be in compliance with MDA programs (i.e. nutrient management) in order to participate.
Farmers are expected to commit up to three years of practice implementation on the same field(s). Soil samples will be taken this fall and again in the fall of 2022 to compare before and after practice implementation. Soil samples will also be taken in adjacent or nearby fields which have not had soil health practices to serve as control fields. University of Maryland Extension Agriculture Agents will be collecting the soil samples for farms in Western and Central Maryland.
The application form should be submitted to Kevin Antoszewski, MDA Healthy Soils Program Coordinator, at kevin.antoszewski@maryland.gov. For questions, contact Kevin (email is preferred, but a voicemail can be left at 410-841-5866) or Kelly Nichols, University of Maryland Extension Ag Agent, at 301-600-3577 or kellyn@umd.edu.
Adapted from Maryland State Horticulture Society Newsletter
After several years of debate in Annapolis to ban the use of this product in Maryland, the final decisions was made to allow the phase out of this product. The manufacturer will discontinue production of this product. Instead of an outright ban, MDA has developed the phase out process which is listed below. This can be found on page 442 of the Maryland Register, Volume 47, Issue 8 dated April 10, 2020.
.02 General Requirements for Applying or Recommending Pesticides.
A.—D. (text unchanged)
Restrictions on Use of Insecticides that Contain Chlorpyrifos.
(1) Aerial Applications Prohibited. A person may not conduct an aerial application of any insecticide containing Chlorpyrifos in the State.
(2) Other Applications Generally Prohibited After December 31, 2020.
(a) Except as provided in §E(2)(b) and (c) of this regulation, after December 31, 2020, a person may not apply an insecticide containing Chlorpyrifos or seeds that have been treated with Chlorpyrifos in the State for any use.
(b) Fruit Trees and Snap Bean Seeds. Until June 30, 2021, a person may use an insecticide containing Chlorpyrifos or seeds that have been treated with Chlorpyrifos in the State to treat snap bean seeds and the trunks and lower limbs of fruit trees. After June 30, 2021, such applications are prohibited unless authorized by the Secretary under §E(2)(c) of this regulation.
(c) Limited Particular Use Authorization. After December 31, 2020, a person may file a written application with the Department requesting authorization to use an insecticide that contains Chlorpyrifos or seeds that have been treated with Chlorpyrifos for a particular use. If the Secretary has determined that there are no effective alternatives for the particular use noted in the application, the Secretary may authorize such use for a specified period of time, which may not extend beyond December 31, 2021.
(3) Establishment of Committee. The Secretary shall establish a committee, with members appointed by the Secretary, to determine alternatives to using Chlorpyrifos or seeds that have been treated with Chlorpyrifos, which shall dissolve on December 31, 2021.
This allows the use of this product as listed above. Please note the important dates. Until June 30, 2021, a person may use an insecticide containing Chlorpyrifos or seeds that have been treated with Chlorpyrifos in the State to treat snap bean seeds and the trunks and lower limbs of fruit trees. After June 30,2021, such applications are prohibited unless authorized by the Secretary under §E(2)(c) of this regulation. Use these products carefully .
CONTACT: Jason Schellhardt 410-841-5888 Megan Guilfoyle, 410-841-5889
ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 18, 2020) — The Maryland Department of Agriculture today announced that this year’s cover crop sign-up will be conducted entirely by mail from July 1 through July 17. The popular conservation program provides farmers with cost-share assistance to offset seed, labor, and equipment costs associated with planting cover crops on their fields in fall to build healthy soils and protect the Chesapeake Bay.
“To help ensure the health and safety of our farmers and local soil conservation district staff, we have switched to a mail-in registration process for this year’s cover crop sign-up,” said Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “As we continue to safely reopen the state, it is important for Maryland farmers to know they can continue to count on the department for assistance in protecting valuable water and soil resources.”
Farmers who participated in last year’s cover crop program will receive registration packets in the mail later this month. The packet includes an application, program flyer, step-by-step instructions, and return envelope that has been pre-addressed to a local soil conservation district. Beginning July 1, applications will also be available on the program’s website. To be considered for cost-share, applications must be postmarked by July 17. Farmers who have questions or need assistance with their applications should contact their local soil conservation district.
Eligible farmers can receive up to $60/acre in cost-share grants to incorporate traditional cover crops into their fields this fall. The maximum payment for aerial seeding with incentives is $65/acre. Here are some additional highlights:
The base payment is $40/acre for incorporated seed and $45/acre for aerial seed or aerial ground seeding.
A $10/acre early planting incentive is offered for incorporated seed.
Farmers who aerial seed or aerial ground seed cover crops into standing corn on or before September 10 qualify for a $10/acre incentive payment.
Incentives to terminate cover crops after May 1, 2021 may be available.
Farmers may plant cover crops after corn, soybeans, sorghum, tobacco, vegetables, and — new this year — hemp and millet.
