Nutrient Management Funds Increased To Aid Maryland Farmers ANNAPOLIS, Md. Sub stantial new funds sought by Governor Parris N. Glendening to share with farmers the cost of writing nutrient management plans were approved, and funds for the popular cover crop pro gram were largely maintained during 2002 Maryland Legisla tive Session that grappled with budget limitations. Agricultural land preservation also gained continued support as part of Governor Glendening’s multi faceted Smart Growth initiative. “In a year when budgets are being scrutinized carefully and cut deeply, we are fortunate that Governor Glendening and the Maryland Legislature remains committed to helping farmers meet environmental require ments for improving water and soil quality, and to preserving farm land” said Maryland Agri culture Secretary Hagner R. Mister. “Given the difficult fiscal climate, the Governor and the General Assembly gave Maryland’s providers of food and fiber a high priority.” Two primary themes of the state’s agricultural programs are Lancaster County Conservancy Elects 4 New Board Members LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) The Lancaster Count Conservancy, a non-profit land trust and open space preserva tion organization, has elected four new directors to its board of directors. Elected for a three-year term are: Jared E. Miller, tax mana ger with Miller and Miller CPAs; Jeff Phillips, has been a senior designer and illustrator with Dean Design/Marketing Group; Howard B. Mann, landscaper and farmer; and Thomas M. Showers, vice president/ Beef Industry DENVER, Colo. Beef pro ducers have teamed up with Taco Bell to help meet consumers’ con tinuing demand for steak in res taurants. The focus of the part nership has been to promote the new Grilled Steak Taco, Steak Grilled Shift Burrito, and most recently the new Taco Bell Steak Quesadilla. During 2001, the beef check off-funded partnership with Taco Bell helped move more than 27 million pounds of steak through steak product promotions. The beef industry and Taco Bell an ticipate the Steak Quesadilla promotion in 2002 will be equally successful as it has already dis played strong sales. The focus for the 2002 partnership will be promoting the Taco Bell Steak Quesadllla. As part of the beef check off partnership program the Beef Check logo will appear on all Quesadllla promotional materials as it did with the Grilled Stuft Burrito. Nearly 6,300 Taco Bell restaurants nationwide will participate in the promotion this year. to help farmers remain profita ble as agricultural techniques, land use trends, and markets shift; and to protect the environ ment. Toward those ends, fund ing to share the cost of writing nutrient management plans with farmers topped the list of agriculture priorities. To help meet this need, the Governor sought, and the Legislature ap propriated, a 350 percent in crease to $987,409. Without increased funding, many farm ers would be unable to afford to develop the plans, which are re quired by the Water Quality Im provement Act of 1998 to help restore the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. A program that encourages farmers to plant winter cover crops to absorb excess nitrogen left over from primary crops was funded at $2,398,000,98 percent of the 2002 level. A bill also passed to repeal the scheduled sunset of the Manure Transport Pilot Program, which supports the transport of animal manure from farms with high nutrient levels to those that need those commercial loan officer, Bank ol Lancaster County. Current Conservancy board members elected to second terms include Katherine Pande lidis Granbois, Esq.; Margaret L. Veltre, CPA; and Lance Robson, P.E. The 2002 officers elected are: Kenneth J. Alexander, presi dent; Margaret L. Veltre, vice president and treasurer; Dr. D. Eugene Rannels, vice president for land stewardship; Ronald L. Laughlin, vice president for land acquisition; and M. Brooke Min nich, secretary. Partnering To Meet Demand “It’s exciting to work with quality products for consumers Taco Bell to help boost a new on the go.” steak product, especially after As part of the partnership, the our great successes together in “Beef Check” logo appears on all 2001, said Bartow, Florida, beef promotional materials. producer Sid Sumner, vice chair McDonald’s, one of the beef in of the Joint Industry Food Scrv- dustry’s largest customers, has ice Committee.