Agriculture

You are invited to a Fields Crops Research Twilight, Barbecue and Ice Cream Social at the Central Maryland Research & Education Center, 2005 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, Maryland on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 from 4:00 to 9:00 PM. A barbecue dinner will be served at 4:00 pm followed by homemade ice cream prior to the evening tour. University of Maryland Extension Educators and Specialists will showcase their field crop, vegetable and fruit research plots.

AGNR faculty and staff are invited to the 2024 State of the College and Cornerstone Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 8 at 9:00am at the Riggs Alumni Center. The Cornerstone Awards serves to recognize an AGNR faculty or staff member or an external partner in actively promoting awareness of one of the Strategic Initiatives who demonstrates innovation, and provides a model for others in the college.

Presenter: Shane Kunkleman, Vice President Agribusiness
Location: University of Delaware - Carvel Research & Education Center Building
Room 3, 16483 County Seat Hwy., Georgetown, DE 19947
Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Cost: Free and lunch will be provided if pre-registered
Register: https://tinyurl.com/GLBinsurance
**If you need special assistance, please let us know by April 20, 2024,
by emailing Sheila at soscar@umd.edu.

With planting season upon us , it is a great time to refresh your pest identification and management skills. Join the University of Maryland Extension for a one-day review class about integrated pest management. Whether you have need a refresh or this is your first time hear about IPM and want a basic overview this class is for you. During this class we will review the principle of integrated pest management and how to use it to reduce plant diseases, insect damage, and weeds on the farm. We will also go over basic skills for identifying common insect pests and weeds in Maryland.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact Emily Zobel at 410-228-8800 by April 11, 2024.
Disponible en español a pedido. 410-228-8800.

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number SNE22-005-MD.

The 7th-grade students of Queen Anne’s County Public Schools are invited to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience to learn about Maryland’s number one industry, agriculture. As our population continues to grow, agriculture is crucial for our survival; therefore, a coalition of agricultural educators and professionals join together to host an educational experience for all 7th-grade students across our county.

Thursday, May 16, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  |  Cost: Free
Location: 4956 Muddy Creek Road, West River, MD 20778

Join University of Maryland Extension, NRCS, and Sarah Campbell for an educational pasture walk at New Roots Farm in West River, MD (Anne Arundel county).

New Roots Farm raises grass-finished beef, grass-fed lamb, pastured pork, and pastured poultry using rotational grazing practices and offers beef, chicken, lamb, and pork at their on-farm market store. Topics of discussion will include finishing cattle on grass, genetic selection for grass-finished livestock, and pastured pigs.

Sponsored by University of Maryland Extension and NE SARE

If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity please contact us at least 2 weeks prior to the event.

University of Maryland Extension programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

Tuesday April 16, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  |  Cost: Free
Location: 3250 Old Court Road, Pikesville, MD 21208

Join University of Maryland Extension, NRCS, and Joe Shaffer for an educational pasture walk at Hidden Waters Farm in Pikesville, MD (Baltimore county).

Hidden Waters raises beef, pork, poultry, and produce using rotational grazing practices to optimize soil health and sells their products at their on-farm market store. Topics of discussion will include working towards increasing plant and animal diversity and their challenges and successes with integrated multi-species grazing.

Sponsored by University of Maryland Extension and NE SARE

If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity please contact us at least 2 weeks prior to the event.

University of Maryland Extension programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

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.

Farmer Training & Certification (FTC) Online Course

For Agronomic Crop and Animal Operations
Spring 2024: April 1st-May 3rd “Write Your Own Nutrient Management Plan”

Description: An opportunity for producers with cropland and pastures in Maryland who use commercial fertilizer and/or manure to learn how to write nutrient management plans (NMPs) for their operation that meet Maryland Department of Agriculture’s regulations.

Please Advise: The course requires a minimum time commitment of 15-20 hours over 5 weeks. Larger, more complicated farm operations and those with high phosphorus soil test levels may require additional training and a larger time commitment. Farmers should have soil and manure analyses prior to the second week of training.

Before registering, ensure you have the required materials and skills:

• Required Materials/Technology:
  • Reliable internet connection
  • Email address
  • Computer with Windows 7 or later (NuMan Pro software is not compatible with Mac)
  • Printer
  • Microsoft Word and Excel
  • PDF reader software
• Required Skills
  • Competency in high school math
  • Intermediate computer skills including:
    • Familiarity with web browsing
    • Experience with MS Office programs (Word, Excel),PDF readers (Adobe Acrobat or similar)
    • Ability to download/open/save/retrieve computer files
    • Ability to learn a new software program(NuMan Pro)

You will receive:

• Access to the Online Course – Administered via the University of Maryland’s Enterprise Learning Management Systems (ELMS-Canvas).
• A comprehensive training binder (electronic version- Google Drive Folder) –Consists of all materials referenced throughout the course, compiled in one place.
• NuMan Pro software
• Certification – Producers who pass the exam and complete development of their NMP will be certified by MDA to write their own NMPs.
• Voucher training credits – This class will fulfill the nutrient applicator voucher training requirements.

Cost and Registration Information:

• Space is limited therefore, register early. Registration will close on 3/27/24 or when capacity is reached.
• Cost for the course is a $20 exam fee (to be paid directly to MDA following registration, no later than3/27/24) and $25 for NuMan Pro Software
• If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this training please contact Kayla Griffith(kmgriffi@umd.edu) prior to 4/25/24.
• To register for the Spring 2024 FTC Online offering April 2024-May 2024 (see course outline below), go to https://go.umd.edu/april24OnlineFTC

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.