February 19, 2026

BCFB Members! Governor Moore Inducts McGinnis Family into Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame

Governor Wes Moore proudly inducted the McGinnis Family of Baltimore County into the prestigious Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame during the 56th Annual Taste of Maryland Agriculture event, which took place on Thursday, February 5th, at Maryland Live! Casino and Hotel.

“We are honored to recognize the McGinnis Family as a inductee into the Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame,” said Secretary Kevin Atticks. “Their commitment to agriculture and their community exemplifies the spirit of Maryland’s farming heritage, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements tonight.”

Read the full press release.

February 26th! Precision Agriculture Technology Conference on February 26, 2026 University of Maryland College Park is excited to welcome experts from across the state and beyond who are advancing research and technology that directly impact field-level agricultural practices. This year’s conference features a speaker on virtual fencing for livestock management, a cutting-edge topic with a limited number of experts who bring together research-based knowledge and practical, real-world experience. Register and learn more about the event speakers on the conference website.

Maryland Farm Bureau Has a New Website Address! Be sure to check out the MDFB's new website: http://www.marylandfb.org/

Maryland Farm Bureau Demands Dismissal of MPRP Project: Legal Filing Highlights Project’s Failed Timeline On November 3rd, the MDFB in partnership with the Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick County Farm Bureaus, announced that it has filed a crucial motion with the Public Service Commission of Maryland (PSC) demanding the outright dismissal of the proposed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) transmission line application by PSEG. The filing argues that the PSEG’s own admission that it cannot meet the project’s critical June 2027 deadline is sufficient reason to immediately halt the case, saving Maryland taxpayers and hundreds of farmers from months of needless legal and financial burdens. Read the full press release.

Tomorrow! CCBC Landscape and Nursery Career Exploration and Job Fair On Friday, February 20th, from 10am - 2pm, CCBC Sustainable Horticulture will be hosting a job fair at the CCBC Dundalk campus. Meet with more than 30 landscaping companies, garden centers, and nurseries to explore employment opportunities and learn about the industry. Questions? Contact Christiana Hoffman at choffmann@ccbcmd.edu or 443-840-3765. View the event flyer.

Extended Until April 1st! MDA Extends Deadline for Farmers to File Annual Implementation Reports (AIRs)
New! Department is now accepting proposals for Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
Department Launches Outreach Campaign to Promote Stream Protection, Herd Health
Ends March 1st! Winter Ban on Spreading Manure, FPRs, and Other Nutrient Sources Began December 16
Deadline March 1st! Blackout Dates for Lawn Fertilizer Applications Began November 16
Deadline April 30th! Enrollment Period for Maryland’s 2025 Conservation Buffer Initiative Began November 1st

Seeking Industry Partners: Sustainable Greenhouse Heating Pilot A team of senior mechanical engineering students from the University of Maryland is developing a low-cost, geothermal heating solution specifically designed for small-scale greenhouses in the Mid-Atlantic region. Their project aims to extend the growing season and reduce reliance on propane and electric heating for early seed starting. They are currently seeking input from Maryland growers, nursery managers, and greenhouse operators to ensure our design meets real-world needs. If you are interested in sharing your challenges with winter heating or learning more about potential geothermal applications for your operation, please contact them at lmaroclo@terpmail.umd.edu

Deadline April 1st! UMES Extension Survey The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) invites you to participate in a USDA NIFA-funded, multi-state research project titled “Perceptions of Adverse Weather Events and Changing Weather Patterns.” This study spans 18 states and 19 1890s land-grant universities, seeking to understand how farmers and agricultural communities perceive and adapt to increasing weather variability and changing weather patterns.

UMES kindly requests your participation by completing the survey. The survey takes about 15–20 minutes to complete, is completely anonymous, and provides an opportunity for farmers’ voices to be heard on issues like drought, flooding, heat stress, and crop resilience.

UMES Extension Survey Link

Your assistance will help ensure that agricultural realities and producer experiences directly inform future research, outreach, and policy efforts across the South and Mid-Atlantic.

For more information, please contact Nicole Cook (nlcook@umes.edu or 410-651-6182), Environmental and Agricultural Faculty Legal Specialist at UMES. View the survey flyer. Due by April 1st.

Landscape and Nursery IPM Reports The UME's IPM bulletin will resume in March. Access previous Landscape and Nursery IPM reports on the UMD Extension website.

IPM Report Index: The IPM report index is updated to include 2025. Access the subject indexes at on the UMD website. You will need to scroll down the page a bit to see the list of links.

Winter 2026 Conferences: A list of commercial horticulture conferences is available on the UMD Extension web page.

MARBIDCO Offers Two Maryland Resource-Based Industry Financing Fund (MRBIFF) Options MARBIDCO's popular “MRBIFF” Loan Program now offers a Participation Loan option in addition to its traditional Direct Loan option. The Participation Loan option is currently offered through Horizon Farm Credit and Colonial Farm Credit. MARBIDCO welcomes other lenders to adopt this lending approach.

Learn more and apply for the MRBIFF Program