“ Taco Bell is com- also stepped up to partner with mitted to satisfying consumer de- cattlemen across the U.S. by tak mand for steak products,” said ®i steps to help ensure that U.S. Jeff Fox, vice president of nation- remains safe. al marketing, Taco BeU Corp. Cattlemen have answered a “This is revealed in the current challenge grant for Bovine promotional slogan: ‘Winners Spongiform Encephalopathy Eat Steak.’ We are also letting researc *? people know that they can ‘up- d \ C £ r P’ "J* a . s6^^°° : -t-ak’ at Tarn Bril checkoff investment. McDonald’s H ° “- * has invested $500,000 in this food Steak is part of an important partnership . The research strategy for us m providing top on £ development 1 and implementation of additional firewalls to prevent BSE from ever entering the U.S. cattle pop ulation.“ Food safety is everyone’s business,” said Ken Koziol, as sistant vice president of McDon ald’s World-Wide Quality Assur ance. “We have the world’s safest food supply here in the U.S. and these grants are designed to help keep it that way. Funding the best and the brightest in our in dustry is not only worthwhile, it is the right thing to do on behalf of the consumer.” resources in the soil, and helps to find new uses for manure. Funding of $250,000, will sup port continued operations in the most critical areas. Maryland’s Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, a na tionally recognized program that buys development ease ments on agricultural land so that it remains in farming, was funded at $l5 million. This will allow the program to continue to work along with other Smart Growth preservation programs including Green Print and Rural Legacy, to preserve farms and other open space throughout the state. Other Department of Agricul ture bills that passed the Gen eral Assembly in support of farming, the environment and consumer services include; • A $2 per ton assessment on commercial horse feed will bene fit the valuable and growing equine industry by raising funds Lancaster Farming Check out Our Website www.laneasterfarminQ.eon “While a recent report from Harvard University said the U.S. was at low risk for a BSE out break, cattlemen and allied in dustries must move to strengthen the proven firewalls,” said Bo Re agan, Ph.D., executive director of research for NCBA. “This grant is important for research initia tives that continue to keep Amer ica BSE free.” Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 11, 2002-C7 for research, education and pro motional projects as determined by the Maryland Horse Industry Board. • The establishment of a State Agricultural Mediation Program provides private citi zens and government agencies with a voluntary process to settle agricultural-related disputes in a non-adversarial setting and with assurances of full confidentiality. Currently functioning under USDA regu lations, the program has been successful in resolving conflicts between farmers and lenders, suburban neighbors, and others. • Beginning October 2002, regulations promulgated by the USDA pursuant to the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 will supersede state organic laws. Legislation was passed that will allow Maryland to take the steps necessary to comply with the federal regulations, in cluding raising fees to cover in- Lancaster Farming Sale Report Providers: Lancaster Farming will require sale reports to be individually prepared and faxed directly to our office or contact Tara Liddell (717) 626-1164 Monday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Use this form if faxing directly. -The Editor SALE REPORT FOR LANCASTER FARMING MUST BE TYPED, CLEARLY, ON THIS FORM LIMIT ONE PAGE ONLY FAX TO (717) 733-6058 ATTN: TARA LIDDELL DEADLINE: MONDAY 3 p.m. WEEK OF ISSUE DATE Sale Date Auctioneer Seller’s Name: Location (town, state) Description of Sale: spection and certification costs of this rapidly growing industry and providing for confidential ity. • A new law would revise the definition of shell eggs in the Maryland Egg Law to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to regulate eggs that have been modified by treatments used to control pathogens. These eggs fell outside of current legal lan guage. By including them and providing for the imposition of civil penalties to improve com pliance with the requirements of the Maryland Egg Law, the public will be further protected from the health risks associated with salmonella enteritidis con tamination. • A law authorizing the Sec retary of Agriculture to apply for an administrative search warrant and enter property to test for infectious and conta gious livestock and poultry dis eases. Phone No:
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