Market and Trade News

• Japanese leader visits U.S. to learn more about ethanol benefits, more here.
• Russia now faces its own shipping challenges, more here.
• U.S. Wheat's most recent harvest report can be found here.
• Check out the latest grain bids online here.

Maryland Crop Progress

• Corn is 89% fair or in better condition.
• Corn is 92% in silking stage and 51% in the milk stage.
• The webpage can be found here.

Learn more about our 2023 Maryland Grain Producers Scholarship Recipients here.

2023 Maryland Cover Crop Program

The first deadline for Maryland Cover Crops is September 10th for aerial application into standing corn. More information can be found here.

Mid-Atlantic 4R Symposium

Join the Delaware Maryland 4R Alliance and Pennsylvania 4R Alliance for their first-ever joint 4R Symposium on August 31st. This free event has a great line-up of speakers and will be held at Cecil College in North East, MD. Registration is required for lunch numbers, register for free here.

Farm Bill for America's Families

Stay up to date on the current Farm Bill legislation and how you can play a crucial role in the development here.

The September Farm Foundation Forum, What to Expect From the 2023 Farm Bill Now, will provide an updated forecast of the current factors influencing how the next farm bill is being shaped and what the likely policy outcomes will be. Listen on September 28th at 10:00 AM. Register for the webinar here.

August Agronomy News

We Are Here for YOU

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

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

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

Elaine Draper, thompsonagconsulting@gmail.com, Administrative Assistant

Court Ruling Affirms MD. Chicken Farm Permits are Legal & Effective

The Maryland Supreme Court upheld a livestock farm water quality permit written by the Maryland Department of the Environment that had been challenged in court by environmental activists. The appellate court's ruling also found that MDE's best management practices-based regulatory framework for the state's permit was "reasonable" and "consistent with federal and state law." Read more here.

Learning More About Giant Miscanthus

Join the University of Maryland Extension on Thursday, August 24th from 9:00 to 11:00 AM at Tudor Farm to hear about Giant Miscanthus production on marginal land. Learn about growing giant miscanthus as a perennial alternative crop in Maryland. Register and learn more here.

Maryland Commodity Classic

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 25th Annual Maryland Commodity Classic a huge success! We couldn't have done it without our sponsors, our members, and our volunteers. Thank you!

Save the date for the 26th event on July 25, 2024. A great event is already in the works.

Visit our website here.

If you have any feedback you would like to share, please let our team know and we will keep everything in mind for future events.

Study: Salt Patches Ruining Farmland

The amount of coastal Delmarva Farmland is so saturated with salt that nothing will grow nearly doubled between 2011 and 2017, and more than 20,000 acres turned into marsh. Read more about the study online here.

Finding Good Help is Tough

Certain agricultural jobs are not for everyone, especially if a prospective worker did not grow up on a farm. It's physically demanding with a lot of standing and turning, and sometimes in a cold or less than desirable environment. Today, the pool of workers to fill all U.S. jobs remains tight with as many as 4.4 million workers missing from the labor force with 9.6 million job openings as of August 1, 2023. Read the full story here.

MDA Reminds Rural Residents of Increase in Low-Flying Planes

Citizens in rural areas are to expect an increase in low-flying airplanes or helicopters through October 10th. This is the time of year that farmers enrolled in Maryland's Cover Crop Program are aerially seeding small grains in their fields to help protect water quality in local streams and the Chesapeake Bay and improve their soil's health. Read more here.

Grassley, Brown Introduce Bill to Target Farm Payments

Bipartisan legislation to rein in abuse of the farm payment system and ensure taxpayer support is targeted to those actively engaged in farming. The Farm Program Integrity Act would create a hard cap of $250,000 in total commodity support for any one farm operation and require beneficiaries of the system to spend at least 50% of each year engaged in farm labor or management. More here.

2023 Maryland County Fair and Show Schedule

View this guide to see the 2023 fair schedule across the state. County fairs are currently ongoing. View the guide here.

National Corn Yield Contest

The 2023 corn yield contest is currently accepting farms. The entry period closes on August 16th. Learn more here.

$500 Million for Improved Regional Conservation Partnership Program

RCPP leverages a voluntary approach to conservation that expands the reach of conservation efforts and climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships. Increased funding is made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. Applications are now being accepted through August 18th. Learn more here.

Farm Progress Show

The 2023 Farm Progress Show is celebrating its 70th anniversary in Decatur, IL on August 29th -31st. Learn more online here.

Webinar - Balancing Needs at the Meat Case

Held by USFRA on August 30th at 11:00 AM, listen in on the trends and insights into today's consumers. A closer look at the research and segments will be shared. Register online here.

Mid-Atlantic 4R Symposium

The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association is having a 4R symposium in lieu of a 4R field day at Cecil College on August 31st. Register for free here.

MAEF Scholarship Golf Tournament

The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation will hold its annual scholarship golf tournament on September 13th at Oakmont Green Golf Course in Hampstead, MD. Learn more here.

USFRA's Honor the Harvest

USFRA is having its annual event from September 13th through 14th. More information is forthcoming and will be available online here.

Delmarva Chicken Festival

A beloved public event is returning this year to celebrate 100 years of growing chicken on the Delmarva. The free festival will take place October 7, 2023, from 1:00 - 7:00 PM at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, MD. More here.

National Sorghum Yield Contest

Registration is currently open and closes on November 15th. Learn more here.