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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. This blog provides readers with information on risk management issues important to Maryland agriculture, upcoming events, and new materials that may interest readers.

Update on USDA’s Assistance for Borrowers Who Have Experienced Discrimination

Nicole Cook

Mar 7
2 min

Update on USDA’s Assistance for Borrowers Who Have Experienced Discrimination

This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. In August, I provided an Update on USDA’s Debt Relief Plan for Black and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers, and I told you that I would let you know when the USDA announced the start of its program to provide $2.2 billion for financial assistance to farmers, ranchers or forest landowners who have previously suffered discrimination with respect to USDA farm lending programs. Well, last W

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USDA Registered Its “USDA Organic” Seal Trademark. Now What?

Nicole Cook

Feb 14
3 min

USDA Registered Its “USDA Organic” Seal Trademark. Now What?

This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. On December 20, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) announced that it had registered the “USDA Organic” seal with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USDA’s organic seal is already statutorily protected by the Organic Foods Protection Act (OFPA), and only operations that are certified organic by the USDA can use the USDA’

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Attend UMES Extension’s Agribusiness Tax Management Workshop on February 16th and 17th

Nicole Cook

Jan 24
1 min

Attend UMES Extension’s Agribusiness Tax Management Workshop on February 16th and 17th

This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. UMES Extension’s Agriculture Law Education Initiative, UMES Extension’s Small Farm Program, The Tennie Group LLC, and Horizon Farm Credit are providing a comprehensive, two-day, 8-hour, in-person workshop designed to educate agricultural producers on the basics of agricultural tax management. The workshop will equip farmers with a better understanding of business and agricultural tax

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MDH Offers Free, Online Cottage Food Business Workshop

Nicole Cook

Jan 3
1 min

MDH Offers Free, Online Cottage Food Business Workshop

This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) just announced that is teaming up with the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) to offer a free virtual training covering Maryland’s cottage food law and regulations. Whether you are an established cottage food business, or you’re thinking about starting a home-based food business, you’ll want to tune in for this worksh

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Tax Planning Resources For Producers Who Received Loan Servicing Assistance Payments

Nicole Cook

Dec 13, 2022
3 min

Tax Planning Resources For Producers Who Received Loan Servicing Assistance Payments

The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. It’s that time of year … tax-planning season. Well, maybe taxes aren’t what you’re thinking about right now, but now is the time to start thinking about how to put yourself and your farming operation in the best possible position to lessen your tax burden. And, if you’re a farmer who received a loan servicing assistance payment under the Inflation Reduction Act, then you will want t

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Produce Safety Rule Grower Training for the Lower Eastern Shore in December

Nicole Cook

Nov 22, 2022
3 min

Produce Safety Rule Grower Training for the Lower Eastern Shore in December

It’s been four years since growers on Maryland’s lower eastern shore have had a chance to attend an in-person Produce Safety Rule (PSR) Grower Training near them. The last one was at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in December 2019. Now, UMES Extension and the Maryland Food Safety Network are very glad to announce that we are hosting a PSR Grower Training in Princess Anne on December 7th and 8th, and the training will be a hybrid format, which means people c

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USDA’S LISTENING SESSIONS AND UPDATES ON HISTORIC DEBT RELIEF