Please join us in offering our thanks to Jill Hauser who served as our Nutrient Management Advisor from 2011 until August 31, 2023. In those 12 years, she planned over 116,000 acres in Garrett County for 65-70 farmers each year. We appreciate her dedication and years of service to the agricultural producers of Garrett County. The Maryland Department of Agriculture and the University of Maryland Extension are making plans for how the nutrient management program will evolve given recent changes to the program. Stay tuned for more information.

After an announcement on June 1st to discontinue funding University of Maryland to write nutrient management plans, MDA reversed that decision and has agreed to fund University of Maryland Extension to continue writing plans for farmers. Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary, Kevin Atticks, made the announcement at the Nutrient Management Plan Writing Summit held on July 17th in Annapolis. While many details have to be worked out University of Maryland Extension will take over Nutrient Management program from the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at University of Maryland on September 1st. Previous employees are awaiting details but it is anticipated most will be rehired. The Secretary is planning to evolve the nutrient management plan model through industry input to adapt to modern farming practices and operations. The Secretary also announced the formation of a new 30-member Farmer Taskforce, convening in August to provide guidance to MDA and UMD regarding ways to improve the nutrient management plan to be more practical for farmers to implement.

If University of Maryland has written your plan in the past, contact the Garrett County office after September 1st to get on the schedule to have a plan written for 2024.

The Maryland Livestock Processing Loan Fund has been established by MARBIDCO, as a complement to USDA’s Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program opportunity, to assist with the expansion of livestock processing capacity in Maryland. This program offers loans to eligible applicants to help start-up or expand small- and medium-sized USDA-inspected facilities in Maryland to increase the processing of meat, poultry and the invasive blue catfish. (Large meat and poultry processing companies are not eligible to participate in this program.) Click on article below and to download application.

Garrett County government in partnership with the Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County will be giving away one free Chromebook per household address that meets the program's income guidelines. For details, application, and upcoming distribution events, visit: www.garrettcounty.org/broadband/devices or call 301-914-1543.

Garrett County Business Development is providing aid in promoting agriculture-based businesses in Garrett County. Example: signs, banners, pamphlets, etc. 4 grants of up to $500 each may be awarded each fiscal year to fund up to 90% of the project's costs. For more information and to request an application, contact Melissa Bolyard, Agriculture Business Specialist, Garrett County Business Development at mbolyard@garrettcounty.org or call 301-334-7285.

Newsletters from UME offer informative, researched-based information that the reader can put into practice. Informative articles include crop production, disease information, animal science, and upcoming programs. Take a closer look at the newsletters listed below.

The 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 once a month during the growing season and will include topics pertinent to agronomic crop production. Subscribers will receive an email with the latest edition.

Agronomy News

The Fruit & Vegetable News is a timely publication for the commercial vegetable and fruit industry available electronically from April through October. Published by the University of Maryland Extension Agriculture and Food Systems team.

Fruit & Vegetable News

Please click here to update your contact information and to stay updated on everything agriculture-related in Garrett County and the tri-state area.

William Lantz, Principal Agent

Agriculture & Food System

wlantz@umd.edu

Office Hours: Monday-Friday

8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Except for Observed Holidays

Faculty/Staff Directory

Email: rcvetnic@umd.edu

Website: https://extension.umd.edu/locations/garrett-county

Location: 1916 Maryland Hwy., Suite A, Mt. Lake Park, MD 21550

Phone: 301-334-6960

Office Hours: M-F 8:30 am-4:30 pm excluding holidays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4HGarrettCoMD

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at 301-334-6960.