Queenstown, Maryland (May 25, 2021) – The 23rd Annual Maryland Commodity Classic will be in person this year! Come on out to the Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park on July 22nd to hear the latest research, visit with our sponsors, honor 2021 scholarship recipients and the Dr. Miller Awardee, enjoy our Keynote Speaker, and complete your day with delicious food and good friends.
Commodity Classic will open the gates at 8:30 AM. We are asking all attendees to register online here, to provide an accurate headcount and receive updates on credits being offered, schedule confirmation, and more. To enter, tickets will be $10 before 2:30 PM, $20 after 2:30 PM, and no entry after 3:30 PM.
Maryland Grain Producers Association members will receive a free ticket via mail by July. You can become a member today here for just $50.
Our annual event is co-sponsored by the Maryland Grain Producers Association and Utilization Board, and the Maryland Soybean Board. If you would be interested in being a sponsor of the 2021 Maryland Commodity Classic, please call the office at 443-262-8491 or email Marguerite at marguerite.mdag@gmail.com.
Address: Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park – 4-H Park Road, Centreville, MD 21617
Queenstown, Maryland (Wednesday, April 21st) – The Maryland Grain Producers is here to serve the grain farmers growing corn, wheat, barley, sorghum, triticale, and canola across the state. Despite the challenges of 2020, grain farmers were #StillFarming harvesting 430,000 acres of corn, 150,000 acres of wheat, and 21,000 acres of barley.
Farmers’ checkoff dollars were hard at work, continuing to advance the grain industry in Maryland through grants in the mission areas of research, agricultural education, and market development. In order to showcase projects funded and results they achieved, each farmer, MGPA member, and allied organization will be receiving our 2020 Grain Store Newsletter in the mail soon. We encourage you to enjoy the annual report to read about the accomplishments of our 2020 grantees.
The Grain Store also recognizes our 2020 sponsors, corn yield contest winners, 2021 funded projects, and award recipients.
You can access the 2020 Grain Store online here. If you did not receive a mailed copy and would like one, please email jenell.mdag@gmail.com.
We encourage grain farmers across the state to become a member of our Association to stay up-to-date on the latest grain news, support legislative coverage in Annapolis, and a number of other great benefits, that can be found here. A membership form can be found online here or on the final age of our annual report.
We wish producers across the state a safe and bountiful year!
Queenstown, Maryland (Thursday, April 1st) – Increased extreme and episodic weather events and disruptions have devastated recent harvests and sent shocks through our national food systems. There has never been a more important time for all corners of the food and agriculture sector to co-create solutions and enable farmers and ranchers full potential for positive impact on our changing climate.
As part of our mission, the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board has endorsed the first-ever sector-specific Vision for the sustainable food systems of the future: a resilient, restorative, economically viable, and climate-smart agricultural prosperous America.
The Vision was developed and gained alignment by more than 200 farmers, ranchers, food and agricultural leaders, and science and technology experts representing every corner of our sector’s value chain, convened by U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action. It serves as a North Star to guide the bold, collaborative action required to accelerate progress on climate-smart agriculture solutions in the next decade.
Our endorsement is a pledge to work with leaders and organizations across our sector to advance our unified Vision through individuals and collective commitments and realize four key outcomes:
Continue to restore our environment through agriculture that regenerates natural resources.
Continue to revitalize our collective appreciation for agriculture.
Continue to invest in the next generation of agriculture systems.
Continue to strengthen the social and economic fabric of America through agriculture.
Maryland Grain Producers will focus on outcomes where our work in conservation continues and can provide the greatest contribution. Our already established dedication will continue to play an important role – along with other endorsing organizations’ efforts in progress – to build momentum toward outcomes and to help shape a collective commitment for the food and agriculture sector. These are commitments meant to showcase agriculture’s ability to achieve this and each organization is responsible for their part in helping achieve the Vision.
More to come from Maryland Grain Producers’ part in this exciting work as part of the Decade of Ag – a sustainability movement unlike others that: mobilizes an unmatched food and agriculture sector leadership network, puts farmers and ranchers at the center and builds on prior action and momentum in progress.
Until then:
Take 5 minutes to watch the 30Harvests docudrama which perfectly illustrates the agriculture challenges facing our farmers, ranchers, and communities and underscores the urgency, to act on climate change now.
Learn more about Vision creation, principles, and detailed outcomes.
