Agriculture

ANNAPOLIS - The Maryland Department of Agriculture said the state's 1998 farm runoff law needs minor changes. One change being considered by the Maryland General Assembly would help dairy farmers with the costs of hauling away manure. Another would remove a religious exemption intended for Mennonites. "The bill is a good first step to say to the farming community there were changes that needed to be made," Carroll County, Md., farmer Allen Stiles testified Tuesday at a hearing before the House Environmental Matters Committee.

Many people love the fall with the crisp air and the beautiful color. They will go to historic sites and remember, or do they? Regular readers know I have a passion for both agriculture and history and I like to share both with anyone who will listen. However, one of my pet peeves is how we all tend to romanticize things. Society romanticizes agriculture as this bucolic lifestyle, sort of a cross between “Mayberry” and “Green Acres.” I wish I had a nickel for every time a person moves to our county, purchases a bit of acreage and wants to grow something.

Regular readers of this column know that the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension is part of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the state's land grant university in College Park. Sadly, that ends most people's knowledge. Oh don't get me wrong; they can tell you that the Lady Terrapins won the national championship in basketball and field hockey in the last several years. They probably also know that the Terps will be playing in the Emerald Bowl against the Beavers of Oregon State.

by Joe Crocetta / staff photographer click below for enlargement SMITHSBURG, Md. - Smiles spread across the faces of John C. and Betty Herbst as they watched the future of Misty Meadow Farms, in the form of their four grandchildren, emerge from the stone farm house Sunday afternoon where they had once lived and raised their family. Together, the three-generation farm family walked up the lane to the new, modern free stall barn that holds more than 100 Holstein cows and was built purposely with expansion in mind.

HANCOCK - The Town of Hancock will again be part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture's mosquito control program. The Town Council unanimously voted on Wednesday to participate in the program, which will cost the town $600. Mayor Daniel A. Murphy said the program includes spraying larva and adult mosquitoes. Councilman David Smith said that if any town residents have concerns about the spraying, they should contact Town Hall.

A meeting of the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners will be Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Maryland Department of Agriculture in Annapolis. The meeting will consist of general board business. Contact the board office for questions or additional information at: State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Room 203, Annapolis, MD 21401, Telephone: 410-841-5862; fax: 410-841-5999.

ANNAPOLIS - The Maryland Department of Agriculture recently honored 68 employees for their years of service to the department. Harwood Owings III received special recognition for 40 years of public service to MDA. Four employees were honored for their 35 years of service; nine for 30 years of service, and eight for 25 years of service. In Washington County, Neil E. Rotruck Jr., resource conservation, was honored for 30 years of service.

ANNAPOLIS - A meeting of the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners will be held at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, at the Maryland Department of Agriculture in Annapolis. The meeting will consist of general board business. Contact the board office for questions or additional information at: State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Room 203, Annapolis, MD 21401. Telephone: 410-841-5862; fax: 410-841-5999.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On Tuesday, June 10, 31 FFA members from James Buchanan High School traveled to Penn State University for the 79th Pennsylvania FFA summer convention. Teams competed in agriculture issues forum, agriculture sales, agronomy, agriculture mechanics, dairy judging, horse judging, farm business management, and poultry judging. Twenty-one members received a medal for their individual efforts. Mandy Clark, Candice Dayley, Kalina Gipe, Garrett Rice, Chance Kelley, Tobin Stuff, Jake Brake, Heather Hartung, Tyler Funk, Chevy Martin, and Tonya Grissinger received gold.

ANNAPOLIS - An organizational meeting of the Maryland Renewable Fuels Incentive Board will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday in the lower level conference room at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway. The Renewable Fuels Promotion Act of 2005 was designed to attract investment in the bio-fuels industry in Maryland and to encourage the use of local soybeans to produce bio-diesel and small grains, such as barley, to make ethanol. The board is charged with reviewing applications from prospective bio-fuels producers and certifying those deemed to meet the program requirements and objectives.