Author: jenell_eck (Page 7 of 9)

Queenstown, Maryland (May 8, 2020) – Yesterday, Governor Hogan vetoed Senate Bill 300 which would have legislatively banned the use of Chlorpyrifos in Maryland. This would have been the first agricultural pesticide banned by the Maryland General Assembly. The Maryland Department of Agriculture filed regulations in February to phase out the use of Chlorpyrifos. This was a request from agricultural organizations including DE-MD Agribusiness Association, Delmarva Poultry Industry, Maryland Farm Bureau and Maryland Grain Producers, in order to avoid setting a precedent of the Maryland legislature banning pesticides.

Maryland’s agricultural coalition joined together requesting that Governor Hogan veto this legislation in order to maintain the statutory, science based, framework in place for pesticide regulation. In his veto letter, Hogan states, “Following discussions earlier this year with agricultural leaders, farmers, and legislators, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) crafted reasonable and responsible regulations to phase out all use of Chlorpyrifos by 2021. This regulatory action is in the best interest of the agriculture industry and the environment…Because of this regulatory action which has already occurred, Senate Bill 300 has been rendered moot.”

Governor Hogan joins other Governors across the country in vetoing legislative bans on Chlorpyrifos. Most recently, Washington state’s Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Governor Cuomo (D-NY) of New York also vetoed pesticide ban legislation. Governor Cuomo (D-NY) summed up the reasoning well 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.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviews hundreds, if not thousands, of scientific studies when considering approval of pesticide products. This is not a process that is feasible in a 90-day legislative session. While advocates of Senate Bill 300 argue that the regulatory route puts MDA in charge of banning chlorpyrifos and they’re not equipped to do so; the fact is that MDA would be responsible for promulgating regulations to implement and enforce Senate Bill 300 and are more than equipped to do so through delegated regulatory authority from EPA.

Maryland agriculture would like thank Governor Hogan for vetoing this legislation in order to maintain the robust regulatory process in place to safely and effectively govern pesticides.

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• Maryland Grain Producers
• Delaware Maryland Agribusiness Association
• Maryland Farm Bureau
• Delmarva Poultry Industry

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.”