Royal Farms and Protect Fuel Management, LLC (Protect) announced the completion of the first phase in a sustainability initiative designed to offer customers renewable fuel options that save money and dramatically reduce pollution with E85 Flex Fuel and Regular 88. The new fuels are the latest addition to Royal Farms’ ongoing sustainability efforts which began in 2008. The celebration on April 23rd with national and regional partners was conducted at the Royal Farms at 100 Monument Avenue in Oxon Hill. The store, the 200th in Royal Farms regional portfolio, is located at the exciting National Harbor waterfront district.

For more than a decade Royal Farms has made sustainability a priority. Efforts include building all new stores to meet LEED certification requirements, sustainability education for staff, and recycling waste cooking oil into biodiesel. While the programs have at times added cost and complexity to projects, the company’s unwavering commitment is making an impact. To date, cleaner ethanol fuels have already displaced enough gasoline to cut greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of planting 54,319 trees and letting them grow for ten years. The National Harbor location is the 12th Royal Farms store in Maryland or Virginia to introduce renewable fuels with Protect, with more anticipated in the future.

“We are proud to lead the way with renewable fuels; offering higher quality and better value is the cornerstone upon which Royal Farms was built,” said Fuel and Environmental Leader Tom Ruszin. “It is gratifying that our whole team, from the fry cook at our smallest store to our corporate executives, are working together to make a meaningful impact in our home state of Maryland and across the region,” he added.

Protect has been a national leader in ethanol fuels since designing, installing, and supplying the very first E85 station in Texas in 2006. The company’s focus on delivering comprehensive retail solutions has culminated in the successful completion of more than 400 stations during a three-year, five-state partnership with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) program known as the Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP). Richard Fordyce, Administrator of the FSA, spoke at today’s event to mark the milestone.

“The Mid-Atlantic region is not only important to Protect, but holds tremendous potential for forward-thinking retailers like Royal Farms that are ready to differentiate their stations by offering customers domestically made, cleaner fuel options at great prices,” said Steve Walk, Managing Partner of Protect FUel. He added, “Protect has also worked with a number of other parties that contributed to this success.”

Increasing availability of ethanol in the region has been a collaborative effort, including strong support of private and public entities such as Sustainable Energy Strategies Inc. and Clean Cities chapters of Virginia and Maryland. Notably, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) and Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board investment in growing ethanol in the state has been instrumental in a 70% increase in E85 and Regular 88 sales in 2018. Part of that investment has come through the MEA’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program, a competitive, technology-neutral effort that annually supports the development of state-wide alternative fuel and electric charging infrastructure. The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board investment comes from a farmer checkoff program, whereby farmers give a portion of every grain sale to fund projects in research, education, and market development.

Partners:

• Clean Cities of Maryland and Virginia
• Maryland Energy Administration
• Maryland Grain Producers
• Protect Fuel Management, LLC
• Royal Farms
• Sustainable Energy Strategies Inc.

The twenty-first annual Maryland Commodity Classic was held on Thursday, July 25, 2019, at the Queen Anne’s 4-H Park. The event was attended by nearly 300 farmers and industry representatives and featured keynote speaker Jimmy Bramblett, Deputy Chief of Programs at USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

During the event, the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board awarded scholarships to four deserving students. Recipients were Alexandra Guy of Hebron, Ethan Miller of Kennedyville, Cody Martin Morris of Parsonsburg, and Jacob Schmidt of Sudlersville. “We had an outstanding group of qualified individuals receiving scholarships this year,” Bobby Guy, MGPUB President. “We need trained professionals to meet the demand for careers addressing issues such as world hunger and food safety, renewable energy, and environmental stewardship. Over $180,000 has now been awarded through our Scholarship Program.”

Also during the event, the Maryland Grain Producers Association awarded two individuals with the Dr. James R. Miller Award, which recognizes an individual for outstanding service to Maryland’s grain industry. The awareness began in 1998 when it was given to Dr. James R. Miller. Since then, grower leaders, as well as elected officials, researchers, and agency representatives have been recognized.

This year’s recipients were Brad Powers, former Deputy Secretary at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and Valerie Connelly, former Executive Director of Maryland Farm Bureau.

According to those who were there at the inception of the Maryland Grain Producers Association, we probably would not be here today without Brad Powers. In 1976, he began working at the Department of Agriculture as a Marketing Specialist and worked his way all the way up to Deputy Secretary. In his capacity as Assistant Secretary, Brad was integral in the information of the Maryland Grain Producers and served as the Department’s member of the Board.

