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Note: This website is intended to provide general information about legal issues, crop insurance, farm policy, and other risk management issues and should not be construed as providing legal advice. It should not be cited or relied upon as legal authority. For advice about how the issues discussed here might apply to your individual situation, you should consult an attorney.

Welcome to the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog, provided by the University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and features the work of the Maryland Crop Insurance Education program and the University of Maryland - MPowering the State's Agriculture Law Education Initiative, a University of Maryland Extension Signature Program. This blog provides readers with information on risk management issues important to Maryland agriculture, upcoming events, and new materials that may interest readers.

University of Maryland to Host Workshops Geared Towards the 2018 Farm Bill

Jan 2, 2020
2 min

University of Maryland to Host Workshops Geared Towards the 2018 Farm Bill

See here for the site’s reposting policy. This winter, the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC) is partnering with the University of Maryland Extension and USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to host a series of one-day workshops geared towards educating Maryland producers on changes associated with the 2018 Farm Bill. You can register for any of the workshops by going here. The 2018 Farm Bill has been called evolutionary and not revolutionary as the 2014 Farm

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WORKSHOPS ON ALTERNATIVE IRRIGATION SOURCE AIMED AT FARMERS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS COVERING WATER QUALI

Nov 13, 2019
1 min

WORKSHOPS ON ALTERNATIVE IRRIGATION SOURCE AIMED AT FARMERS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS COVERING WATER QUALI

Press Release College Park, MD. – The Charles County Extension Office and CONSERVE: A Center of Excellence at the Nexus of Sustainable Water Reuse, Food, & Health will host a half-day workshop for farmers and local officials interested in learning more about using recycled water as an alternative irrigation water source for agriculture. The Water Reuse for Agriculture: What Growers Need to Know Workshop will be held on December 4, 2019, at the Charles County Extension Office

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CONSERVE Team Publishes 15 articles in Special Issue of Environmental Research

Oct 28, 2019
4 min

CONSERVE Team Publishes 15 articles in Special Issue of Environmental Research

Press Release See here for the site’s reposting policy. We’re running out of water to grow food. Climate change, population growth and increasing demands on freshwater systems are straining agricultural water supplies. The CONSERVE Center of Excellence, based in the University of Maryland School of Public Health, is leading the effort to develop and adopt safe, alternative irrigation strategies that will sustain food production. These include the use of non-traditional water

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2019 County Rental Rates for Maryland Now Available Online

Oct 20, 2019
2 min

2019 County Rental Rates for Maryland Now Available Online

Press Release See here for the site’s reposting policy. By Elizabeth Thilmany, Research Assistant, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics Cash rent lease agreements are the most popular type of lease agreement in Maryland. Cash rent is a fixed amount on a per-acre basis. In this agreement, the owner is relieved of operating and marketing decisions and income is known year to year. The tenant has the risk and returns from the crop and can make crop and livestock d

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Series of Upcoming Workshops Focused on Successful Farm Transfers

Oct 18, 2018
2 min

Series of Upcoming Workshops Focused on Successful Farm Transfers

Press Release See here for the site’s reposting policy. College Park, MD – This winter, the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC) is partnering with the Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI), the University of Maryland Extension, the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and Nationwide Insurance to host a series of one-day farm succession workshops around Maryland. As of 2017, the average age of principal farm operators in Maryland is 59, according to t

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Market Facilitation Program Available to Assist Producers Due to Trade Disputes

Sep 27, 2018
1 min

Market Facilitation Program Available to Assist Producers Due to Trade Disputes

Press Release Recently USDA announced the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) to assist producers due to the ongoing trade disputes. To assist producers understand the MFP process, Olivia Kuykendall and Paul Goeringer with the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics have recently released a fact sheet covering this issue. To view the MFP publication, click here. #factsheet #InternationalTrade #Pressrelease

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Do you know about nontraditional irrigation water?

Feb 23, 2017
1 min

Do you know about nontraditional irrigation water?

Press Release The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers possible nontraditional sources of irrigation water to include recycled, brackish, desalinated, fracking, agricultural runoff, aquaculture, livestock wastewater, and process waters. With funding from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, CONSERVE: A Center of Excellence at the Nexus of Sustainable Water Reuse, Food, and Health, a multi-partner project, is focusing on multiple types of nontradition

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Farm Management Classes for Women

Jan 6, 2017
1 min

Farm Management Classes for Women

Press Release Annie’s Project courses have been announced for 2017! Courses will be held in Delaware and Maryland. Annie’s Project is a discussion-based workshop bringing women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing and the legal field. Annie’s Project provides a relaxed, fun dynamic way to learn, grow and meet other women in agriculture. Participants are encouraged to interact and connect with presenters and fellow part

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UMD to offer June workshop for landowners interested in leasing land to solar/wind energy companies

May 23, 2016
2 min

UMD to offer June workshop for landowners interested in leasing land to solar/wind energy companies

Press Release College Park, Maryland (May 18, 2016): Landowners with properties in Kent, Cecil, and Queen Anne’s counties who have been approached to lease their land to solar and wind energy companies are invited to attend a four-hour workshop June 7, 2016, at Washington College. Three faculty members from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland will address the advantages and disadvantages of using their private properties for energy de

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Upcoming Webinar to Explore Right-to-Farm Law Developments

Mar 14, 2016
1 min

Upcoming Webinar to Explore Right-to-Farm Law Developments

In the 1980s, states adopted right-to-farm laws, or defenses to nuisance suits that might be brought against agricultural operations because of dust, noise, odor, etc. Since their adoption, these laws have been applied in many different ways. Recently, states have begun to consider expanding the normal right-to-farm statute protections by developing constitutional amendments guaranteeing a right-to-farm. These constitutional amendments have the potential to be more broadly