Annapolis, Maryland (Friday, February 5th) – The Maryland State legislature convened in January for an unprecedented, largely virtual, legislative session. COVID-19 and other important issues from the trying year of 2020, has given the legislature plenty of priorities to focus on and overcome during the 2021 session. Given the limited time for legislators on the floor and priority issues to advance during a global pandemic; one would assume the Senate would not spend precious legislative time overriding a Gubernatorial veto on a bill for which the provisions have already been enacted through regulation. That is why they should not seek to override the veto on Senate Bill 300 “Pesticides – Use of Chlorpyrifos – Prohibition” that passed in the waning hours of the truncated 2020 session.
Senate Bill 300 sought to set a precedent as the first legislative ban of an agricultural pesticide in Maryland history; a process historically done through regulation at the Federal and State level. Senate Bill 300 sought to end the use of Chlorpyrifos by December 31, 2021, and regulations have already been enacted to do exactly that. Overriding the veto and expending limited floor time on this issue which has already been resolved instead of using that time to advance policies that could create real, positive change does not serve Maryland’s citizens.
During the 2020 legislative session, the agricultural community worked with bi-partisan members of the Senate and the Governor’s administration to craft a regulatory solution to meet the intent of Senate Bill 300. These regulations were drafted and submitted during the 2020 legislative session to phase Chlorpyrifos out of use in Maryland on the same timeline proposed in the bill and took effect in June 2020. Upon enactment of the regulations, aerial application of Chlorpyrifos was banned immediately. All other uses were banned as of December 30, 2020, with the exception of snap bean seed treatments and fruit trees in order to give those farmers time to seek out and transition to alternatives. Use of Chlorpyrifos in those instances will be eliminated as of June 30, 2021, with a provision for emergency exemptions until December 31, 2021, after which time, Chlorpyrifos will no longer be registered for use in Maryland. Finally, the regulations set up an advisory committee to help farmers transition to alternative products. There is nothing more to be achieved from a policy perspective by overriding the veto on Senate Bill 300. We believe proponents of the bill seek to override the veto to set a precedent of legislatively banning pesticides. Pesticides are reviewed and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency through an extensive, scientific process. Authority for pesticide regulation at the state level in Maryland is delegated to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. This process often takes nearly a decade to review and completed at least every fifteen years.
Governor Hogan was not alone in vetoing pesticide legislation in favor of regulation in 2020. Both Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) vetoed pesticide ban legislation in 2020 in favor of regulatory solutions. When Governor Cuomo vetoed Chlorpyrifos ban legislation in New York, he summed up the reasoning in his veto letter stating, “legislatively banning pesticides substitutes the legislature’s judgment for the expertise of chemists, health experts, and other subject matter experts in this field.” Any change to the regulations banning Chlorpyrifos would be a public and open process requiring submission to the Administration, Executive, and Legislative Review Committee of the Maryland State Legislature, publication in the Maryland Register, and public comment to be considered before enactment. That being said, the agricultural community has no intentions of going back on our word to support the regulatory phase-out of Chlorpyrifos in Maryland is not without consequences. Many farmers are now faced with the daunting task of finding alternative products to protect their crops to continue growing safe, reliable, and affordable food for Marylanders. We hope the Maryland legislature will spend their time improving the lives of their constituents through meaningful policy rather than overriding a veto on a bill that will achieve nothing beyond what has already been done through regulation.
Respectively Submitted by:
Melvin Baile, Maryland Grain Producers Association President, and Carroll County farmer
Wayne Stafford, Maryland Farm Bureau President, and Cecil County Farmer
Queenstown, Maryland (January 29, 2021) – For students working towards a degree in an agriculture-related field, the Maryland Grain Producers is currently accepting scholarship applications for the 2021 and 2022 school year.
Mitch Debnam, 2020 Scholarship Recipient, said, “this scholarship means that I can continue to follow my goal of completing my ag technician education and ultimately pursue my dream of becoming a full-time farmer.”
The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB) is honored to contribute to one’s secondary education goals and give back to four farm families across our state. The Maryland Grain Producers Association (MGPA) utilizes checkoff dollars from the MGPUB to support our future generation.
Student Eligibility:
Enrolled in or accepted to a 2-year or a 4-year institution studying agriculture or a related field.
Applicate or immediate family member must be involved in grain production and a member of the MGPA.
Members should not have received a checkoff refund in the past 12 months.
Currently residing in Maryland, but can attend school outside of the state.
Students are eligible to receive one of the four $2,500 scholarships being offered. Scholarships are to be awarded during the annual Commodity Classic held Thursday, July 22, 2021, at the Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park on Rt. 18 between Queenstown and Centreville.
