MARYLAND GRAIN PRODUCERS
Grain News & Updates
MGPUB Offering $10,000 in College Scholarships
The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board will be awarding up to four $2,500 scholarships again this year, funded by the Maryland Grain Checkoff Program, which supports promotion, education, and research projects beneficial to the grain industry. The purpose of the scholarship program is to provide financial support to students interested in pursuing an agriculturally related career. Given the dynamic changes in agriculture today, the advances in biotechnology, global positioning systems, environmental protection, drone technology, and crop and livestock production, Maryland's grain farmers believe it is very important to encourage students to consider careers in agriculture by supporting their educational needs through the use of scholarships.

Interested students should return a completed application. The Maryland Grain Producers Scholarship Committee may request additional information prior to the selection. Applications must be received by June 1st.   

House Ag Committee Passes Farm Bill
A highly partisan farm bill was passed out of the House Ag Committee last Thursday, April 18. “The House Agriculture Committee’s action is the first step to enacting a new farm bill. NCGA is pleased the bill restores full funding to the Market Access and Foreign Market Development Programs and makes administrative reforms to the revenue-based Agriculture Risk Coverage Program (ARC), which are welcome provisions for corn farmers facing uncertain times. NCGA also appreciates the bill’s expansion of grower participation in working lands conservation programs and the research title’s funding for the phenotyping initiative,” said National Corn Grower Association (NCGA) President Kevin Skunes. There is however, controversy surrounding the bill stemming from changes to the Nutrition title and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Click here to read a summary of proposed changes in the farm bill, including:
  • Re-election in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs
  • Base Acres adjustments; Elimination of the SAMs/Dun requirement
  • Increase in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage cap
  • Phasing out of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
  • Increased funding for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
  • Maintained funding for Foreign Market Development (FMD) and Market Access Program (MAP), which will now be under the umbrella program called the International Market Development Program
  • Reauthorization of the Food for Progress and Food for Peace programs
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work requirements and other limitations
  • Modification of the 3 year experience eligibility requirement for Farm Ownership
  • Loans and increase loan limits
  • Reauthorization of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network
  • Research priorities
  • Pre-emption of more restrictive regulations at the local level
  • Elimination of the permit under the Clean Water Act for the application of pesticides on or near navigable waters
  • Coverage for Forage and Grazing and Prevention of Duplicative Coverage in Crop Insurance
Bayer Launches First U.S. Forward Farm in Rock Hall, Maryland
Bayer ForwardFarming is a knowledge platform that demonstrates sustainable agriculture in practice. In partnership with independent farmers, the initiative creates opportunities for demonstration, dialogue and collaboration on farms around the world. Bayer expanded this initiative last week by holding their first U.S. Farm Launch at Trey Hill’s Harborview Farms in Rock Hall, Maryland. Trey joins a network of 11 other farmers located in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy.

Representatives from Bayer offices abroad as well as representatives from the Maryland Grain Producers, National Corn Growers Association, USDA, University of Maryland, University of Delaware, and more were all present for the launch event. Innovations in precision ag equipment, integrated pest management, renewable energy, cover crops, soil health, and habitat enhancement on the farm were showcased throughout the day. The attendees who joined from overseas were delighted by the number of earthworms they saw throughout the day! Bayer hopes that moving forward, Harborview Farms can serve as a demonstration farm for legislators, thanks to its close proximity to Washington D.C., and will allow for a better understanding of modern agriculture. 

Maryland Farmers Talk Sustainability
Last week, Maryland CommonGround volunteers took to the airwaves to share the story of sustainability with people across the country through a series of television and radio interviews. Funded through the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Reputation program, the media tour was timed to tell the story of sustainability directly leading up to Earth Day. The interviews were hosted by Paula and Tom Linthicum at Seneca Ayr Farms in Montgomery County, allowing television audiences to see beyond the farm gate. In addition to Paula, participants included Linda Burrier, Amanda Heilman and Jessica Armacost. The interviews were complimented by a wrap up  Facebook Live event  which aired on both the NCGA and the MyMDfarmers  page.
 
Throughout the day, the women responded to a variety of specific questions about production practices, technology and the many ways in which corn is used to make everyone’s daily life more sustainable. Noting that America’s farmers want to be a resource for an interested public removed from the farm, they invited those who wish to learn more about food and farming to visit various online resources.

The event included 30 interviews, both live and taped, which will reach 23 specific media markets and radio listeners nationally. A number of the stations involved in this tour aired the interviews live, but quite a few others taped the segments to run over the coming weeks. 

Ethanol Remains Under Fire - Act Now!
Thanks to farmers, President Trump and Members of Congress have been hearing a lot about how important the RFS is. Unfortunately, the White House is still considering cutting a deal for oil refiners as soon as next week that could hurt farmers. In the meantime, EPA continues to take actions behind closed doors that benefit refiners at the expense of farmers. That means we can't let up the pressure. We are asking farmers to continue to make your voice heard NOW.
 
While the White House weighs options, the EPA continues to undermine and mess with the RFS, granting questionable RFS waivers to refiners with no transparency and failing to provide regulatory parity for higher blends of ethanol. The EPA continues to check-off the items on Big-Oil's wish list while gutting corn and ethanol demand and undermining the President's commitment to the RFS in the process. 
 
It's time for EPA and the White House to consider real solutions, including RVP parity that would allow year-round sales of blends greater than 10 percent. The oil industry has already gotten a gift from the EPA. Since these discussions about capping RIN prices started in January, RIN prices have fallen 50 percent. We need to tell the President that 'enough is enough.'