Publications

Authors: Jennifer Reynolds

In 1998, the Maryland General Assembly passed the “Maryland Nutrient Management Law” that requires certain agricultural operations, including horse farms, to obtain a nutrient management plan. This document is intended to help horse farm operators determine if a plan is needed for their farm and what basic steps are necessary to obtain a plan.

Authors: Jenny Rhodes - Shannon Dill - John Hall

No one should go hungry in America. United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) provide children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education. They help nearly one in five people.

Authors: Jenny Rhodes - Shannon Dill - John Hall

University of Maryland Extension’s (UME) Agricultural Nutrient Management Program, which is funded by Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) focuses on reducing nonpoint source nutrient pollution to the Chesapeake Bay from plant nutrients applied to cropland. The Program provides (1) nutrient management planning services to Maryland farmers through a network of Nutrient Management Advisors located in all county Extension offices and (2) continuing education and technical support to certified Nutrient Management Advisors and certified farm operators via state and regional nutrient management specialists.

Authors: Jenny Rhodes - Shannon Dill - John Hall

The Water Quality Improvement Act (WQIA), also known as the Maryland Nutrient Management Law, was passed in 1998 by the Maryland State Legislature. The goal of nutrient management planning is to reduce non-point source pollution (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus from cropland) by balancing nutrient applications with crop nutrient requirements. Nutrient management planning, which is an array of best management practices (BMPs), is considered to be one of the most cost-effective means of controlling excessive nutrient applications.

Authors: Jenny Rhodes - Shannon Dill - John Hall

A pesticide is defined as any material that is applied to plants, soil, water, harvested crops, structures, clothing, furnishings, or animals to kill, attract, repel, regulate or interrupt the growth and mating of pests, or to regulate plant growth.

Authors: Ginger S. Myers

Farm to Hospital -Selling Farm-Raised Meats and Poultry in Maryland (FS-929) Fact Sheet is to assist livestock and poultry producers in developing products and marketing tools to increase meat and poultry sales directly to hospitals and extended care facilities or to distributors who handle hospital food purchasing accounts. By Ginger S. Myers, Marketing Specialist, University of Maryland Extension and Director of the Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center.

Authors: Willie Lantz

Strawberries are available in grocery stores 365 days a year. This is largely due to the fact that berries are shipped from different locations across the United States and around the world. However, in the eastern United States, fresh, locally-grown strawberries are only available at farmers markets, roadside stands, and grocery stores for several weeks during the late spring and early summer. This limited availability occurs mostly because the commercial strawberry production in the East is derived from June-bearing varieties, which have a brief production season.

Authors: Ginger S. Myers

A Marketing Decision Tool and Guide for Grass-fed Beef is a resource guide that will assist grass-fed beef producers in formulating profitable marketing strategies. It is a decision tool to assist individual producers in making marketing decisions about what to produce; where/how/in what venue(s) outlets to market their product; and practical risk management strategies. This publication will help beef producers evaluate their individual operation on six factors that are barriers to entering a market - finding a niche, determining products and prices, meeting regulatory constraints, promoting and distributing prouducts, selling product, and managing risks. The guide is written in sections with decision making worksheets that can help producers identify their “best fit” grass-fed beef marketing opportunities. Individual producers can use the articles and resources that follow the decision worksheets to address possible barriers or lost opportunities within specific marketing venues. The information in this booklet is for educational use. It was written by Ginger S. Myers, Marketing Specialist, University of Maryland Extension and Director of the Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center. Publication of this workbook was made possible through support from the Jorgensen Foundation and the University of Maryland’s Department of Animal and Avian Sciences.

Enterprise budgets provide invaluable information regarding individual enterprises on the farm. This tool enables the farm manager to make decisions regarding enterprises and plan for the coming production year. The enterprise budget uses farm revenue, variable cost, fixed cost and net income to provide a clear picture of the financial health of each farm enterprise. The 2008 Maryland enterprise budgets were developed using average yields and estimated input cost based upon producer and farm supplier data. The figures presented are averages and vary greatly from one farm to the other. It is therefore crucial to input actual farm data to complete enterprise budgets for your farm.

Authors: Ginger S. Myers

Niche Marketing - Out of the Box but in the Black fact sheet will help you explore the Niche Market and how to go about increasing your food dollar and return per unit sold. By Ginger S. Myers, Marketing Specialist, University of Maryland Extension and Director of the Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center.