By Mayhah Suri
Miss the Dairy Risk Management Workshops? If you missed the just concluded Dairy Risk Management Workshops, you are in luck. The materials are available on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Crop Insurance page. You can find all the materials at http://go.umd.edu/MDACropIns.
Get Ready for Maryland’s Buy Local Challenge Are you ready for Maryland’s Buy Local Challenge? Pledge to eat or drink one locally grown, made or harvested product every day during Buy Local Week (July 23 – 31) and make a commitment that will have a lasting impact on your lifestyle, the environment and your local community. To read the full article click here: http://smnewsnet.com/archives/406106/get-ready-for-marylands-buy-local-challenge/
Navigating the Local Foods Marketplace- Panel Discussion and Reception- July 27, 5-8 pm Come and listen to a dynamic panel discussion on the challenges and successes of buying and selling locally sourced foods in Maryland. We will start the evening with a light reception of locally sourced foods and drinks to allow for networking of buyers and sellers (5:00-6:00 p.m.). Followed by our panel discussion which will include speakers- Jordan Lloyd-Chef Bartlett Pear Inn, Ed Bush- Teddy Bear Fresh Food Supplier, Beth Brewster-Supervisor of Food Services Caroline County Public Schools, Kristen Langenfelder-Langenfelder Pork, Tim Devine-Barren Island Oysters, Judy Crow- Crow Vineyards and Kelly Jackson- Emily’s Produce. The event is free of charge but registration is required. www.umaglaw.org/LocalFoodPanel2016
Maryland Bans Sale of 3 Ornamental Invasive Plants, More to Come Maryland is stepping up the fight against ecosystem-altering nonnative plants by banning the sale of three aggressively spreading ornamentals and requiring that warnings be posted next to retail displays of five others sold in garden stores and nurseries. http://www.bayjournal.com/article/maryland_bans_sale_of_three_ornamental_invasive_plants_more_to_come
Legislation Would Limit Environmental Lawsuits Against Dairy Farms Last year, the federal district court’s decision in the Cow Palace litigation shocked many in how the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was applied against a dairy farm in Washington state (http://bit.ly/AgRCRA). A Washington Congressman is proposing changes to how RCRA applies to farms with the Farm Regulatory Certainty Act. To read the legislation see http://bit.ly/29PysbY.
Margin Protection Program Tool Updated Dairy producers considering signing up for the Margin Protection Program can look at National Milk Producers Federation for an updated decision tool to help producers evaluate the program for 2017. Signup for the program will run from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2016. To learn more about changes to the program, see http://bit.ly/29PysbY
Blawg Nominations Now Open with ABA The American Bar Association is again seeking nominations for the top law blogs or blawgs. To nominate this blog, or any other legal blog you follow, go to http://go.umd.edu/ABlawgNom. Nominations are due by 11:59pm (CST) on August 7, 2016.
Registration Open for 2016 Crop Insurance Workshop Registration is now online for the 2016 Crop Insurance Workshop on Sept. 13 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Annapolis. The workshop will feature speakers from USDA and private industry discussing changes and challenges with the crop insurance industry and what the issues the next farm bill poses for the industry. The workshop is free and you can register at http://go.umd.edu/MdCropInsWorkshop