Market and Trade News

• Rebuilding U.S. export competitiveness will take years, read more here.
• Argentina's government is launching a new "soy dollar" exchange rate, more here.
• Poultry remains a top customer for U.S. corn consuming over 1,250 million bushels, here.
• Parts of the Canadian Prairies have experienced the second-driest start in 45 years, more here.
• Japan will allow U.S. ethanol to successfully access 100% of the biofuel market, more here.
• Half of U.S. wheat is exported, learn more here.
• Check out the latest grain bids online here.

On-Farm Research - Enroll TODAY

Check-off dollars are funding three new on-farm research trials for the 2023 growing season. Conduct one of these three trials on your farm to see real-time results. The three trials are covering nitrogen rate, biological product evaluation, and potassium rate. Learn more online here.

AFBF Urges Biden to Repeal 2023 WOTUS Rule

The House and Senate, in a rare bipartisan vote, passed a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval of the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers 2023 WOTUS rule. Read more about what Farm Bureau said here.

Soil Health Success Row Crop Farmer

American Farmland Trust is looking for a "soil health successful" row crop farmer in Maryland. A $1,000 stipend will be available for you to be featured in the first Maryland soil health case study. Contact our team if you are interested by April 30th.

Fusarium Head Blight

U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative will begin sharing updates throughout the year. You can access the risk tool here and sign up for alerts here.

We Are Here for YOU

Lindsay Thompson, lindsay.mdag@gmail.com, Executive Director

Jenell Eck McHenry, jenell.mdag@gmail.com, Programs and PR Director

Marguerite Guare, marguerite.mdag@gmail.com, Administration

Jennifer Gannon, jennifer.mdag@gmail.com, Programs and PR Assistant

MGPA Legislative Update

Your membership dollars make it possible for Maryland Grain farmers to have strong representation in Annapolis during the legislative session. Our Executive Director, Lindsay Thompson serves as the voice for the best interest of Maryland grain farmers.

HB178/SB497 - State Designations - State Spirit - Maryland Rye

Delegate Reznik & Senator Hershey

Designating Maryland Rye or Maryland Rye Whiskey as the State spirit.

PASSED

MGPA Supports HB178

HB230/SB224- Department of the Environment - Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles - Regulations (Clean Trucks Act of 2023)

Delegate Love

This bill requires the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to adopt regulations establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles in the State. The regulations may update existing regulations and incorporate by reference the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) vehicle standards, as revised and updated. “Heavy duty vehicle” means a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) rating equal to or greater than 26,001 pounds (lbs). A “medium duty vehicle” is a vehicle with a GVW rating of between 10,000 and 26,000 lbs.

PASSED

MGPA is neutral with amendments

HB253/SB262 - Environment - On-Farm Composting Facilities - Permit Exemption

Delegate Shetty & Senator Gallion

Requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations to exempt an on-farm composting facility from the requirement to obtain a permit if the on-farm composting facility uses 40,000 square feet of area or less for active food scrap composting, composts only certain materials, records the amount and source of the feedstock composted and the date and time the feedstock arrived on the farm, retains the records for 3 years, and meets any other condition for a permit exemption specified in regulations.

PASSED

MGPA Supports HB253/SB262

HB319/SB158 - Pesticide Registration - PFAS Testing - Requirements

Delegate Stein & Senator Hettleman

Prohibiting, beginning January 1, 2024, the Secretary of Agriculture from registering a pesticide for use against mosquitoes in the State unless the distributor of the pesticide submits to the Department test results indicating the pesticide has passed the PFAS test and an affidavit attesting to the legitimacy of the PFAS test results; and prohibiting, beginning January 1, 2026, the Secretary from registering a pesticide for use in the State unless PFAS test results and a certain affidavit are submitted by the distributor.

THIS BILL HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A STUDY

MGPA is neutral on the bill as amended

HB378/SB310 - Natural Resources - Black Bear Conflict Reduction and Damage Reimbursement Fund - Uses

Delegates Love, Lehman, and T. Morgan

Altering the Black Bear Damage Reimbursement Fund to authorize grants from the Fund to be made for projects that reduce conflicts between black bears and humans; renaming the Black Bear Damage Reimbursement Fund to be the Black Bear Conflict Reduction and Damage Reimbursement Fund; increasing the minimum and maximum amounts of reimbursement from the Fund per person annually authorized for damage caused by black bears; requiring the Governor to include at least $50,000 in the annual budget bill for the Fund.

PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS

MGPA supports HB378/SB310 with amendments to alter the limits on funding.

HB389/SB34 - Department of Agriculture - State Specialist for Value-Added Agriculture

Delegate T. Morgan & Senator Hester

Establishing the State Ombudsman for Value-Added Agriculture as a position in the Department of Agriculture.

PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS

MGPA Supports HB389/SB34

SB225/HB499 - Environment - Publicly Owned Treatment Works - PFAS Monitoring

Requiring publicly owned treatment facilities to monitor and report levels of PFAS in effluent, influent, and biosolids.

WITHDRAWN

For information only.

HB934/SB779 - Natural Resources - Antlerless Deer Hunting Programs - Authorization

This bill would allow programs like the Lower Shore Doe Harvest Challenge to continue by clarifying in law that these raffle programs are allowable.

PASSED THE HOUSE

MGPA Supports HB934/SB779

HB983/SB327 - Hunting, Wildlife Conservation, and Outdoor Recreation - Funding, Promotion, Management, Licenses, Permits, and Stamps

Altering the purpose of the Heritage Conservation Fund to include acquiring interests in land that can be used by the general public for hunting; establishing the Wildlife Conservation, Education, and Outreach Program to provide outreach and foster an interest in outdoor recreation and stewardship, hunting, and wildlife conservation; establishing a stamp for hunting sika deer; authorizing a nonresident attending a college or university in the State to purchase a resident hunting license. This bill also authorizes migratory waterfowl hunting on Sundays.

PASSED as amended

MGPA Supports HB983/SB327 with an amendment to remove the Sunday waterfowl hunting provision.

Growth Energy Launches Campaign to Protect Summer Savings with E15

Calling on President Biden's Environmental Protection Agency to ensure uninterrupted access to cleaner, more affordable E15 fuel during the fast-approaching summer driving season. Last year, E15 saved drivers nearly a dollar per gallon in some areas with an average savings of $0.16 per gallon across the country. Read more here. Ask your representative to co-sponsor the Next Gen Fuels Act here.

Corteva To Use Tech To Beat Corn Diseases

The key is pulling all those disease traits together into a single genetic package and will allow plant breeders to focus on yield and performance traits. The package will protect plants from northern corn leaf blight, southern rust, gray leaf spot, and anthracnose stalk rot. Read more here.

How to Approach the 4Rs of Nutrient Stewardship in 2023

Many of today's corn hybrids have a relative maturity between 90 to 120 days. About half of the phosphorus needs by the plant is taken up until the tasseling stage, with the other half used by the plant from the point until physiological maturity. Read more here.

Agriculture and the Economy

When comparing today's farm debt to the 1980s, farmers today are better positioned to maintain and pay down relatively equivalent levels of debt. The full press release can be found here. Listen to the most recent NCGA podcast on bank failure and the rural economy here.

UMES Asking for More Funding From the Government

"For a new building and new request that we're asking for and that is our agriculture research education complex. We're asking for 17 million dollars from the state because we have already raised almost 14 million from the federal government through USDA," says UMES President, Dr. Heidi Anderson. More here.

USW Welcomes Syngenta's Hybrid Wheat Commitment

U.S. Wheat Associates is encouraged that technology company Syngenta expects to have commercial-scale hard red spring and hard red winter wheat seed available for U.S. farmers within the next three years. The hybrid wheat should increase yields by 10% to 12% over current varieties. Learn more here.

Male-sterile Sorghum May Use Less Water

Corn silage has been commonly used to feed dairy cattle, but it requires more water than sorghum. After two years of research there is still concern on the amount of metabolizable energy sorghum produces in relationship to the amount of lactating cow needs. More research is coming this year for crop growth and cow performance. Read the full story here.

Precision NM, Mnaure Injection, and Soil Health Funding

Available to EQIP-eligible farmers in Maryland to fund a variety of practices, applications are due April 14th. Contact your local NRCS office for next steps. Learn more here.

Split Nitrogen Cost-Share

For the third and final year, the Delaware Maryland 4R Alliance is offering $15 an acre to add an additional split of nitrogen to their 2023 corn crop. Learn more here, if interested contact Jenell Eck McHenry at 443-262-6969 by April 15th.

CDL Grant

The Maryland Grain Producers is now offering two grants in the amount of $1,500 to members working on obtaining their Class A Commercial Drivers License. Applications are due May 5th and can be found here.

Scrap Tire Drop-Off Days

Going NOW until June 30th, Maryland Farm Bureau is partnering with the Maryland Department of the Environment for its annual scrap tire event. Locations and times vary, learn more here.

Delmarva Chicken Association Scholarship

Applications are being accepted for undergraduate scholarships of $2,000 and grade-degree scholarships of $3,000. Complete applications must be received no later than 4:30 PM on Friday, April 7th. Apply online here.

Mountaire Farm to Table Scholarship

Mountaire is offering a new "Farm to Table" scholarship for high school seniors with a passion for agriculture, the culinary arts, or related fields which support food production and feeding the world. Each month two students will be awarded and featured, nominations are ongoing and can be found online here.

Applications Open for $110,000 in Ag Scholarships

Students can apply for 1 of the 55 $2,000 scholarships from Growmark. Applications can be submitted online by May 12th. Learn more here.