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Workshops For CSA Operators to Highlight Membership Agreements and Labor Issues

Feb 3, 2015
2 min

Workshops For CSA Operators to Highlight Membership Agreements and Labor Issues

Press Release Community Supported Farm (CSA) operators or those thinking about starting a CSA are invited to attend a workshop focused on drafting better membership agreements and addressing common labor issues. The workshops are free but registration is required. They will be held: Feb. 26, from 9:30 a.m to 2 p.m., at the Frederick County University of Maryland Extension Office, 330 Montevue Lane in Frederick. Lunch will be provided. To register, call the office at (301) 6

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Leasing Workshops Scheduled for Both Tenants and Landowners

Jan 14, 2015
2 min

Leasing Workshops Scheduled for Both Tenants and Landowners

Press Release On February 26 from 1 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., tenants and landowners in the Baltimore, Harford, and Carroll counties area will have an opportunity to learn more about the agricultural land leasing issues at the upcoming Farm Leasing Workshop. The workshop is sponsored by Agriculture Law Education Initiative, University of Maryland Extension, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland FarmLink, Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, and Maryland Farm Bureau and funding is provid

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Eastern Shore Attorney Sarah Everhart Joins Agriculture Law Education Initiative

Dec 10, 2014
3 min

Eastern Shore Attorney Sarah Everhart Joins Agriculture Law Education Initiative

Editors’ Note: Today, Ashley and I are pleased to announce Sarah Everhart joining the Ag Law Education Initiative on Dec. 1. For anyone at Maryland Farm Bureau this week and sat in on our panel got to meet Sarah. Sarah will be joining us in outreach activities and here on this site posting. We will be making some changes to reflect the addition of Sarah. To learn more about Sarah, take a moment to read this press release from the Carey School of Law. BALTIMORE, Md. – Sar

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Announcing Rescheduled Leasing Workshops on Upper Shore

Nov 7, 2014
2 min

Announcing Rescheduled Leasing Workshops on Upper Shore

On Dec. 2nd from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., farmers in the Cecil, Kent, Caroline, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties area will have an opportunity to learn more about the agricultural land leasing issues at the upcoming Farm Leasing Workshop. The workshop is sponsored by Agriculture Law Education Initiative, University of Maryland Extension, Maryland Department of Agriculture, and Maryland FarmLink and funding is provided by USDA-NIFA and the Northeast Extension Risk Management Educat

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Experts to Discuss, Explain Tough Topics at Agricultural Outlook and Policy Conference

Nov 4, 2014
2 min

Experts to Discuss, Explain Tough Topics at Agricultural Outlook and Policy Conference

Plans for the 2014 Agricultural Outlook and Policy Conference, sponsored by the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC) at the University of Maryland, are being finalized, with expert speakers scheduled to share their thoughts about the current state of economic affairs and provide insights on where we may be going from here. This highly anticipated event will take place December 16th at the DoubleTree Hotel, located at 210 Holiday Ct., Annapolis, MD, from 8:

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Solutions for Community Supported Agriculture

Oct 16, 2014
2 min

Solutions for Community Supported Agriculture

Recently, the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics along with other partners received a grant from USDA to develop educational materials to assist CSA operators in developing their contracts. As we move forward, you will probably see posts here from Ashley or myself covering this topic. But below is a copy of AGNR’s press release on the grant by Rachael Keeny: Community Supported Agriculture – or CSA – is a growing national trend that allows consumers to buy fr

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New Report Highlights Legal Challenges Facing Maryland’s Agricultural Community

Oct 15, 2014
1 min

New Report Highlights Legal Challenges Facing Maryland’s Agricultural Community

The Maryland agricultural community is facing a diverse and complex set of legal challenges, Paul Goeringer, Wanding Zhang, Lori Lynch, Stephan Tubene, and Will Pons offer a recently published report with the results of a legal needs assessment for the state’s agricultural sector – the first of its kind in Maryland. The needs assessment is based on 26 structured interviews conducted with leaders from the agricultural industry and state government. University of Maryland Exte

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Experts to Discuss New Products and Changes in Existing Crop Insurance Products

Jul 20, 2014
3 min

Experts to Discuss New Products and Changes in Existing Crop Insurance Products

Plans for the 2014 Maryland Crop Insurance Workshop, sponsored by the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland Extension, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Delaware Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency are being finalized, with expert speakers scheduled to share their thoughts about the current state of crop insurance, what implementation of the new Farm Bill means to crop insurance, and any

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Farm Bill Workshops Planned for August in Maryland

Jul 10, 2014
2 min

Farm Bill Workshops Planned for August in Maryland

Workshops Address Upcoming Changes for Dairy and Grain Producers in 2014 Farm Bill Programs ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 3, 2014) – The 2014 Farm Bill will bring changes for dairy and grain farmers in Maryland. Farmers are encouraged to participate in a series of workshops to be held across the state in August to prepare for decisions they will need to make to participate in 2014 Farm Bill programs. The workshops are sponsored by the University of Maryland’s Department of Agricultura

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Revised: Ag Law Infoline Phone Number Available for Maryland Farmers

May 29, 2014
2 min

Revised: Ag Law Infoline Phone Number Available for Maryland Farmers

The Agriculture Law Education Initiative has recently launched an Infoline phone number for the agricultural community to call. The Infoline phone number will direct callers to legal information resources related to their agricultural operation. The Infoline, (410) 706-7377, is currently answered by staff at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. “A central goal of the Initiative is to assist in the preservation of family farms. The Infoline will help

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