The Maryland Grain Producers Scholarship Committee will select the recipients from applications with all identifying information redacted. An electronic version of the application and more information can be found online here. MGPA must have received your application by April 30th for consideration. Applications are accepted by mail or email. If you have any questions, please call 443-262-8491.
Grasonville, Maryland (Monday, January 18th) – Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board members met January 7-8, 2021 to consider 34 grant proposals covering research, education, and market development for funding. Check-off dollars from corn, wheat, barley, oats, and sorghum are used to support grants approved by the Utilization Board. The board is composed of grain farmers representing all regions of the state along with advisory members from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, University of Maryland, agriculture industry representatives, and the Maryland Agriculture Commission.
For the 2021 funding cycle, 29 grants were funded totaling $860,580 reinvested into the profitability of Maryland’s grain farmers. Grants include funding for MPT’s highly successful television show Maryland Farm and Harvest, LEAD Maryland, the My Maryland Farmers campaign, and many educational programs through Extension. Overall, 12 research projects were funded investigating wheat and barley varieties, critical nutrient levels in major crops, and the efficacy of pesticide and fungicides in Maryland conditions. These check-off funded projects seek to return the farmers’ investment to grain producers across the state. To see the grantee breakdown, click here.
Newly-elected Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board President, John Bruning said, “Funding projects to improve public understanding of agriculture, the development and maintenance of markets for grain, and learning more about managing the grains we produce, is crucial to the future success of Maryland’s grain farmers.”
The Maryland Grain Producers is grateful to have received strong proposals for funding, despite the unknowns 2021 holds, and appreciate the agriculture community’s work to advance our mission for producers across the state.
Queenstown, Maryland (Thursday, December 17th) – Thanks to modern technology, the Maryland House of Delegates Environment and Transportation Committee met with agricultural stakeholders and Maryland farmers for a virtual farm tour on Wednesday. Normally, our agricultural organizations host tours in the fall. Chairman Kumar Barve (District – 17) expressed that while virtual is not the same as being on the farms, the virtual tour was very informative, and hopes to get back out to rural Maryland soon. The tour hosted 25 live attendees and 45 live streamers, the committee saw 2020 corn harvest and cover crop planting in action, toured a poultry operation, and learned about organic grain farming and a direct-to-consumer produce market. The agriculture tour was developed by the Maryland Grain Producers in partnership with the Delmarva Chicken Association and Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, which can be viewed online here.
Thank you to our producers for their time and dedication to showcase the work that goes into growing our food! John Bruning, a farmer from Worcester County works with his Uncle Bill to produce corn, barley, soybeans, and wheat. John showed the committee the difference no-till and cover crops can make to improve soil health. Located in Hurlock, Maryland, Jason Scott grows grain with his parents and sells Pioneer Seed. Jason took the committee on a combine ride and shares about nutrient management. Nearby, Mary Lou Brown and her daughter Ashely, raise broilers in six houses for a contract company. The tour ends in Ruthsburg at an organic grain farm, Mason’s Heritage which also has a produce stand for local consumers. Bill Mason alongside Kate and Stephan Kraszewski run the farm and produce operation.
After the virtual tour, legislatures and farmers had the opportunity to discuss important topics. The committee was interested in no-till farming, especially in an organic operation. Steve Kraszewski with Masons Heritage in Ruthsburg, MD did a great job explaining how tillage is used for weed control in their organic corn and how they’re growing no-till organic soybeans. John Bruning who farms near the Chincoteague Bay discussed how no-till allows him to conserve moisture and increase organic matter in his sandy soils.
Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo (District-15) wanted to learn more about pest management. Jason Scott of Walnut Hill Farm explained he uses integrated pest management including; scouting, genetically modified seed, as well as the timing of planting and pesticides when necessary to control pests in his crop fields.
When it comes to producing row crops across the state, yield monitors are a popular technology. Delegate Regina T. Boyce (District-43) reacted, “This is high tech! Impressive.” Delegate Sheila Ruth (District-44B) was interested in how this information is used by farmers. Jason Scott shared that his family has utilized monitoring and mapping technology since 2000. These maps allow him to implement variable rate seeding and nutrient application.
As we all know, 2020 was an interesting year. The pandemic has changed operations and markets across the world. Legislators heard from farmers how COVID-19 impacted their families. For grain farmers in Maryland, the commodity prices were very low at the beginning of the year as a result of COVID-19 and international trade. At the beginning of August, China purchased a large amount of U.S. crops due to the drought in South America. Between international purchases and the Derecho storm in the Midwest, prices increased during harvest 2020, which was much appreciated by farmers. Jenell Eck, employee with Maryland Grain Producers who also owns a direct-to-consumer beef operation, stated they have seen a large increase in sales due to grocery store shelves going empty creating an increase in local demand. Lastly, from the local chicken industry aspect, Mary Lou Brown from Dorchester County believes the poultry industry has figured out the kinks in the processing plants and distribution and that the processing employees now “feel safer going to work than almost anywhere else.”
