By MD Risk Management Blog
Farmers Encouraged to Attend Trainings on Food Safety Modernization Act The Maryland Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the University of Maryland and University of Maryland Extension, is offering three trainings for food safety: 1) FDA-approved training curriculum for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Rule, 2) FDA approved training curriculum for FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule, and 3) Basic GAP training. For more information click this link: https://go.umd.edu/qia
Spring 2017 Fertilizer Dates and Rules for Small Grains and Commodity Cover Crops Announced The Maryland Department of Agriculture today announced that farmers who planted small grains for harvest may “top dress” these crops with commercial fertilizer beginning February 15 as long as ground conditions remain favorable. To read more click here: https://go.umd.edu/qir Registration is Open for the Appalachia Grows: Small Farms Conference The Conference is on March 17-18, 2017 at the Allegany College of Maryland, Cumberland. Sessions will include technical information for growers, legal education and marketing tips. To see more information click here: http://www.appgrows.com/ Governor Larry Hogan Tours New Animal Waste Technology Project in Dorchester County Governor Larry Hogan and Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder today toured the Murphy family’s Double Trouble Farm – the first Maryland poultry operation to install cutting-edge technology that converts poultry litter to energy. The Maryland Department of Agriculture awarded a $970,000 animal waste technology grant to Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc (BHSL) for the manure-to-energy project and an additional $139,000 to monitor its operation for one year. To read the full story, go here: https://go.umd.edu/qij Reminder Crop Insurance Deadline Approaching Crop insurance sales closing date and last day to make changes to existing policies for spring-planted crops is March 15. Coverage is available in Maryland for corn, cucumbers, forage seeding, fresh market sweet corn, fresh market tomatoes, grain sorghum, processing beans, processing sweet corn, processing tomatoes, soybeans, spring oats, and tobacco. You can find out more on how crop insurance can be used in your risk management plan, see http://go.umd.edu/CropIns. To find a crop insurance agent, see http://www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html.
Upcoming Farm Succession Workshops Farmers never truly retire, but many want to bring in a new generation to take over the operation at some point. For those farmers looking to get the farm succession process started farm succession workshops will be held in Rising Sun on Feb. 24 and Leonardtown on April 18. The workshops assist farmers in understanding the entire farm succession process, for more details on the workshops see https://go.umd.edu/UMETransitions.
Oregon Looks at Change to Right-to-Farm Law The Oregon Legislature is considering a bill that would change how Oregon’s Right-to-Farm and Forest law operates. The bill before the legislature would remove protections for producers using pesticides. The bill is being hotly debated and you can read more about the debate here http://bit.ly/2lOYDaF.
National CSA Sign-Up Day As you get ready for national CSA sign up day next week, check out our materials on CSA membership agreements and risk management: https://go.umd.edu/qit
Annie’s Project (Mid-shore) Wednesday Evenings- February 15, 2017- March 22, 2017, https://go.umd.edu/qi9 Farm Labor Visa Workshop Hosted by Maryland Farm Bureau, 10-2, March 8, Davidsonville, Maryland https://go.umd.edu/qiy