Publications

This publication discusses potential liability for livestock and other animals you may have on the farm.  Typical theories for liability would include strict liability and negligence.  This publication walks you through previous Maryland court cases involving livestock and when each form of liability was found.  Finally, the publication offers suggestions on how to handle potential legal risks from livestock, for example utilizing liability waivers, purchasing the right level of general liability insurance, etc. Author: Paul Goeringer; Title: Understanding Agricultural Liability: Livestock and Other Farm Animals Livestock (FS-990)

Hybrid poplar trees 2-6 years old were grown on a gravel mine spoil in southern Maryland that had biosolids applied using deer row application. The trees were harvested and processed to determine their biomass on a dry weight basis. The data was analyzed and regression analysis was used to create equations that could predict biomass from tree diameter at breast height. The equations developed would allow less intensive data collection and growth assessment of other stands of poplars.

Anaerobic digestion is a process in which anaerobic bacteria break down or "digest" organic material in the absence of oxygen to produce "biogas" as a byproduct of their metabolism. The process occurs naturally in water-logged soils, deep water bodies, and in the digestive systems of termites and large animals (that includes you). In anaerobic digesters, naturally-occurring biological processes are exploited in an engineered system to treat and dispose of waste materials, stabilize end products, destroy pathogens, and generate biogas, a valuable product. Biogas produced in anaerobic digesters consists of methane (50%– 80%), carbon dioxide (20%–50%), and trace levels of other gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, water vapor, and hydrogen sulfide.

The publication provides a general overview of previous court decisions related to fencing in agriculture and examples of county ordinances that impact fencing duties.  For example, counties potentially have ordinances that impact the maintenance and construction of fences, specify how costs should be split between neighboring landowners, and liens to force non-paying landowners to pay their share of the costs. Author: Paul Goeringer, Title: Understanding Agricultural Liability: Maryland Fencing Law (EB-419)

Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) is an exotic pest native to Asia. Experts believe it arrived in the United States in solid wood packaging materials. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was first identified in Michigan in 2002 and was found the same year in nursery stock in Charles County, Maryland. Despite implementation of eradication programs around the source nursery and quarantines on the movement of timber and firewood, EAB has spread to nearly all counties west of the Chesapeake Bay.

A well-thought-out marketing plan will enable you to manage the unpredictability of grain prices and their associated risks. A plan promotes the use of logical, orderly marketing techniques. This fact sheet describes the five steps you can take to increase the likelihood of making successful marketing decisions.

Actual Production History (APH) is a 4- to 10-year yield average used to calculate each producer’s production guarantee. Producers with 10 years of yield history are penalized under APH because yields have increased over time, and APH yields can lag behind their most recent yields. Therefore producers with only 4 years of yield history can actually have higher average yields. Authors: Paul Goeringer and Lori Lynch; Title: Trend-Adjusted Yield Option Introduced for Crop Insurance (FS-970)

University of Maryland Sea Grant Extension works with local stakeholders, community leaders, and citizens on issues concerning the Chesapeake Bay. The Bay’s estuary is a national treasure, with natural and economic resources on which Marylanders depend for their livelihood and recreation. That resource is threatened by the rising sea level, changing land uses, and increasing non-point source pollution. Maryland Sea Grant Extension agents are prepared to face those challenges using participatory planning technologies. The weTable is an ideal tool for enhancing public engagement processes and creating an interactive dialogue. By transforming a tabletop into an interactive map, database, and decision making platform, Sea Grant Extension Specialists facilitate collaborative planning and conversations about resource management.

Unless Japanese Maple Scale (JMS) is monitored carefully and controlled early, populations of this armored scale can spread throughout a nursery or landscape to many species of woody plants and build up to levels that cause dieback and even death of infested plants.

Deciding on your goal for raising chickens is the first step in determining which breed is best for your farm. The most common reasons as to why people raise chickens include: egg production, meat production, raising birds for show, controlling insects around their property, and breed preservation.