Cover crops are important to the health of the Chesapeake Bay and the productivity of Maryland’s farmland. In the fall, cold-hardy cereal grains are planted as cover crops in newly harvested fields. As they grow, cover crops provide a living, protective cover against erosion and nutrient runoff while building the soil’s organic matter for the next year’s crop.
To help create diversity, eligible cover crop species may be mixed with radishes and legumes, including clover, Austrian winter peas, and hairy vetch using a variety of two and three-species mixes.
Farmers are required to include a completed current Nutrient Management Plan Certification with their cover crop applications. This form may be downloaded from the website, and must be signed by both the farm operator and the person who prepared the farm’s Nutrient Management Plan.
Maryland’s Cover Crop Program is administered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the state’s 24 soil conservation districts through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. Applicants must be in good standing with MACS and in compliance with Maryland’s nutrient management regulations. Other restrictions and conditions apply. Funding for the 2020-2021 Cover Crop program is provided by the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.
Reposted fromMaryland Department of Agriculture press release
The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Regulation Section has announced 2020 dates and locations for its pesticide container recycling program. Each regional location will offer multiple recycling dates from June through September. This free program allows farmers, certified applicators, and other pesticide users to recycle used plastic containers at no cost.
“In addition to providing an alternative option for disposal of pesticide containers, this program helps prevent pesticide residues from reaching soil and local waterways while diverting material away from landfills,” said Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “I want to thank the Agricultural Container Recycling Council for its continued support as we enter the program’s twenty-seventh year. I encourage anyone with empty pesticide containers to take full advantage of this free, convenient program.”
Maryland’s pesticide container recycling program is a partnership between federal, state and local agencies and private industries. The program is free and open to all agricultural producers and pesticide applicators. The Agricultural Container Recycling Council provides a chipper to grind the used plastic containers into flakes, which are then transported to a contractor for recycling. The containers collected in Maryland have yielded nearly 1 million tons of recyclable plastic flakes.
A schedule of collection dates and locations is available on the department’s website (and pictured below). All recycling events will be subject to requirements of emergency orders related to COVID-19. All patrons and staff should wear cloth face coverings and follow best practices established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maryland Department of Health.
For additional information, or to schedule a chipping date at your site, contact the department’s Pesticide Regulation Section at (410) 841-5710.
Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Manure Transport Program helps cover the cost of transporting manure to farms with low phosphorus fields or to alternative use facilities. Payments of up to $22.50/ton are available to eligible farmers and manure brokers.
NEW: Haul Now, Apply Later FastTrack Option to Transport Poultry Manure. Farmers who want to switch to poultry manure should check out the new and improved Haul Now, Apply Later Fast Track grants to move poultry manure. With our new and improved FastTrack grants, farmers can haul poultry manure now, and apply for cost-share reimbursement later. Download an application and claim form from: mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Pages/manure_management.aspx.
Standard Option to Transport Poultry Litter
Our standard transport grants to move poultry manure are still available to eligible farmers.
Farmers apply through the local soil conservation district
Registered manure brokers apply directly to the Maryland Department of Agriculture
The applicant submits a current nutrient management plan that contains: —Nitrogen-based nutrient recommendations for fields with a soil phosphorus Fertility Index Value that is 100 or less—Phosphorus-based nutrient recommendations for fields with a soil phosphorus Fertility Index Value between 101 and 150.
Receiving farm fields with a phosphorus Fertility Index Value that is greater than 150 are not eligible to participate in this program.
Requirements for Poultry Litter Transport
Farmers may apply for grants to move poultry litter using either a standard application or the Haul Now, Apply Later FastTrack option. In both instances, the following rules apply:
Qualifying farmers receive up to $22.50 per ton to transport poultry litter
The sending farm must be located in Maryland and raise broiler chickens for one of the participating Delmarva poultry companies
Poultry litter must be transported more than 7 miles from the sending farm
Transported poultry litter must be land applied as a nutrient source for an agricultural crop, OR sent to an approved alternative use facility
Grants to Transport Dairy and Livestock Manure
A simplified application process is now in place for dairy and other non-poultry livestock producers who need to move manure:
Cost-share grants pay up to 87.5 percent of all eligible costs
Payment rates are based on the transport distance and type of manure, either liquid or solid
Receiving farm fields are required to have a Maryland soil phosphorus Fertility Index Value below 101
Manure must be transported more than 1 mile from the sending source
Only operations receiving the manure may apply for transport grants
Manure must be applied to crops or hay fields containing less than 25 percent legumes
Grants to transport dairy and livestock manure are based on the following maximum application rates: 6,000 gallons per acre for liquid/slurry manure or 10 tons per acre for solid/semi-solid manure
Governor Larry Hogan has issued an executive order requiring Marylanders to “Stay at Home,” effective 8 p.m. March 30, 2020. As the state moves into the next phase of its efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, essential industries are encouraged to continue operations while implementing best practices designed to protect employees, customers and the general public.
