Agricultural and Resources Economics (AREC)

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC), University of Maryland Extension, and the Ag Law Education Initiative will host three one-day workshops on Jan. 13th in Mountain Lake Park, Jan. 27th at the Central MD Research and Education Center, and Feb. 11 at the Eastern Shore Hospital Center, in the English Room. The Farm Succession and Estate Planning workshops will be from 10 am to 2:30 pm.

The free program will assist Maryland farm families in starting the estate planning process, including creating a successful succession plan, having difficult conversations, and health insurance options for farmers. A grant funds the program through the Northeast Risk Management Education Center.

The workshop will feature Dr. Jesse Ketterman, Senior Agent, Dr. Alex Chan, Senior Agent, and a Farm Succession Coordinator, and Paul Goeringer, a Principal Faculty Specialist and Extension Specialist in agricultural law.

“Farm families often want to plan for the future but don’t always know where to start,” said Paul Goeringer. “These workshops give Maryland landowners the tools, confidence, and practical guidance they need to begin building a succession plan that protects both their operations and their families for generations to come.”

Lunch is provided with the workshops. Each workshop will begin at 9:45 am with a check-in, and the workshops will run from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. Participants will receive copies of Extension fact sheets and other valuable documents as a part of the workshop series. This work is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC), University of Maryland Extension, and the Ag Law Education Initiative will host three one-day workshops on Jan. 13th in Mountain Lake Park, Jan. 27th at the Central MD Research and Education Center, and Feb. 11 at the Eastern Shore Hospital Center, in the English Room. The Farm Succession and Estate Planning workshops will be from 10 am to 2:30 pm.

The free program will assist Maryland farm families in starting the estate planning process, including creating a successful succession plan, having difficult conversations, and health insurance options for farmers. A grant funds the program through the Northeast Risk Management Education Center.

The workshop will feature Dr. Jesse Ketterman, Senior Agent, Dr. Alex Chan, Senior Agent, and a Farm Succession Coordinator, and Paul Goeringer, a Principal Faculty Specialist and Extension Specialist in agricultural law.

“Farm families often want to plan for the future but don’t always know where to start,” said Paul Goeringer. “These workshops give Maryland landowners the tools, confidence, and practical guidance they need to begin building a succession plan that protects both their operations and their families for generations to come.”
Lunch is provided with the workshops. Each workshop will begin at 9:45 am with a check-in, and the workshops will run from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. The dates and locations are:

January 13, Garrett County University of Maryland Extension Office, 1916 MD-135, Mountain Lake Park, MD 21550.

January 27, Central Maryland Research and Education Center, 4240 Folly Quarter Road, Bldg 671, Ellicott City, MD 21042, and

February 11, Eastern Shore Hospital Center, English Room, 5262 Woods Rd, Cambridge, MD 21613.

Participants will receive copies of Extension fact sheets and other valuable documents as a part of the workshop series.

Will you be at the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) in January? Join us for a tour of the show floor and happy hour on Thursday, January 8! Please RSVP for the tour and/or happy hour by emailing us at umdagnralumni@gmail.com.

Join us on April 9, 2026, at 5 PM for the annual AGNR Discovery and Innovation Night! This signature event unites AGNR students, faculty, staff, alumni, and industry leaders for an evening of enriching connections. For a look at previous years' programs, check out this site.

The highlight of the evening is the Student Experience Showcase, where students will proudly present and celebrate their transformative experiences beyond the classroom, including internships, study abroad programs, research projects, and more.

This is a free event open to the UMD community and its constituents. 

Student Attendee Registration: https://go.umd.edu/DIN26 

Student Presenter Interest Form: https://go.umd.edu/DINpresenter26

Employer, Alumni, and Faculty/Staff Sign Up: https://go.umd.edu/DINguest26 

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC), University of Maryland Extension, and the Ag Law Education Initiative will host three one-day workshops on Jan. 13th in Mountain Lake Park, Jan. 27th at the Central MD Research and Education Center, and Feb. 11 at the Eastern Shore Hospital Center, in the English Room. The Farm Succession and Estate Planning workshops will be from 10 am to 2:30 pm.
The free program will assist Maryland farm families in starting the estate planning process, including creating a successful succession plan, having difficult conversations, and health insurance options for farmers. A grant funds the program through the Northeast Risk Management Education Center.

Session 2 topic discussion includes the MDA’s Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF), Maryland Department of Natural Resources leasing programs, and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.
Date: November 19, 2025
Time: 4pm to 5:30pm EST
Location: Zoom or at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School
Reception with refreshments to follow
Register Here
View Flyer Here

Pick up your spirits and a pumpkin at AGNR’s annual Pick & Treat! 🎃

Take a break from UMD Spooky Season (aka Midterms) on Thursday, October 30 from 2:30-4:30pm to enjoy some festive fall fun as we turn the Animal Sciences courtyard into a pumpkin patch.

Mark your calendars to come pick a pumpkin grown at our very own Wye Research & Education Center and discover what treats await! Costumes and furry companions are welcome!

You're invited to join us for AGNR’s 7th annual Cornerstone event on Thursday, October 23 at The Adele H. Stamp Student Union—Center for Campus Life. 

We're excited to welcome keynote speaker, Sanjay K. Rai, secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). 

In his role, Rai is responsible for statewide policies for Maryland's 14 public 4-year institutions, 16 community colleges, 32 private institutions, and more than 140 private career schools. His programming and partnerships have expanded educational access, improved student success, and reduced achievement gaps for all learners. He will deliver a talk on the use of hashtagAI to improve instruction and engagement with students. 

The event will also feature a free lunch and a student poster competition featuring the excellent work of our students. Guests may also register on-site the day of the event. 

Join the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Alumni Network on Saturday, October 4 before the Washington vs. Maryland football game for food & fun on Family Weekend. Reconnect with fellow alums, enjoy tailgate eats, and get game-day ready AGNR-style. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate with your UMD family—see you there!

Come learn about the field of ag communications with AGNR alum, Katrina Stacey. She will discuss her career path in ag communications, provide insight into her current role, and offer advice for entering and progressing within the field.

A bit more about Katrina:

Katrina serves as Field to Market's Senior Manager of Communications and Marketing, driving strategic marketing and communications to build upon and enhance Field to Market's reputation as the voice of the agriculture value chain. Katrina comes to Field to Market from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), where she served as the organization's communications coordinator for almost three years. In this role, she developed and delivered communications among NACD's stakeholders, managed NACD's social media channels, and supported the execution of NACD meetings. She also served as the staff lead on a number of NACD's soil health projects, including soil health case study projects and a soil testing project. Katrina received a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, in Environmental Science and Policy and concentrated her studies in agriculture.