Market and Trade News

• Corn, wheat, and soybean prices are down, more here.
• Late Brazil corn planting could be detrimental to yields, more here.
• USDA released the 2025/2026 Grains and Oilseeds Outlook, pegging U.S. corn and wheat acres higher year-over-year while soybean acres were expected to decrease. More here.
• President Trump revealed plans to impose tariffs on “external” agricultural products beginning April 2nd. Tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products went in place over night. More here. See the White House fact sheet here.
• China prepares counter tariffs which likely include U.S. ag products, more here.
• Year-round E15 has been reintroduced to Congress, more here. Sign NCGA's letter to congress here.

Top News

Catastrophic Cuts Recommended to Agricultural Programs in Maryland

The Maryland Department of Legislative Services has recommended cuts to the budget that would completely eliminate funding for the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) agricultural easement acquisition and eliminate funding for a variety of programs at the Maryland Department of Agriculture from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.

This would cut $21.6M from MALPF for this fiscal year and $120M through FY29. MALPF is consistently oversubscribed and this cut would make it impossible to meet the 40% preserved land by 2040 goal and undoubtedly result in the loss of family farms to development. The DLS recommendation also includes redirecting all funding for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund. This would result in the diversion of $21.3M from the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Resource Conservation Unit. This funding supports 52 employees in the Soil Conservation Districts who conduct conservation planning and implementation. This funding also supports cost share for Best Management Practices such as the nationally renowned Cover Crop Program, manure transport, nutrient management planning and much more.

Please consider contacting members of the Budget and Taxation Committee and Appropriations Committee to oppose these proposed budget cuts.

MGPA Members At Work in Denver, Colorado

Maryland Grain Producers board members, Chip Bowling, John Bruning, and Eric Spates attended this years Commodity Classic to represent the Maryland Grain Producers at many national events, including NCGA's Corn Congress where their policies for the upcoming year are shaped. This years event allowed board members to keep Maryland's voice at the forefront of many conversations with industry leaders.

Learn more about Commodity Classic here.

We Are Here for YOU

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

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

Elaine Draper, thompsonagconsulting@gmail.com, Administrative Assistant

Secretary Rollins Shares Details on Disaster Relief Payments

Secretary Rollins spoke at the Commodity Classic on Sunday, March 2nd and noted that the USDA was on on track to move immediately some $10 billion in economic assistance to row crop producers. The aid was authorized by Congress in December along with $21 billion in disaster aid. She said the Farm Service Agency would base the payments on 2024 acreage reporting data. The program will be known as the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, or ECAP. More here.

UMD Releases New Grain Marketing Tool

The University of Maryland Extension has updated the UME Grain Marketing site with 2025 custom rates, field crop budgets, and a new online tool for grain marketing analysis. To assist farmers in making crop enterprise decisions, UMD has introduced the Maryland Grain Budget Planner, a new online tool that integrates crop budget data with grain marketing analysis. This free resource, funded by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center, helps farmers track market trends, project expenses, and benchmark financial performance.

USDA Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs

The Farm Service Agency will be accepting enrollments and elections for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs from January 21st to April 15th. ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues. Find more information here.

The 2025 Legislative Session has kicked off. The Maryland Grain Producers Association has been hard at work preparing for session and will represent grain farmers best interest. If you are not a member of the Association, it's not too late to join. Funds will be used effectively in Annapolis this year. Your membership dollars make a difference.

SB 958/HB 1024 - Agriculture - Catastrophic Damage Caused by Deer

Sponsored by Delegate Hutchinson

Authorizing the Department of Agriculture to take extraordinary measures to control local deer populations and prevent future crop loss if the Department determines that deer have caused catastrophic damage to a field; and defining "catastrophic damage" as the loss of 50% or more of crops from a single field.

In the House - Hearing 3/4 at 1:00 PM

MGPA Supports

SB 634/HB 741 - Hunting - Non-lead Ammunition, Fox Chasing, and Deer Management

Sponsored by Delegate Allen

Altering the definition of "hunt" to no longer exclude the sport of fox chasing; establishing the Deer Management Assistance Program in the Department of Natural Resources; requiring the Department to require, through a certain phasing-out process, the use of nonlead ammunition on or before July 1, 2029; and establishing certain exemptions and requirements for any person who participates in the sport of fox chasing.

Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 PM

MGPA Supports with an amendment to remove the lead ammunition portion

SB 736/HB 1511 - Natural Resources - Wildlife Damage Prevention and Reimbursement Fund - Establishment

Sponsored by Delegate Ruth

Establishing the Wildlife Damage Prevention and Reimbursement Fund to reimburse a person for damage caused by deer, geese, and other wildlife to crops and other agricultural products; authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to accept requests for grants from the Fund for projects that seek to prevent damage caused by deer, geese, or other wildlife; and authorizing the Governor to include in the annual budget an appropriation of at least $50,000 to the Fund.

In the Senate - Hearing 3/4 at 1:00 PM

MGPA Supports

HB278 - Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Enhanced Agriculture Management Equipment

Sponsored by Delegate Bouchat

Altering a subtraction modification under the Maryland income tax for enhanced agricultural management equipment to include equipment that the Secretary of Agriculture determines by regulation to qualify as enhanced agriculture management equipment; and applying the Act to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

In the House - Hearing held 1/23

MGPA Supports

HB483 - Income Tax Credit - Venison Donations - Alterations

Sponsored by Delegate Ziegler

Repealing the limitation on the maximum amount of a credit against the State income tax that an individual may claim for certain expenses incurred for a donation of deer meat to certain organizations; and applying the Act to all taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

In the House - Hearing held 2/6

MGPA Supports

HB386/SB345 - PFAS Chemicals - Prohibitions

Sponsored by Delegate Ruth

Requiring, by January 1, 2026, the Department of Agriculture to develop and maintain a list of certain registered pesticides that list PFAS chemicals as an active ingredient on the labeling accompanying the pesticide; prohibiting, beginning June 1, 2026, a person from using, for certain purposes, PFAS pesticides listed by the Department; prohibiting, beginning June 1, 2028, a person from using PFAS pesticides in the State; etc.