After his retirement in 2002, Brad did not stop serving the industry. He was involved in the development of two soybean transloading facilities and investigation of potential sites for an ethanol plant in Maryland. Giving back to the community, Brad served as the director of Shore Gourmet, a value-added food business development program. Powers also assisted with a USDA technology transfer project looking into converting chicken feathers into biodegradable plant containers and turfgrass netting. Brad now lives in Carrollton, Georgia with his wife Shari and enjoys vacationing at their home in Tennessee, hunting, fishing, gardening, spending time with his family, and his loyal Labrador Max.

Valeria Connelly has been serving Maryland’s agricultural community for the last 25 years, working for the Maryland Farm Bureau. Serving as Director of Government Relations and most recently Executive Director, Valerie has been involved in every major issue impacting Maryland Agriculture for the last quarter-century and has done an exceptional job representing our best interest. For grain producers, Val has been integral in protecting the privacy of nutrient management plans, retaining access to pesticides, expanding the radius for k-tags, increasing the weight tolerance for grain trucks, ensuring conservation funding and so much more.

While Valeria surely will be missed working directly in agriculture, she will be staying in the area in her new position at Choptank Electric. The Maryland Grain Producers Association suspects that her work there will ultimately benefit our farmers as well. The Association thanks both Brad and Valerie for their many years of tireless service to Maryland’s grain farmers.

The Maryland Commodity Classic is held annually on the fourth Thursday in July and is sponsored by the Maryland Grain Producers Association and Utilization Board, Maryland Soybean Board, and Mid-Atlantic Soybean Association.

Every year, there is an 11% shortage of agriculture graduates to fill professional positions in the field of agriculture. The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB) supports students pursuing agriculture careers through a college scholarship program. This year, four students were each awarded a $2,500 scholarship at the Maryland Commodity Classic on July 25th. Recipients are Alexandra Guy of Hebron, Ethan Miller of Kennedyville, Cody Martin Morris of Parsonburg, and Jacob Schmidt of Sudlersville.

“We have an outstanding group of qualified individuals receiving scholarships this year,” states Bobby Guy, MGPUB President. “We need trained professionals to meet the demand for careers addressing issues such as world hunger and food safety, renewable energy, and environmental stewardship. Over $180,000 has now been awarded through our Scholarship Program.”

A recent graduate of James M. Bennet High School, Alexandra Guy was raised on her family’s farm in Hebron, MD, and has always wanted to give back to the farming community. To do so, she will be attending the University of Kentucky of the fall to study agriculture and medical biotechnology, which will allow her to not only improve the yield of crops but also examine the health of the crops we are growing. Daughter of Bobby Guy, Alexandra is also serving as the current Wicomico County Farm Ambassador and was active in Field Hockey, Lacrosse, and the National Honors Society in High School.

Studying plant science at the University of Delaware, Ethan Miller’s life has revolved around his family’s 4,000 acre grain farming operation. After receiving his degree, Ethan plans to return to the family farm where he can bring back his knowledge of different farming methods and serve as their very own agronomist. Son of Kevin and Amy Miller, Ethan has been very active in his first year of school, participating in Alpha Gamma Rho, Ag Day, Dairy Judging, and more.

Son of Thomas and Lisa Morris, Cody Martin Morris has worked on his family’s grain and poultry farm since the age of 10, where he learned the benefits of reaping a plentiful harvest. In addition to the crops grown by his family, he also has his own pumpkin patch which he manages from planting to harvest. By studying agronomy and agricultural business management at the University of Maryland College Park, he hopes to one day efficiently run his family farm and maximize profits so that it can be passed along to the next generation. In his lifetime, Cody has seen many changes in the production of chickens and small grain crops and recognizes the importance of continuing family farms in the current day and age.

Attending West Virginia University to obtain a degree in agribusiness management with a minor in soil science, Jacob Schmidt believes that he must first educate himself as much as possible in order to be successful in his career. The son of Alan and Brenda Schmidt, Jacob’s experience in agriculture started at a young age and is wide and diverse. After graduating, he plans to obtain his CCA certification and return to his family’s grain and vegetable farm, where he would like to venture into new and emerging niche markets such as biofuels that can help contribute to the advancement of the industry.

“Agriculture is an exciting career field with many opportunities,” concludes Guy. “We are excited to see these young people wanting to make a contribution to our industry. This scholarship program is a long-term investment with big dividends for the future of farming.”

The Maryland Grain Producers Association will offer four $2,500 to students pursuing an agriculturally related degree or career in 2019. Applicants must be a resident of the state of Maryland and must be enrolled or accepted to a four-year institution working toward a Bachelor of Science Degree, or enrolled or accepted to a two-year institution with an agricultural program. The applicant or the applicants’ immediate family must be involved in the production of grain in Maryland.

