Dorchester County

Saltwater intrusion represents one of the foremost challenges related to climate change facing farmers in coastal communities in the Mid-Atlantic region. SALT, a two-day conference focused on saltwater intrusion and sea level rise in coastal agroecosystems, will be held June 11 and 12, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, Md., and hopes to address what is happening in academics and on the ground to face it.

SALT stands for “Salinity-Affected Lands in Transition.” The conference will feature expert speakers discussing saltwater intrusion and sea level rise, case studies of areas across the country and hemisphere, environmental justice, coastal farming, ghost forests, adaptation solutions and mitigation strategies.

“The SALT Conference will bring together practitioners, policy-makers, and scientists to discuss issues related to sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion across the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. I am excited to share some of our lessons learned from projects in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia (funded by USDA-NIFA, NFWF, and the NSF) and learn from others who are facing similar challenges across the U.S. and the world,” said Dr. Kate Tully, a University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources researcher investigating saltwater intrusion on the Delmarva Peninsula. “The SALT conference will provide a platform for information sharing, partnership building, and networking. I'm hoping for a great turnout.”

This conference highlights research being conducted by the University of Maryland (UMD) Agroecology Lab, the University of Delaware (UD) and George Washington University (GWU) on the Delmarva Peninsula, which comprises the coastal areas of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. The partners have been researching the extent and economic impact of saltwater intrusion in the region and developing potential mitigation strategies for land affected by saltwater intrusion. The Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology has been partnering with researchers from these institutions on outreach and stakeholder engagement for the project.

This research and conference are supported by grants from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the National Science Foundation. People can register for the conference online at go.umd.edu/SALT. Registration is open until June 3, 2024.

This conference is complemented by a podcast series called Delmarva’s Invisible Flood. The three-episode series features conversations with the researchers at UMD, UD and GWU who are working on the ground to test and implement mitigation strategies, map saltwater intrusion’s extent, and deduce its impact on society. The podcast series can be found at hughescenter.podbean.com.

The University of Maryland Extension Dorchester County Office will host a kids' spring fling event at the Cambridge Library (303 Gay St. Cambridge, MD) on May 4 from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There will be spring-themed activities and a goat your kids can get their picture taken with. Come pet and get your picture taken with a goat, plant a flower, learn about bees, and more.

This event is free, and registration is not required. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in either of these UME events, please get in touch with Erica or Emily at the UME Dorchester County office at 410-228-8800 by April 19.

University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all people and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression.

Join the University of Maryland Extension Dorchester County Master Gardeners on April 30th at 5:00 p.m. at the Cambridge Library (303 Gay St. Cambridge, MD) to learn the basics of growing tomatoes. Come learn the ins and outs of this favorite summer vegetable crop. What varieties are best for our area? What is the difference between a hybrid and a heirloom tomato? Why do need to cage them? What is a tomato sucker and how do you remove them?

May 9, 2024 9:30am-2:30pm
Planting green demonstration, Biomass and root sampling activities, Soil pit investigation, Slug scouting and control methods, Single species and mixes, sandy and clayey soils
The field day will include coffee, light breakfast and lunch

This year’s Poultry Grower Expo will include a tradeshow with 25+ businesses and several educational sessions throughout the day, including generators, generator maintenance, energy savings, solar opportunities, heater repair, and summer readiness.

Join ROPTA as we identify the factors that cause pain, an overview of the different types of pain, and some strategies for managing pain.

This talk will b egiven twice and two different locations.

Thursday March 14, at 3:30 at the Hurlock Old Library Building (222 S Main St, Hurlock, MD). Free.

Tuesday, March 19, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Dorchester County Historical Society (1003 Greenway Drive, Cambridge, MD). $5 for non members.

Registration Includes:
• Course Materials (Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v 1.2)

• Course Certificate from the Produce Safety Alliance upon successful completion of course materials

Who Should Attend?
Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires

‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?
The trainers will cover content contained in these eight modules:

• Introduction to Produce Safety

• Role of Maryland Dept. of Agriculture and On-Farm Readiness Reviews

• Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training

• Soil Amendments

• Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use

• Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)

• Postharvest Handling and Sanitation

• How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, key parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module. There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions. Appropriate time will be made for breaks at the discretion of the instructors.

Participation requirements for in-person attendees include:
• Course attendance and participation will be monitored. Any attendee who does not participate for the duration of the course will not be eligible for certification.

• A hard-copy Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v1.2 will be available to each attendee prior to the course administration.

• Participants are expected to complete and return course evaluations within one week of completing the course.

Funding for this series of work described in this article is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007444 totaling $523,497 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

The 2024 Agronomy Meeting  will take place at 4:30 pm on February 22, 2024, at the Caroline County 4-H & Youth Park, located at 8230 Detour Rd., Denton, Md. 21629.

This event is free and counts for 2024 private pesticide and nutrient re-certifications.

Register to reserve a spot at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-agronomy-meeting-registration-780369625557?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Commercial Vegetable Growers throughout the region are invited to the 2024 Eastern Shore Vegetable Growers Meeting offered by the University of Maryland Extension.

Speakers will present on crop variety trials, weed management, tomato variety survey, watermelon spacing trial, pumpkin research, sweet corn IPM, MDA updates, and more!