Agriculture and food-related businesses remain essential, however individual companies are asked to make an honest assessment as to whether their operation is essential to public health and safety. Businesses that are not directly linked to public health and safety should immediately scale back their operations, eliminate foot traffic, end curbside pick-up and move to delivery only. Any workers that are able to do their job from home should do so immediately and continue until the governor lifts the current order.
Essential workers may continue to travel to and from work as needed. It is recommended that employers draft and print letters for employees to carry when travelling. The letter should include:
Name and address of the employee
Name and address of the business
Nature of the employee’s essential work
Signature and contact information for the employer
Adult spotted lanternfly. Image: Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org
Reposted from Maryland Department of Agriculture press release
The Maryland Department of Agriculture today issued a spotted lanternfly quarantine for all of Cecil and Harford Counties. This quarantine is effective immediately and will restrict the movement of regulated articles within the quarantine zone that contain the spotted lanternfly in any of its life stages, including egg masses, nymphs, and adults.
Examples of regulated articles include landscaping, remodeling, or construction waste; packing materials like wood boxes or crates; plants and plant parts; vehicles; and other outdoor items.
Following the department’s 2019 survey season, these two counties were found to have established populations of spotted lanternfly. The quarantine has been issued in an effort to control the spread of this invasive insect to other parts of the state. A map of the quarantine zone can be viewed here.Businesses, municipalities, and government agencies that require the movement of any regulated item within or from the quarantine zone must have a permit. A permit can be obtained by taking a free online training course through PennState Extension. Upon completion of the course and an online exam, individuals will receive a permit.
Managers, supervisors, or employees of a business or organization operating in the quarantine zone must receive the approved training and pass the exam by at least 70% to demonstrate a working knowledge and understanding of the pest and quarantine requirements. Training of other employees, inspection of vehicles and products, and removal of living stages of spotted lanternfly must also be completed.
All spotted lanternfly permits for Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware are transferable and valid throughout the region — meaning a permit from any of these states can be used in Maryland. Maryland is currently in the process of developing its own training and permitting system for spotted lanternfly.
Those living within the quarantine zone are encouraged to be vigilant in containing the spread of spotted lanternfly. The department has created a residential compliance checklist that is available for download on its website that educates residents on the lifecycle of the spotted lanternfly, and areas to inspect around the home.
The spotted lanternfly poses a major threat to the region’s agricultural industries as it feeds on over 70 different types of plants and crops, including grapes, hops, apples, peaches, oak, pine, and many others. Originally from Asia, the spotted lanternfly is nonnative to the U.S., and was first detected in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the fall of 2014. As a known hitchhiker, the spotted lanternfly has spread to 14 counties within Pennsylvania, and also has confirmed populations in Delaware, Virginia, and New Jersey.
This fall, the department’s Plant Protection and Weed Management Program partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to treat Ailanthus altissima for spotted lanternfly at multiple sites in the upper northeast corner of Cecil County, and along the northern border of Harford County. In total, 2,698 trees have been treated (2,403 trees in Cecil County and 295 trees in Harford County). The program continues to work with USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine program, University of Maryland Extension and others to monitor the insect in Maryland.
If you suspect you have found a spotted lanternfly, snap a picture of it, collect it, put it in a plastic bag, freeze it, and report it to the Maryland Department of Agriculture at DontBug.MD@maryland.gov. Dead samples from any life stage can be sent to the Maryland Department of Agriculture Plant Protection and Weed Management Program at 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401.
More information about the spotted lanternfly can be found on the department’s website. For questions related to the quarantine, permitting, or treatment, please contact that Plant Protection and Weed Management Program at 410-841-5920.
ANNAPOLIS, MD– The Maryland Department of Agriculture has launched a Healthy Soil Biomass pilot program for farmers who were approved to participate in the department’s 2018-2019 winter cover crop program, but were unable to plant all of their acreage. The pilot program will pay these farmers a flat rate of $45/acre to plant qualifying small grains in leftover, unplanted fields to create a healthy soil biomass and protect water quality in nearby streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.
The pilot program works in a similar way to the department’s traditional cover crop program, but it is a separate and distinct program with its own set of rules and requirements. Only farmers who were previously approved to plant cover crops this fall are eligible to participate. These farmers may plant up to 500 acres of qualifying small grains on “leftover fields” that they did not plant in traditional cover crops. Farmers have a choice of planting methods, but only wheat, rye or triticale may be used as the seed source. The planting deadline for the pilot program is December 1.
Farmers will need to certify acreage planted under the program with their local soil conservation district within one week of planting. Kill-down may not take place before May 1. The healthy soil biomass pilot program is a performance-based cost-share program. To qualify for the $45/acre payment, a sufficient amount of biomass will need to be present by May 1. Research shows that delaying kill-down of a cover crop contributes substantial amounts of carbon and root matter to the soil while providing protective mulch that guards against erosion.
The healthy soil biomass pilot program is administered by the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) program and funded by the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. For more information, farmers should contact their local soil conservation district or the MACS program at 410-841-5864.