Scholarship funding is provided by the Maryland Grain Checkoff Program, which supports the promotion, education, and research projects beneficial to the grain industry. Given the dynamic changes in agriculture today, the advances in biotechnology, global positioning systems, environmental protection, drone technology, and crop and livestock production, Maryland’s grain farmers believe it is very important to encourage students to consider careers in agriculture by supporting their educational needs through scholarships. More than $180,000 in college scholarships have been awarded since the program was established in 1991.

The Maryland Grain Producers Scholarship Committee selects the scholarship recipients. The selection is based on the student’s agricultural background, family farm involvement, financial need, academic performance, agricultural-related studies, career goals, and extracurricular activities. The awards will be presented at the Maryland Commodity Classic at Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park on July 25, 2019. Recipients will be notified in advance and are expected to attend.

Interested students should return a completed application to be received by May 17, 2019.

The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) is pleased to announce that it is accepting growing enrolment for the 2019 National Wheat Yield Contest. The contest is divided into two primary competition categories: winter wheat and spring wheat, and two subcategories: dryland and irrigation. The Foundation is accepting entries for Winter Wheat. Any wheat grower 14 years old and up and a member of a state wheat grower organization for NAWG will be eligible to participate in the contest. The deadline for winter wheat entries is May 15th with an early registration deadline of April 1st.

“America’s wheat farmers produce the highest quality wheat in the world which should be taken into account when determining criteria for this national contest,” stated NWF Board President and Idaho wheat grower Wayne Hurst. “2019 will be the first year that we truly see how a quality component will impact the rankings of growers and influence results.”

In order to be considered for a national or state award in the contest, growers must follow up each initial contest entry with a grain sample, which will be analyzed by an independent lab. To qualify, samples must meet a quality Grade of 1 or 2.

The 2019 National Wheat Yield Contest sponsors include AgriMaxx, Ardent Mills, BASF, Corteva Agriscience, Indigo Ag, Grain Craft, John Deere, LimaGrain Cereals, Syngenta, and WestBred.

Eddie Mercer Agri-Services, Inc. and Syngenta AgriPro will be offering an incentive to their customers in Maryland who participate in the contest. The two will pay the state winner $1,000 if the entry is Mercer Brand or Syngenta seed. In addition, Eddie Mercer will pay all county winners $200 if they win with a Mercer Brand MBX Wheat.

Patent Law and the Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA)

Most varieties of wheat and soybean sold in Maryland are protected by either the U.S. Patent Law or the Plant Variety Protection Act. These protections provide intellectual property rights to the developer (i.e. seed company and/or breeder) of the variety. In addition, they either severely limit the age-old practice of “farmer saved seed” or prohibit it entirely, depending upon the type protection secured by the variety’s owner. Violation of either protection may result in financial penalties and costly litigation. The following discusses the implications of Patent LAw and PVPA on farmer saved seed.

U.S. Patent Law

Most soybean varieties and an increasing number of wheat varieties sold in Maryland are protected under U.S. Patent LAw that provides 20 years of protection to the developer. Patent law prohibits saving harvested seed for planting purposes, no exception, including a farmer saving and planting back seed on his/her farm for either commodity or cover crop production. Review the seed tag and container to determine if it is patent protected. Look for the “Patent Number” or the statement “Patent Pending.”

U.S. Plant Variety Protection Act

PVPA gives patent like protection to owners or breeders of a variety, with one major exception; PVPA allows farmers who purchased PVPA protected seed to save harvested seed for planting purposes on their own holdings. No sale, transfer, trading, etc. of PVPA seed for planting a crop is allowed. Review the seed tag and container to determine if it is protected. Look for the statement “U.S. Plant Protected Variety – Unauthorized Propagation Prohibited” it is estimated that less than 25% of the wheat varieties (or brands) sold in Maryland are protected under PVPA.

Sale of Seed for Planting Purposes by Grain Dealers

As the demand for “cover crop seed” has grown, some grain dealers have been selling wheat out of the bin for overcrop planting purposes. Since most wheat varieties (or brands) are either “Patent Protected” or “PVPA,” selling wheat for planting purposes is in violation of one or both of the laws. Neither citing the principle of “patent exhaustion” nor the reasoning that “it’s only cover crop, it will be killed in the spring” can be used as a defense to avoid the law. Both laws are clear in defining that no propagation is allowed.

Variety Not Stated

It is illegal to label Patent or PVPA protected seed as “Variety not State,” regardless of its intended use.

New Technology

Companies have significant investments to bring new technology to the marketplace. Without patent law and plant variety protection, they would not be able to recoup these investments. Without investment in new technology, access to new, better-yielding varieties would stop.

