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Agriculture and Natural Resources
Howard County
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Farmers' Markets
More information coming soon.
BREAKING NEWS
On June 24, 2011 EPA approved, for emergency use, the insecticide dinotefuran (trade names Venom and Scorpion) on tree fruit to help manage populations of the brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive insect that has caused extensive yield losses in tree fruit production in the mid-Atlantic region. The approval, known as an emergency exemption, applies to Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey. Under the exemption, producers of stone fruit (such as peaches, plums and cherries) and pome fruit (including apples and pears) are allowed to manage the brown marmorated stink bug with two applications of dinotefuran by ground equipment per season.
Under the emergency exemption provision of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, states can petition EPA for the use of an unregistered pesticide on a temporary basis if it will help alleviate an emergency pest problem. Before approval, EPA must be able to support the use from a health and safety standpoint. EPA has assessed the risks of the exemption involving dinotefuran and finds that it meets the current safety standards. Dinotefuran is already approved for use on leafy vegetables, cotton, grapes, potatoes and a variety of other crops.
Also, on June 21, 2011 EPA approved an additional use for an insecticide that may help manage stink bugs in organic production systems. The new product contains azadirachtin and pyrethrins, which are derived from botanical ingredients. This product is now approved for use on many crops where stink bug management is needed, and it can be used by organic farmers.
EPA continues to work with Congress, USDA, lead state agencies, various federal research agencies, universities, private companies and growers, in an effort to develop a sustainable pest-management tool box to manage brown marmorated stink bugs.
For more information: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/controlling/stinkbugs
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2012
April
SAVE THE DATE
"Poultry Processing and Marketing Group launching in Central Maryland"
When: Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Farmer Tom's, 427 Cockeys Mill Road, Reisterstown, MD 21136
Got poultry? Need them processed? Looking to rein in production costs through group purchases and services? Could you use an additional volume market for your sustainable raised poultry? Then you need to attend an information and organizational meeting of a new group forming in Central Maryland whose mission is to:
- Provide safe, environmentally responsible,and economically feasible processing services to small and mid-sized poultry producers.
- Organize a buying group for chicks, poults, feeds, and poultry supplies to secure quantity discounts.
- Provide training and continuing education about regulations, marketing, and production.
- Service volume sales accounts through aggregation of group member birds to provide an additional outlet to group members and sufficient supplies to volume buyers.
Please contact Ginger Myers, University of Maryland Extension, gsmyers@umd.edu, 301-432-2767, ext. 338 to register.
This new community development and economic development initiative is sponsored by the University of Maryland Extension’s Rural Enterprise Development Center with funding provided by a Northeast SARE Partnership grant.
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"Cover Crops for Early Spring Vegetables and Measuring Nutrients in the Field" - Twilight Meeting
Date: April 25, 2012
Location: Central Maryland Research and Education Center, 4240 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City, MD
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
For more details, click on the link on the left column titled "Cover Crops Twilight Meeting".
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May
Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Location: Howard County Fairgrounds
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August
August 4 - 11, 2012
67th Howard County Fair
Location: 2210 Fairground Road, West Friendship, MD 21794
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October
October 6, 2012
AGNR Open House
Location: Central Maryland Research and Education Center, Clarksville Facility, 4240 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042
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Check back often for further updates and new listings.
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ShareThisFor more information, contact Carolyn Kulp
Last updated: 04/16/2012
Memorial Day Keepsake Flag
Freedom's Feast program for Memorial Day, including making a Keepsake Flag. Go to www.freedomsfeast.org - posted May 22, 2012
Maryland 4-H Aerospace Challenge
Great News for 4-H Aerospace Enthusiasts! The Maryland 4-H Aerospace Challenge is back. It will take place on Saturday, July 14 from 9 am-3 pm. In order to prepare for this State Challenge, a workshop will be held on June 30th from 9 am - 2pm. - posted May 22, 2012
4-H National Youth Science Day
The 2012 National Science Experiment for 4-H National Youth Science Day has been released. The 4-H Eco-Bot Challenge will introduce youth to engineering concepts as they program a self-directed robot to clean up a simulated environmental spill. - posted May 22, 2012
