Agricultural and Resources Economics (AREC)

Attend the next installment of MomentUMD Live: AGNR Conversations Around Grand Challenges, featuring Gene Kelly, Professor of Pedology and Director of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Kelly is leading a national effort to set priorities for the USDA's climate change research over the next decade. 

Registration is open for this event taking place on Tuesday, April 16 from 10am - noon in the Atrium of Stamp.

The evening aims to welcome you into the AGNR community and answer any questions you may have about becoming a Terp or deciding your future path.

Tickets are free for students admitted to the University and up to two guests (additional tickets available for $10). We will be providing food, beverages, and a special Terp-sundae!

The event takes place on Thursday, April 11, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm) at Rocky Point Creamery, owned and operated our very own alumni.

Our kickoff program features Nadine Burton, Extension faculty with UMES, with a talk titled - Building Community for Immigrants: Culturally Relevant Ethnic Crops.

The University of Maryland and the University of Delaware will host the Hiring and Retaining Farm Employees – What you Need to Know and Do four webinars every Friday in April at noon starting on April 5th and ending on April 26. The free webinars will cover developing an employee handbook for your operation, basic legal requirements, and how to incorporate benefits that agricultural employers deal with. The funding for this program is thanks to the Northeast Risk Management Education Center.

The webinar schedule includes:
April 5: Introduction to the Employer Guide and Workbook - Nate Bruce, Farm Business Management Specialist, UD Cooperative Extension;
April 12: Finding the right person, Employee Handbook, Paul Goeringer, Sr. Faculty Specialist and Extension Specialist, UMD
April 19: Overview of health insurance options with case study, Jesse Ketterman, PhD, AFC, Senior Agent, University of Maryland Extension
April 26: Overview retirement savings options with case study, Maria Pippidis, Extension Educator, Financial Wellness, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension;

“This program will be a great opportunity for agricultural employers to get valuable information on their legal responsibilities and options,” said Paul Goeringer. “This information will be useful for any employer, regardless of the size of the operation,” said Goeringer.

For more information or to register for the webinars, go to https://bit.ly/3uwXmdx - and do not hesitate to reach out to Paul Goeringer at lgoering@umd.edu if you have any questions.

On Wednesday, March 6, join the University of Maryland community for our largest annual day of giving. 

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) invites admitted undergraduate students to an in-person information session to learn about majors, resources, student opportunities, career options, scholarships and more within AGNR. 

The evening aims to welcome you into the AGNR community and answer any questions you may have about becoming a Terp or deciding your future path.

Tickets are free for students admitted to the University and up to two guests (additional tickets available for $10). We will be providing food, beverages, and a special Terp-sundae!

The event takes place on Friday, March 8, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm) at Layton's Chance Vineyards, owned and operated by UMD alumni and current Terp Parents!

Join us for a virtual Q&A with faculty and staff from AGNR to answer the questions you may have as a new Terp Parent!

Each Info Session will include a brief presentation - providing an overview of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and some UMD basics. Current AGNR students will be present to assist in answering guest questions. We'll follow this segment with a brief experience- unique to each Info Session date- intended to give you a taste of AGNR student life. These brief experiences may include a campus farm visit, a chance to chat at length with a student in your desired major, or a stop into one of the many, active AGNR research laboratories! 

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC) will host two one-day, in-person workshops on Feb 26th at Chesapeake College and March 12th in Boonsboro. The Cultivating Knowledge Together: Maryland’s Peer-Powered Land Use workshops will run from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Registration is required to attend. This program is complimentary and made possible through a Northeast Risk Management Education Center grant.

Elizabeth Thilmany, a Faculty Specialist in AREC, and Paul Goeringer, a Senior Faculty Specialist and Extension Specialist in agricultural law, will lead the workshops, covering topics such as leasing land, renewable energy policy implications, estate planning, and zoning, among other topics. Through interactive elements like live polling and case scenario decision-making, participants will actively engage with the material, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the processes and considerations involved in making informed land use decisions.

"These workshops offer a unique opportunity for landowners to connect and engage in peer-driven knowledge sharing, especially relevant in the context of owning farmland in the age of renewable energy development. Participants will leave with a comprehensive understanding of land ownership and valuable connections," said Thilmany.

Complimentary breakfast refreshments, coffee, and lunch will be provided during the workshops. Check-in begins at 9 am, with the workshops running from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The workshop dates and locations are:

February 26, Chesapeake College, 110 Higher Education Center, 1000 College Cir, Wye Mills, MD 21679, and
March 12, Washington County’s University of Maryland Extension Office, 7303 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713.

For more information or to register, go to https://agrisk.umd.edu/events. For more information, reach out to Elizabeth Thilmany at thilmany@umd.edu.

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2021‐70027‐34693.