Every year, there is an 11% shortage of agriculture graduates to fill professional positions in the field of agriculture. The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB) supports students pursuing agriculture careers through a college scholarship program, This year, four students were each awarded a $2,500 scholarship at the Maryland Commodity Classic on July 26th. Recipients are Grace Brinsfield of Vienna, Jenell Eck of Henderson, Ethan Miller of Kennedyville, and Cody Martin Morris of Parsonsburg.

“We have an outstanding group of qualified individuals receiving scholarships this year,” states Jennie Schmidt, MGPUB President. “We need trained professionals to meet the demand for careers addressing issues such as world hunger and food safety, renewable energy, and environmental stewardship. Over $180,000 has now been awarded throughout Scholarship Program.”

Using what she will learn through an agronomy degree from the University of Maryland College Park, Grace Brinsfield plans to become a Certified Crop Adviser to assist Maryland farmers. “I attended Agronomy Day that the University of Maryland Extension put on and that day I decided I wanted to study agronomy,” commented Grace. She has competed in horticultural identification through 4-H on the county, state, and national levels. Her parents, Valerie and John Brinsfield, raised Grace on a vegetable and grain farm in Vienna. Thanks to her background, she has experience growing many crops including tomatoes, lima beans, sweet corn, soybeans, sweet potatoes, asparagus, wheat, barley, and more.

Jenell Eck is a double major at the University of Delaware in Agriculture and Natural Resources and Communications so that she can better communicate with the public about the importance, practices, and labels of agriculture. She has already begun her advocacy for agriculture, having previously served as Maryland State FFA President and Miss Maryland Agriculture. This summer, she has been educating the public and even lobbyists by interning with the National Chicken Council. Her parents, Mark and Vicky Eck, raised her on a 1,250 tillable acre farm, where they grow corn, wheat, soybeans, and barley.

A recent graduate of Kent County High School, Ethan Miller’s life has revolved around his family’s 4,000 acre grain farming operation. Excited to start his college career at the University of Delaware, Ethan plans to study Agronomy so that he can return to the family farm and serve as their very own agronomist. Son of Kevin and Amy Miller, Ethan views misunderstandings about the production of food as one of the largest problems facing the industry today. However, he tries to combat this issue by educating consumers at local and state fairs where he shows dairy cattle.

Son of Thomas and Lisa Morris, Cody Martin Morris has worked on his grandparent’s grain and poultry farm since the age of 10, where he learned the benefits of reaping a plentiful harvest. In addition to the crops grown by his family, he also has his own pumpkin patch which he manages from planting to harvest. By studying agronomy and agricultural business management at the University of Maryland College Park, he hopes to one day efficiently run his family farm and maximize profits so that it can be passed along to the next generation. In his lifetime, Cody has seen many changes in the production of chickens and small grain crops and recognizes the importance of continuing family farms in the current day and age.

“Agriuclture is an exciting career field with many opportunities,” concludes Schmidt. “We are excited to see these young people wanting to make a contribution to our indsutry. This scholarship program is a long-term investment with big dividends for the future of farming.”

Each April 22, thousands of Americans celebrate Earth Day. It’s a moment-in-time for us to think about the changes we each can make to improve the environment, whether that’s volunteering in our local community or implementing small steps in our own households. As a farmer who grows 1,400 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, and sorghum on land adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, my focus on water, soil, air, and habitat is fundamental to the work I do each day. Unfortunately, because I run a large conventional farm and also use GMO seeds, the broader public does not believe my farm is sustainable.

Keep in mind, the land I farm has been in my family for these generations. I live and farm in one of the most beautiful corners of the United States, and I want to make sure the environment is better for my children who plan to raise food and their families on this same lad. I’m sure my sentiment and focus on sustainability may be met with skepticism – people might think, “You are only one farmer, how can I be sure other conventional farmers also care about the environment?” My answer – the commitment to sustainability is one that is shared by an entire industry.

Take for example that National Corn Growers Association, of which I am president. We have prioritized a goal that by 2020, the number of corn farmers who input data into sustainability through our Good Steward program which annually recognizes a grower who shows a history of innovation in the use of irrigation, cover crops, soil erosion control, nutrient management, and water quality. We’re also partnering with NGOs like the Environmental Defense Fund in its NutrientStar program, which employs independent, science-based reviews that ultimately will give corn farmers assurance that more fertilizer is staying in the field, and out of waterways. These are only a few examples of how an entire industry of farmers is focused on sustainability and continuously improving our work in this arena.

I’m proud to say that I’m a conventional farmer and sustainability is my top priority. It’s not just about the bottom line for me, but ensuring my family, farm, community, and environment are better off than when I started farming more than three decades ago. It’s my responsibility and something I think about every day not just on Earth Day.

By Chip Bowling, a corn, soybean, wheat, barley, and sorghum farmer in Southern Maryland and 2015 to 2017 President of the National Corn Growers Association.