Rural broadband continues to be a challenge and the committee wanted to know how they can better serve the rural and agricultural community. Mary Lou Brown utilizes the internet to view her six poultry house controllers to see how her house environment and chicken well-being is when off the farm and coverage can be unreliable. Lindsay Thompson added that Maryland is less competitive for federal grants for broadband infrastructure due to the percentage of internet coverage in Maryland as a whole compared to other, more rural states.
The virtual tour ended with a strong discussion on producing and selling more local foods to our communities. Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo asked about programs that support local production and sale of food. Holly Porter with Delmarva Chicken Association pointed out that Maryland is fortunate in that the chicken they buy at the grocery store is local. Mason Farms Produce spoke about how federal grants allowed them to install high tunnels to extend their growing season. For a direct to consumer beef operation, Jenell Eck pointed out the need for more processing capacity and inspection. Bill Mason finalizes the conversation by encouraging support of the Maryland Department of Agriculture, specifically the Maryland Best Program, as well as the local soil conservation districts to continue best management practices on all operations.
Thank you to all those who tuned in during the event as Maryland’s number one industry was discussed with our policymakers. You can view the live stream here.
Maryland (December 17, 2020) – The Maryland Phosphorus Management Tool (PMT) Advisory Committee met Monday, December 14, 2020, to discuss the possibility of a one-year delay in full implementation scheduled for July of 2021. Ultimately, the committee voted 11-3 not to recommend a one-year delay before full-implementation of the PMT. Although Delmarva Chicken Association (DCA), Maryland Farm Bureau (MFB), and Maryland Grain Producers (MGPA) may have been on different sides of the issue as members of the PMT Advisory Committee; we are very much united in continuing to work towards solutions to ensure a smooth transition to the PMT for our members.
Maryland Farm Bureau has policy supporting the delay of full implementation of the PMT until the science behind the tool is validated. The PMT Advisory Committee was informed that the University of Maryland is conducting this field-level PMT research to be completed over 5 years. Understanding that the regulations do not allow for a delay of that tenure, DCA, MFB, and MGPA are committed to working with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to ensure that programs and resources are in place to assist farmers with efficiently and effectively implementing the PMT.
Each organization has communicated with the PMT Advisory Committee and MDA about programs and resources needed. We collectively request that MDA implement and report out the following working toward full implementation of the PMT in July:
Allow manure storage structures on non-poultry producing farms to be eligible for the Maryland Agricultural Cost Share (MACS). These structures would allow end-users to receive and store litter throughout the year to avoid the logjam of transport need in the spring.
Maintain funding for the Manure Transport Program and increase the mileage cap to allow farmers in central and southern Maryland to utilize the program.
Expand the Income Tax Subtraction Modification for Conservation Equipment to manure hauling (trucks and trailers) and spreading equipment.
Move forward with regional aggregation sites for poultry litter including Maryland Environmental Service sites and others. Ensure farmers will not be charged a tipping fee to send litter.
Continue to work closely with the University of Maryland and commodity groups to identify farmers throughout the state who can utilize and are interested in purchasing poultry litter as fertilizer.
Work to collect 2021 soils data as required by the PMT as soon as possible to validate acres available for manure application.
Validate that fertilizer distributors on the lower eastern shore have adequate storage, delivery, and application capacity to accommodate the increase in the commercial Nitrogen need as farmers transition from poultry litter as their nutrient source.
Continue efforts to explore transporting litter by railroad.
Convene the PMT advisory committee at-least bi-annually to offer updates and receive feedback on implementation.
Maryland farms and agribusinesses are leaders in conservation and environmental stewardship, consistently adopting new methods, inputs, and equipment to aid in those efforts. However, being ahead of the curve in this manner means that as our members are being asked to think outside the box and alter their farming practices according to new rules and regulations, so too should our state agency partners like MDA and the Maryland Department of the Environment. Swift and persistent action on the recommendations above and continued dialogue as the PMT is fully implemented will be critical to ensure minimal economic disruptions to Maryland’s farm families as they continue their leadership in conservation.
###
Delmarva Chicken Association is the Delmarva chicken industry’s voice as the premier membership association focusing on advocacy, education, and member relations. For more information, visit dcachicken.com.
