Month: December 2021

Brighter Future Fund: $5,000 Grant Available.

Emily Zobel on

American Farmland Trust is proud to announce the national launch of the 2021 Brighter Future Fund. This year, grants of up to $5,000 are available to help farmers 1) Improve farm viability; 2) Access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland; or 3) Adopt regenerative agricultural practices.

In recognition of the need for greater equity and inclusion for all groups who have been, and still are, marginalized, the Brighter Future Fund will focus on providing resources to farmers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) during this grant round.

To learn more about the eligibility of applicants and projects, please closely review the grant guidelines. Applications will be reviewed and awarded in the order the applications are received based on eligibility. AFT will continue to receive applications and make awards until available funds are expended.

Visit www.farmland.org/brighter-future to apply today.

Maryland Farm Well Water Quality Project and Survey

Emily Zobel on

The University of Maryland will be conducting drinking well water educational programming for Maryland farms in 2022. We request farmer input by completing a short survey to provide Extension Educators more information about drinking water wells on farms in Maryland, and to develop education programming to assist farmers in ensuring safe, good quality drinking water. In addition, the project will be providing reduced cost well water testing for up to 75 farms that have wells of varied type and are located in varied regions of the state.  We appreciate your time and feedback by completing this survey: https://ume.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0uFvsZKANHrpVH0. Your personal identifiable information is strictly confidential.

Thank you!

Maryland’s Best Expo 2022

Emily Zobel on

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) will host the Maryland’s Best Expo on Wednesday, January 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. Returning for its 18th year, after being cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-10 pandemic, the Maryland’s Best Expo provides an opportunity for Maryland farmers, seafood producers, and processors to connect with buyers from grocery retailers, restaurants, schools, food distributors, and other venues.

The 2020 Maryland’s Best Expo attracted more than 300 attendees. Participants included farmers, producers, watermen, aquaculturists, processors, grocery store retailers, restaurants, schools, chefs and more.

This year’s event will be held in the “N Room” at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis. Registration is required. The deadline to sign up is January 5, 2022. There is a $25 fee for a table display space. There is no fee for buyers, but they must register. For more information on the expo or to register, visit the Maryland’s Best website.

You should attend this event if you are:

  • A Maryland grower, watermen, seafood company, or processor interested in finding new markets for your products;
  • A buyer from a grocery store, restaurant, hospital, school, or other venue looking to purchase Maryland grown or produced products; or
  • A service provider in agriculture or local food (such as a UME county extension agent, food writer, etc.).

The types of local products that buyers will typically find are:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Meats (such as poultry, beef, and bison)
  • Dairy products (cow, sheep and goats milk/cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and butter)
  • Seafood (such as crabmeat, oysters, blue catfish and rockfish)
  • Craft Beverages (beer, wine, spirits, juices, kombucha, coffee, etc.)
  • Specialty products (including hemp products, sauces, baked goods, chocolate, soups, flour, etc.)