June 2023 | Volume 14, Issue 3
Maryland Department of Agriculture press release
Annapolis, MD (June 1, 2023) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture today announced a shift in its Nutrient Management Plan Writing Program that will focus on a new approach to education, training, and farmer empowerment. The decision to move to this new...Read more about the Nutrient Management Plan Writing Program
Editor’s note: With a few exceptions, University of Maryland will no longer write nutrient management plans after August 31. If your plan is written by a UMD advisor, you should start considering alternative options. A summit focused on the future of nutrient management plan writing is scheduled for July 17 in Annapolis (details not yet released by MDA).
Bonus Cover Crop Program—Seeking Farmer Collaborators
Sarah Hirsh, Agriculture Agent, University of Maryland Extension, Somerset County
Cover crops can have various benefits such as scavenging nutrients, adding organic matter or nitrogen to the soil, reducing compaction, or competing with weeds. University of Maryland Extension is now offering a free service to consult with farmers to identify the top needs...Read more about the Cover Program
Survey of Italian Ryegrass in Delaware and Maryland
Kurt Vollmer, Extension Weed Management Specialist, University of Maryland Extension
Problem: Control of Italian ryegrass is becoming more difficult in Delaware and Maryland.
Objective:
- Understand why Italian/annual ryegrass is so widespread in 2023
- Is herbicide-resistance part of the issue?
- Which herbicides are involved in local resistance?
- How wide-spread is resistance in DE and MD?
How you can help:
- Collect 50 ryegrass seedheads from the field (only seedheads are needed).
- Put in paper bag or paper envelope (do not use plastic bags).
- Write the nearest crossroads on bag or envelope.
- Write the crop on the bag/envelope.
- Note if any of the following herbicides were sprayed since last fall: Glyphosate (Roundup), Axial, Powerflex, Osprey, Select, and Assure II
- Store in dry area.
- Deliver to nearest county extension office OR contact Mark VanGessel (302) 542-8160 or Kurt Vollmer Kurt Vollmer: (443) 446-4260 for collection or pickup.
Specific farms or individuals will not be identified in any reports or summary.
USDA Organic Transition Assistance Initiative
USDA press release
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced details around its $75 million investment in conservation assistance for producers transitioning to organic production. As part of the multi-agency Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will...Read more about the USDA Organic Transition Assistance Initiative.
May 2023 Grain Market Report (information from USDA WASDE report)
By Dale Johnson, Farm Management Specialist, University of Maryland Extension
Corn
The 2023/24 U.S. corn outlook is for larger production, greater domestic use... Read more about the Grain Market Report.
What a Droughty Spring Means for Corn and Soybeans
Andrew Kness, Senior Agriculture Agent, University of Maryland Extension, Harford County
The last many areas of the state picked up more than 0.5” of rain was over 30 days ago and we are currently running...Read more about What a Droughty Spring Means for Corn and Soybeans
Public Land & Private Partnerships Wildlife Seminar
Luke Macaulay, Wildlife Management Specialist, University of Maryland Extension
Please save the date of July 20, 2023, from 9am-2pm, for a symposium titled “Public Land & Private Partnerships for Early Succession Habitat.”
Dramatic declines in pollinators and grassland and shrub-dependent birds like bobwhite quail, meadowlarks, and more highlight the need for habitat improvement efforts on a broad scale. Our vision is for this meeting to provide education, networking, and inspiration to facilitate habitat improvement efforts across the region.
Confirmed speakers include Secretary Kurtz of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Director Pat Emory of the Delaware Fish& Wildlife Division, Dan Murphy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and speakers from Washington College, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, private landowners and more.
Register now at go.umd.edu/quailmeeting. Please share with other landowners and land managers interested in the topic.
The event will be held at the National Wildlife Visitor Center in Laurel, Maryland. A list of speakers and the agenda will be forthcoming.
This event is being organized by Eddie Beck, Chapter Volunteer & President of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter Quail Forever, and Luke Macaulay, Wildlife Management Specialist with the University of Maryland Extension.
Great resources are just a click away!
Maryland Grain Maryland Agronomy News Blog Nutrient Management University of Maryland Extension Ag Law Initiative Women in Agriculture Plant Diagnostic Lab Facebook
Download Agronomy News, June 2023, Vol. 14, Issue 3 (pdf)
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 by the University of Maryland Extension, Agriculture & Food Systems Agronomy Team every month during the growing season and will include topics pertinent to agronomic crop production. The subscription is free.
EDITOR
Andrew Kness
Agriculture Extension Agent University of Maryland Extension
3525 Conowingo Rd., Suite 600
Street, MD 21154
(410) 638-3255
Email: akness@umd.edu