Maryland Farm Bureau is the voice of Maryland’s rural and agricultural communities. We promote and protect Maryland agriculture and rural life with the support of our passionate membership, ensuring the future of our natural resources, food supply, and rural heritage that are all part of what makes Maryland our home. Learn more about the organization here.
Maryland Grain ProducersAssociation is a membership organization of grain producers across the state. The organization’s major role is to act as a vote for grain farmers, mostly through its legislative activities both at the state and federal level. Members stay informed through a bi-weekly newsletter, social media, and the Maryland Commodity Classic. Learn more about the organization here.
Queenstown, Maryland (November 4, 2020) – This spring threw a number of curveballs to all! The stay-at-home order in Maryland as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic took effect on March 30th. Marylanders stocked their homes with toilet paper, canned goods, protein, and many other essential items unsure what the future looked like. Grain producers across Maryland, quarantined in equipment preparing seed beds and planting their annual crop without knowing what market prices may look like in the coming months.
Today combines travel across Maryland’s country-side and harvest corn and sorghum row-by-row. Grain in Maryland is primarily used to feed our local chickens, but also has a number of other uses to benefit our consumers directly. One half of one percent of the value of each bushel of corn and other grains produced and sol in Maryland is remitted to the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board’s statutory Check-Off Program. The Utilization Board uses these farmer’s dollars to fulfill its mission to increase the profitability of Maryland grain farming through market development, education, and research.
Each year, organizations, universities, and others submit proposals for the board to review. In 2020, 33 proposals were approved to complete research on corn hybrids and fusarium head blight, educational programs such as MAEF, Farm and Harvest, and LEAD Maryland were funded lastly, building markets through ethanol and national grain organizations. Furthermore, check-off dollars are shared with the Maryland Grain Producers Association, who keeps grain members updated, organize the Maryland Commodity classic, provide student scholarships, share valuable information on social media and the website, and many more tasks to support producers across the state.
Every check-off dollar provided to the Maryland Grain Producers is used to improve our grain industry and markets for years to come.
XXX
The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board was established in 1991 to administer the Maryland Grain Checkoff Program. Grain Producers in Maryland voted to institute this voluntary checkoff program, which is funded by participating growers donating 0.5% of each Maryland bushel sold. With this funding, the board can fulfill its mission to increase the profitability of Maryland grain production and to improve public understanding of agriculture through promotion, education, and research.
Queenstown, Maryland (October 27, 2020) – The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB) participated in the United States Grain Council’s Virtual Grain Exchange this October. Over 1,200 registrants, from 54 countries tuned in online to hear from agriculture industry professionals and farmers during the two-day event. Attendees included International buyers, end-users of coarse grains and co-products, and members of the U.S. grain export value chain.
MGPUB Executive Director Lindsay Thompson, alongside Jenell Eck (MGPUB Public Relations and Program Director), Jason Scott (MGPUB Board Member and Farmer), and Chad Nagel with Nagel Farm Service, met with buyers from the UK, Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. Lindsay and the team were able to showcase Jason’s family operation during corn harvest through a virtual tour. Jason talked about Maryland’s cover crop program, his nutrient management plan, pesticide application, and much more. Once the grain leaves Jason’s operation, it travels to a nearby mill, similar to Nagel’s. Chad Nagel showed participants how they test each farmer’s harvest, store grain, and sell grain through the port of Baltimore and other avenues. The virtual attendees were interested in the combine’s technology and how much of Maryland’s corn is exported. According to the U.S. Grains Council, Maryland corn exports total $46.3 million and $100,000 for barley. You can view our recorded tour here.
Jason Scott with his dad, Doug.
“Although Maryland Grain farmers are fortunate to have the poultry industry as our #1 customer, trade is important for all farmers’ bottom line. We are thankful to be able to make these overseas connections virtually,” said Jason Scott, farmer.
During the two-day conference, attendees were able to take part in a virtual exhibit hall where they could learn about new advances in technology, crop production, and the various businesses that make up the farm-to-freight chain. MGPUB had a booth allowing participants to interact with staff online and learn more about our organization.
Maryland Grain looks forward to building connections with out international buyers in-person and online in the coming future, thank you to the U.S. Grains Council for this experience.
###
Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board was established in 1991 to administer the Maryland Grain Checkoff Program. Grain Producers in Maryland voted to institute this voluntary checkoff program, which is funded by participating growers donating 0.5% of each Maryland bushel sold. With this funding, the board can fulfill its mission to increase the profitability of Maryland grain production and to improve public understanding of agriculture through promotion, education, and research.
