Agronomy News October 2021 Cover Image (harvesting grain)
Updated: October 13, 2021

October 2021  | Volume 12, Issue 7

2021 Forage Performance of Cereal Cover Crops in Maryland

Nicole Fiorellino, Extension Agronomist and Louis Thorne, Faculty Specialist, & Joseph Crank, Agriculture Technician Supervisor, University of Maryland

Dairy farmers are constantly looking for sources of forage to meet their feed needs. One source that many of our region’s dairy farmers utilize is the fall planting of cereal grains that are green-chop harvested the following spring. Among the cereal species...Read more

University of Maryland AgFS Extension Winter Crop Production Meetings

Erika Crowl, Agriculture Agent Associate, University of Maryland Extension, Baltimore County

Fall is officially here, meaning your local Ag Agents are preparing for the 2021-2022 Winter Production Meetings. In August, a survey was emailed and mailed to lists in Baltimore, Carroll, and Harford County farmers asking...Read more

Pesticide Recertification Options

Andrew Kness, Agriculture Agent, University of Maryland Extension, Harford County

If your private pesticide applicator license expires in December and you do not have the 4 credits required for renewal, then you will need to obtain...Read more

Mid-Atlantic Crop Management School Registration

Registration for the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Crop Management School is open!  Visit https://go.umd.edu/crop21reg.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to host the event in-person in 2021. The full program will be offered virtually, with...Read more

  • UME Agronomy Faculty Directory

  • Maryland Weather Outlook

  • Maryland Regional Crop Reports

September Grain Market Summary

Dale Johnson, Farm Management Specialist, University of Maryland, College Park

Corn

2021/22 harvest acres projection was increased by 600,000 acres and yield estimate was increased by 1.7 bushel per acre. The beginning supply estimate was adjusted up 70 million bushel. The net effect of these...Read more

Small Grain Disease Management: Preparing for 2022

Alyssa Koehler, Extension Field Crops Pathologist, University of Delaware

Hard to believe we are already approaching the end of September. Fungal disease pressure in small grains ended up being quite low for 2021, with very few cases of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB). It is hard to predict what in-season disease pressure will look like...Read more

Frost Can Cause Hazards in Forage

Amanda Grev, Forage and Pasture Management Specialist, University of Maryland Extension

With the first freeze of the fall just around the corner, remember that a frost can result in potential hazards for certain forages. When a plant freezes, changes occur in its metabolism and composition that can cause...Read more

Ag & Environmental Law Conference

This is not a substitute for legal advice. Reposted from the Ag Risk Management Blog.

The Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI) will hold its seventh annual Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference (AELC) virtually Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 18, 9 a.m. - noon. This unique event brings together stakeholders from Maryland’s agriculture, conservation, and legal fields to focus on the network of environmental laws affecting the state’s agricultural businesses. Registration for the event...Read more

Meetings/Workshops/Events

Maryland Advanced Grazing Workshop
Date: October 14-15, 2021  | Thursday & Friday  |  Time:  8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day|  Location: University of Maryland, Western Maryland Research and Education Center, 18330 Keedysville Road, Keedysville, MD  21756
Cost: General Admission: Thursday Only (10-14-2021) $100; General Admission: Friday Only (10-15-2021) $100; Full Workshop (Both Days Thursday & Friday, Oct 14-15) $150
Description: 
This advanced grazing workshop will dive deeper into the principles behind grazing practices and increasing farm profitability, giving you the tools and insights you need to improve your business. Topics: Cattlemen vs. Grassmen,  Evaluating Ecological Processes, Cell Grazing Principles, Grazing Cell Design, Econ-omics or Eco-nomics, Three Secrets for Increasing Profit, Crunching the Numbers,  What do the Numbers Mean?,  Wealthy on the Balance Sheet but Broke at the Bank.

This workshop will be taught by Dallas Mount, one of the experts on the Ranching for Profit team. The workshop will feature a small group approach with team and class discussions, case studies, videos, and participant interaction.

For more information or to register 

Practical Experiences in Nutrient Management: Hay and Pasture Focus
Date: Tuesday, October 19, 2021  |  Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 pm.
Cost: $30 for the day, paid in advance via credit card or check, covers materials, coffee and light breakfast snacks, and a box lunch.
Description: Hands-on activities to enhance any certified farmer or certified nutrient management consultant’s skill set. This year’s session will focus on topics most relevant to hay and pasture operations.

For more information (program contact, agenda, & registration)

New Lessons learned in Organic Grain Transitions
Date: Friday, December 10, 2021  |  Time: 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 pm.
Cost: Free Program, continuing education credits offered.
Location: Virtual
Description: Program topics: results from the Maryland organic transition research trials, farmer panel (field observations from various transition strategies, farmer perspectives on managing weeds in organic grain, soil quality demonstrations and discussion, and interactive budgeting and business planning for organic grain operations.
Register: Call the University of Maryland Extension-Somerset County Office at (410) 651-1350 or send your name and email address to Sarah Hirsh at shirsh@umd.edu.

  • Northeast SARE

    SARE Farmer Grants Open

    Northeast SARE is inviting farmers and growers to submit proposals to the Farmer Grant Program. Proposals are due online by 5 p.m. on Nov. 16 for projects starting next spring. Funded projects, which are now capped at $30,000, will be announced in late Feb. 2022. 

  • Farm with two barns

    USDA Announces CFAP 2 Funding for Contract Livestock and Poultry Growers

    Earlier this year, USDA announced Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) funding for contract livestock and poultry growers. USDA later put the program for contract growers on hold, however, to revise the program. USDA recently announced modifications and allows applications by contract livestock and poultry growers for CFAP 2 again. Applications are due by October 12, 2021.

Download Agronomy News, October 2021, Vol.12, Issue 7 (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. Subscription is free. 

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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