GARRETT COUNTY AG NEWSLETTER

A training session is scheduled for January 13th from 6-9pm at the Extension Office for anyone who would like to take the Maryland private applicator exam. The training session is free. Materials are available in print (for a fee) and online. The training session will cover the important topics for the test. A test will be scheduled later in the spring in Garrett County. New this year, MDA has an online testing option. For more information or questions contact the Extension Office at 301-334-6960.

The Tri-State Hay and Pasture Conference will be held at the Grantsville VFD 178 Springs Rd, Grantsville, MD 21536 on Wednesday, January 22nd from 9am-3:30pm. The event will include a light breakfast and lunch. The cost is $30 if registered by January 12th or $40 for late registration and at the door. Credit card registration can be made via Eventbrite at https://go.umd.edu/wmdforage

or contact the Garrett County Extension Office for cash/check registration at 301-334-6960. Checks will need to be made payable to Maryland-Delaware Forage Council.

This course is designed for people in Maryland who are considering or in the beginning stages of starting a farm as a business. The online class will meet on Thursday evenings, from 7 to 8:30 pm, from February 13 through April 17, 2025. Students will complete at-your-own pace homework on the course website on campus.extension.org and will meet online each week via Zoom. Course registration is $60 plus eventbrite fees of $5.87. Two people from the same family/couple may attend the course under one registration. For more information or to register go to https://go.umd.edu/BFScourse25

With the passage of the Food Safety and Modernization Act in 2011, at least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration. On February 27th the University of Maryland and Maryland Department of Agriculture will offer a Produce Safety Grower Training Course which will satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement. The course will be held from 8m to 5pm at Garrett Colleges CTTC in Accident in room 104. The fee for the training is $45 and will include lunch and materials. To register for the meeting go to http://bit.ly/49Bw71D or call Margaret Todd at 316-993.5293. For questions contact Willie Lantz at the extension office at 301-334-6960.

University of Maryland Extension will be holding the Mountain Top Vegetable Meeting on Tuesday March 11th at Garrett College. The meeting will include presentation by the new University of Maryland Extension Specialist, Veronica Yurchak. Veronica will do a presentation on bio-controls in high tunnels. Carol Allen, UME will present on the new water quality regulations. Allison Luettel with MDA will cover producer requirements for the Food Safety and Modernization Act. We will also be taking time to discuss the future of vegetable production in Garrett County. Contact the extension office for registration details at 301-334-6960.

University of Maryland will be partnering with Freedom Ag and Energy in Oakland to hold the Western Maryland Agronomy Meeting March 12th at the Pleasant Valley Community Building. More info will be coming. If you have questions or to register, contact Freedom Ag and Energy at 301-334-3121 or the Extension Office at 301-334-6960. Pesticide Recertification and Nutrient Management Credits will be offered for WV and MD.

Nutrient management planning for the 2025 growing season is upon us. This fall, all producers who requested a 2024 nutrient management plan should have received a letter and subsequent data collection information outlining what is needed for their 2025 plan update. Please complete the required information and return it to Andrea as quickly as possible. Any other producer in need of a plan who has not already contacted our office should call 301-334-6960 or email auphold@umd.edu as soon as possible. If soil and/or manure samples are needed for your plan update, please take advantage of any break in the winter weather to obtain those samples instead of waiting until spring. Sampling materials are available at the extension office for you to send the samples yourself. Let us know if we can answer any questions and we look forward to working with you.

The Appalachian Farm and Food Alliance (AFFA) is now up and running as a federally recognized 501C3 non-profit organization. Based in western Maryland, the AFFA is dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture and food systems in the region. A twelve member board of directors oversee the operation of the organization. The AFFA meets quarterly in March, June, Sept and December on the third Thursday of the month at 4:30pm. The next meeting is December 19th . Meetings are held in person and via zoom. For more info on the meetings and the organization check out our new website at www.appalachianfarmandfood.com or contact Willie Lantz at 301-334-6960.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is accepting grant applications for its Healthy Soils Competitive Fund. This unique program offers financial assistance to qualifying farmers and organizations to adopt conservation practices aimed at improving soil health in the state. Successful applicants will receive up to $50,000 to support three years of enhanced soil health practices. Funds are available for farmers, groups of farmers, or organizations working with farmers that want to manage the following practices in innovative ways. For more information, please contact the department’s Healthy Soils Program Specialist Nick Miller at nicholas.miller2@maryland.gov or 410-980-2350. https://mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Pages/Soil-Health.aspx

Newsletters from UME offer informative, researched-based information that the reader can put into practice. Informative articles include crop production, disease information, animal science, and upcoming programs. Take a closer look at the newsletters listed below.

The Agronomy News is a statewide newsletter for farmers, consultants, researchers, and educators interested in grain and row crop forage production systems. This newsletter is published once a month during the growing season and will include topics pertinent to agronomic crop production. Subscribers will receive an email with the latest edition.

Agronomy News

The Fruit & Vegetable News is a timely publication for the commercial vegetable and fruit industry available electronically from April through October. Published by the University of Maryland Extension Agriculture and Food Systems team.

Vegetable & Fruit News

Please click here to update your contact information and to stay updated on everything agriculture-related in Garrett County and the tri-state area.

William Lantz, Principal Agent

Agriculture & Food System

wlantz@umd.edu

Office Hours: Monday-Friday

8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Except for Observed Holidays

Faculty/Staff Directory

Email: rcvetnic@umd.edu

Website: https://extension.umd.edu/locations/garrett-county

Location: 1916 Maryland Hwy., Suite A, Mt. Lake Park, MD 21550

Phone: 301-334-6960

Office Hours: M-F 8:30 am-4:30 pm excluding holidays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4HGarrettCoMD

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. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at least two weeks prior to the event at 301-334-6960.