In the Senate - Hearing held 2/18

MGPA Opposes

HB 1036/SB 931 - Public Utilities - Generating Stations - Generation and Siting (Renewable Energy Certainty Act)

Sponsored by Delegate Wilson

Altering the factors the Public Service Commission must consider before taking final action on a certificate of public convenience and necessity; establishing certain requirements for the construction of a certain solar energy generating station or energy storage device; requiring the Commission to conduct a certain study to establish a process by which the Commission may establish partnerships between electric companies and electricity suppliers for electricity generation projects; etc.

Hearing held 2/28

MPGA Opposes

HB766 - Wildlife Advisory Commission - Membership - Alterations

Sponsored by Delegate Otto

Requiring that the Wildlife Advisory Commission member appointed to represent the farming community be selected from a list of candidates provided by the Maryland Farm Bureau.

In the House - Hearing held 2/19

MGPA Supports

HB1175/HB898 - Nutrient Management - Tidal Buffer - Vegetative Buffers and Restriction on Fertilizer Application

Sponsored by Delegate Stein

Authorizing, in accordance with technical specifications adopted by the Department of Agriculture, that State cost-share funding be made available for installing various vegetative buffer practices on land within the 100-foot tidal buffer on an agricultural operation; prohibiting a nutrient management plan renewed after July 1, 2025, from allowing a person to apply certain fertilizer to land within the 100-foot tidal buffer; etc.

In the House - Hearing held 2/28

MGPA Opposes

HB225/SB203 - Exceptional Hauling Permits for Farm Products

Sponsored by the Environment and Transportation Committee Chair

Creating an exception for vehicles carrying fluid milk products to the prohibition against driving a vehicle subject to an exceptional hauling permit on the interstate highway system; altering certain weight limits and tolerances under an exceptional hauling permit; altering the preventive maintenance documents that an individual operating under an exceptional hauling permit must possess; and altering certain record-keeping requirements and the application of certain administrative penalties under an exceptional hauling permit.

Passed the Senate

MGPA Supports

Women in Agriculture Regional Conference

Due to snowy and icy conditions this past week the Mid-Atlantic Women Conference has been rescheduled for March 5th in Stevensville, MD. The conference provides an opportunity for attendees to learn about current issues and topics within the industry. The full schedule and registration can be found here.

Ag Literacy Week

Join MAEF March 17th - 21st for Ag Literacy Week! The week focuses on connecting volunteers from the agricultural community to local classrooms with the purpose of increasing student knowledge about agriculture. Volunteers can purchase a book to share with a classroom of their choice for $10, including a classroom activity. More here.

Online Nutrient Applicator Voucher Recertification

The University of Maryland Extension will be offering an online nutrient applicator voucher recertification training on April 8th. This session will focus on fertility and production related topics for all field crops, fruits and vegetables. This Zoom recertification session will be live via the internet directly from the University of Maryland. Registration by April 7th is required in order to receive Zoom login instructions. Find more information here.

Nutrient Management Plan Writing Training

The University of Maryland will be providing an opportunity for producers with cropland and pastures in Maryland who meet the minimum requirements to learn how to write their own nutrient management plan. There will be trainings in Frederick on March 24th, March 26th, and April 2nd. There will be trainings held online from March 31st to May 2nd. Find more information here.

Ag Voices of the Future

The American Soybean Association is accepting applications for the Valent and ASA Ag Voices of the Future program, which will be held July 14-17 in conjunction with the ASA summer board meeting and Soy Issues Forum in Washington, D.C. Select students from the 2025 Ag Voices of the Future program will be awarded a scholarship to participate in the Agriculture Future of America Leaders Conference, Nov. 6-9, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. Applications are due March 6th. Find more information here.

Maryland Farm Bureau Scholarship

The Maryland Farm Bureau is awarding five $2,000 scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year. Three scholarships will be awarded to students pursuing academic degrees in food, agriculture and/or natural resources disciplines, and two scholarships will be awarded to students pursuing degrees in other academic disciplines or who are pursuing minors in food, agriculture and/or natural resources disciplines. Applications are due March 21st and can be found here.

University of Maryland Workforce Development Internship

The University of Maryland Workforce Development Internship is a ten-week full-time Summer experiential learning and professional development opportunity for undergraduate students currently enrolled in a in a two-year, four-year degree or certificate program and who are interested in a career in agriculture and natural resources. Applications are due March 23rd and can be found here.

Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation Scholarship

MAEF Academic Scholarships are open to rising junior or senior undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in majors leading to careers in agricultural education or Extension education. Qualified candidates should complete and submit their online application by March 25th. More information can be found here.

Delmarva Chicken Association Scholarship

Undergraduate scholarships of $2,000 are available to residents of the Delmarva Peninsula who are undergraduate students at any accredited, degree-granting institution, with an academic major in a subject relevant to Delmarva's chicken community and who are pursuing a career path leading to employment in any segment of Delmarva's chicken community. Graduate level scholarships of $3,000 will be available to graduate students at United States universities who are engaged in research that directly benefits Delmarva's chicken community. Applications for both are due March 28th and can be found here.

Created By: Jennifer Gannon | jennifer.mdag@gmail.com

www.MarylandGrain.org

Please contact us with any questions.