Maryland sets a record for cover crop planting

The state of Maryland set a record for cover crop planting in 2011.

Nearly 430,000 acres in the state were planted with cover crops - which are small grain crops - last year, according to the Star Democrat.

"Our farmers continue to show their leadership in the Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts by planting a record number of acres of cover crops, exceeding their two-year goal by 21 percent," Governor Martin O'Malley said.

Talbot County reportedly led the way for the state, planting 47,192 acres of such crops.

Ted Wycall, who owns Greenbranch Organic Farm in Salisbury, told Delmarva Now that cover crops serve a number of functions.

"There are a couple different purposes to cover crops - the main purpose is to prevent soil erosion, but they also help build organic matter and they also help nutrient cycling in the soil," he told the news provider, adding that when a cash crop is not being planted, typically a cover one is.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture predicts that in 2012 cover crops will stop 2.58 million pounds of nitrogen and 86,000 pounds of phosphorus from impacting the Chesapeake Bay, according to the news source.

West Virginia farm captures second place for corn production per acre

A farm in Northeast West Virginia captured second place in a countrywide contest for measuring the production of corn, according to a press release.

Miltenberger Farm in Keyser, the seat of Mineral County, achieved 279.6187 bushels of corn per acre in the non-irrigated category of the National Corn Yield Contest. Sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association, the contest saw a Virginia field capture first place with 288.4817 bushels per acre.

"That is quite a yield and quite an honor for West Virginia and the Miltenbergers," commissioner of agriculture for West Virginia Gus R. Douglass said. "I can remember when you were considered a good grower when you could manage 50 bushels an acre. The yields farmers are getting these days are simply amazing and a credit to the advanced seeds and technology being used."

The MIltenbergers' farm grew Pioineer P1615HR seed while the Virginia farm, which is owned by Justice Family Farms of West Virginia, cultivated Pioneer P2023HR seed corn.

Partaking in the contest has driven yields by as many as 60 bushels per acre throughout the farm, according to Chris Miltenberger.

Maryland honors forestry innovator

One-thousand acres of woods on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland will be named for the state's first forester, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Fred W. Besley first began his tenure as state forester in 1906 after having been tapped by the first leader of the U.S. Forest Service. The Maryland Board of Public Works voted Wednesday to affix Besley's name to forestland in Dorchester County.

The state of Maryland was the nation's third state to establish a program for forestry, which occurred while woodlands in Maryland were being consumed for purposes including settling, farms and industrial production.

Besley devoted 36 years to calling attention to conservation, both private and public. He also conducted inventories of state forests while promoting efforts to reforest and reigning in forest fires. Besley also grew Maryland-owned forest system from 2,000 acres in 1906 to at least 100,000 acres by 1942. The amount of forest owned by the state of Maryland today stands at 138,000.

The innovator worked and owned the five wooded tracts of land that will take on the name Fred W. Besley Demonstration Forest, which Maryland purchased in 2010.

West Virginia sees meat-processing programs spread

Programs that prepare high school students for the workforce with meat processing skills are developing in West Virginia, according to a press release.

The state agriculture department said 35 schools statewide have programs in operation that qualify or push beyond requirements for meat-cutting businesses. Two counties - Pleasants and Marshal - are building new facilities. Doddridge County recently opened a new facility.

"The Department has been working for a number of years on getting schools to upgrade their facilities mainly to support the FFA ham and bacon auctions that occur throughout the state," commissioner Gus R. Douglass said. "But the student interest in this profession and the directions these programs are moving has exceeded my expectations. Perhaps the only problem we're seeing is that student demand is outgrowing some of the facilities."

Many schools also offer various levels of classes for meat sciences.

One responsibility for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture is inspecting the programs for sanitation issues and procedures of production while helping ensure products prepared at the facilities are labeled prior to being sold.

U.S. ag secretary encourages young farmers, minority farmers at Virginia school

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture recently visited a university in Virginia to speak about the need to get young farmers going in the industry.

Secretary Tom Vilsack was on the campus of Virginia State University in Ettrick and spoke about how he'd like more young people to pursue a career in farming, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

"We talked about the need to get young people engaged in opportunities in rural Virginia," he said. "We are seeing an increase in interest on the part of younger people in smaller-scale [farm] operations, which is why we put some focus on local and regional food systems."

The average age of a farmer in the U.S. is about 60, according to Vilsack, which is a number he is seeking to lower.

In addition to encouraging more people to get into the industry, Vilsack's choice of Virginia State University will likely help motivate minority farmers to get operations started as the school is a historically black university.

R.F. Turner, a goat farmer who saw the secretary speak, told the Progress Index that he believes Vilsack has a "very sincere commitment to diversity in agriculture."

Maryland to hold organic farm production meeting on March 6

Organic farming is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the U.S. and in order to help operators in this field the Maryland Department of Agriculture is holding an informational meeting next month.

The seventh annual Organic Grain, Forage and Vegetable Production meeting will take place on March 6 at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills. The cost is $30 and will include a continental breakfast and lunch.

The event is sure to be helpful to those involved in organic agricultural production as the topics covered at the meeting will include managing pests, tools that can help during the transition to organic farming, breeding organic soybeans and corn, nutrient management for organic operations and crop insurance.

In addition to gaining important insights into the industry, participants will get three continuing education credits from the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Management Program.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, in 2008 there were 119 organic operations in Maryland. These farms covered more than 7,600 acres of land that year. Nationwide, more than 4.8 million acres of land was set aside for organic production.

Maryland reports successes with oysters

Oysters that call the Chesapeake Bay of Maryland home this past fall achieved the top survival rate in 26 years, state Governor Martin O'Malley said in a press release.

The 2011 Fall Oyster Survey revealed the sea creature had a survival rate of 92 percent, which indicates how many of them were found alive in a sample.

"Although our fight to restore a thriving oyster population to the Chesapeake Bay is far from over, our continued commitment to renewing this iconic species has begun to pay off," the governor said. "Through balanced investments in aquaculture, sanctuaries, stewardship and enforcement, our native oyster is coming back. Together, we can continue to create jobs and support our local economies while returning our native oyster to healthy, sustainable levels."

The state of Maryland, via the Natural Resources Department and agencies that preceded the DNR, has been keeping a close eye on the oyster population since 1939, representing one of the globe's longest-standing programs to monitor this marine life.

Levels of reproduction, disease and mortality rates of the oysters are monitored by the survey, which indicates future populations.