Publications

Authors: Stanton Gill - Paula Shrewsbury

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.

Authors: Jonathan Moyle - Jessica Flores - Dustan Clark

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. Authors: Jonathan Moyle, and Jessica Flores; Title: Choosing the Best Poultry Breed for Your Small Farm (FS-987)

Authors: Jonathan Moyle

Mice and rats are nuisance animals that typically can be found anywhere that poultry are grown. These rodents can spread disease and cause structural damage to your facilities, resulting in economic losses. Rodents are known to carry up to 45 different diseases including leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, fowl pox and erysipelas.

Authors: Ginger S. Myers

The Maryland Niche Meats & Poultry Producers Directory was developed jointly by the Maryland Niche Meat and Poultry Working Group and the Ag Marketing Program of University of Maryland Extension. This directory serves as a way to connect buyers, consumers, producers and market masters to fresh, high-quality farm-raised meats from Maryland producers. For ease of aggregating suppliers, this directory has been organized by product, though many producers offer multiple products. USDA on listing only applies to Beef, Bison, Chevon, Lamb, and Pork.

Authors: Lori Lynch - Paul Goeringer - Wesley Musser

In 2014, the Maryland General Assembly recoupled the state estate tax exemption with the federal estate tax exemption. Recoupling is tying Maryland’s state estate tax exemption back to the federal estate tax exemption something that has not happened since 2001. Over the next 5 years, Maryland’s estate tax exemption will be gradually increased in 2015 and each year after until the state’s exemption is equal to the federal exemption in 2019. This will have ramifications on existing estate plans in the state. To aid Maryland residents understand this change and the estate planning process, Lori Lynch and I worked to update the Estate Planning For Maryland Farm Families fact sheet. This publication was originally developed by Lori and Wes Musser and provides a general overview of many of the tools utilized in estate planning and discusses potential tax implications that you should be aware of. Authors: Paul Goeringer, Lori Lynch, and Wesley Musser; Title: Estate Planning for Farm Families (FS-972)

Authors: Andrew Kling

Harvesting woodlands is an essential part of good management and supports the forest products industry. The careful stewardship of woodland resources may include periodic harvesting. This practice helps woodlands by removing certain trees that may be damaged, diseased, stressed, or mature.

Authors: Jennifer Timmons - Jonathan Moyle

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) offers a voluntary certification program, in which participants are permitted to sell their poultry and rabbits anywhere intrastate (within the state) to restaurants and retailers. An additional license from DHMH (Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) or local health department is required to sell at Farmers’ Markets.

Authors: Jonathan Moyle - Dr. Nathaniel Tablante - Daniel Bautista - Tom Tabler - Dustan Clark - Kayleigh Moyle

Internal parasites (worms) can affect all types of poultry. They are found throughout the world and can cause production losses and increased mortality in flocks. Commercial poultry producers use confinement to help prevent infections from internal parasites. Free-range backyard flocks may acquire these parasites as they interact with the environment. Authors: Jonathan Moyle, Nathaniel Tablante, Daniel Bautista, Tom Tabler, F. Dustan Clark, Kayleigh Moyle; Title: Recognizing and Preventing Internal Parasites (Worms) in Small Flocks(FS-999).

Authors: Jonathan Moyle - Dr. Nathaniel Tablante - Daniel Bautista - Dustan Clark

Avian pox is a disease that affects chickens and many other bird species, particularly in backyard, hobby, and exhibition flocks. It occurs in two forms—dry and wet—causing skin lesions, respiratory issues, reduced growth, decreased egg production, and occasional death in severe cases. The disease spreads through mosquitoes and contact with contaminated scabs, but can be prevented through vaccination. Avian pox poses no risk to humans, and early vaccination and biosecurity practices can help limit its impact on flocks. Authors: Jonathan Moyle, P.H.D., Dr. Nathaniel Tablante, Daniel Bautista, and F. Dustan Clark; Title: Recognizing and Preventing Avian Pox in Small Flocks (FS-979).

Authors: Amy Burk - Lester Vough - Dr. Nicole Fiorellino - Tim Shellem - Mike Dwyer

Improper management of grazing horses can lead to the loss of vegetative cover, soil erosion and nutrient run-off into nearby water sources . An example of poor grazing management is to allow horses to continuously overgraze pasture without allowing for rest and regrowth of the plants. Best management practices (BMPs) are practices that farm operators can use to control and reduce the farm’s risk of negatively impacting the surrounding environment.