Take advantage of the no-cost Mycotoxin testing for farmers for corn, wheat, oats, rye, and other grains. Contact Sarah Llewellyn at the Allegany County Extension Office at 301-724-3320 or sllewell@umd.edu. Digital newsletter readers can click the photo to link to the complete press release article.

To receive payment for Cover Crops, you must certify your cover crop with the local soil conservation district within one week of planting and by November 12, 2024. Certify late-planted cover crops by November 22, 2024. To receive payment, all follow-up documentation must be submitted to the local SCD by December 2, 2024. Call AC SCD at 240-609-3493 for additional information.

This Ranching for Profit workshop is designed for producers looking to transform their operations into a profitable business with less work and stress. Workshop attendees will dive deeper into the principles behind farm economics and increasing farm profitability, giving participants the tools and insights they need to improve their business.

This 2-day workshop will be taught by Jordan Steele, one of the experts on the Ranching for Profit team and director of operations for Ranch Management Consultants. Jordan grew up on a cow-calf operation near Aladdin, WY, before completing his Master's in Agricultural Economics at the University of Wyoming. He worked for the Kansas Farm Management Association for over seven years, where he specialized in agricultural business recordkeeping, financial analysis and interpretation, and income tax preparation for farmers and ranchers. Jordan attended his first RFP school in 2017 and was instantly hooked on how well the program delivery ties together the people, money, and production areas of farming and ranching.

The workshop will feature a small group approach with team and class discussions, case studies, videos, interactions, and direct application to the participants’ own situations to make for a fun and effective learning environment.

The event runs from 9 AM to 4 PM each day, and lunch will be provided each day. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your local county Extension office or the Western Maryland Research and Education Center at 301-432-2767. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at least two weeks prior to the event. Register for (Garrett County) Maryland workshop by clicking HERE or the Virginia Workshop HERE.

This summer has been extremely dry and hot, with little to no end in sight for the counties of Allegany, Garrett, Washington, and Frederick. Farmers are extremely worried about the D3 (extreme) drought conditions, as indicated by the US Drought Monitor (USDM) - a drought resulting in devastating crop losses, pasture losses, and water restrictions.

Note: Program Fact Sheets are linked in the paragraph below, and website program pages are linked in additional paragraphs below if you are reading this newsletter via email.

Fortunately, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers relief for local drought-impacted livestock producers through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm Raised Fish Program (ELAP), the Tree Disaster Assistance Program (TAP), and the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).

Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) compensates eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock and are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage of native and improved pastureland. The grazing losses must occur on land physically located in a county experiencing a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period. A USDM drought intensity level of D3 at any point during the grazing season triggers producer eligibility for LFP assistance to monthly payments.

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) covers losses that are not covered under other disaster assistance programs. It covers losses due to an eligible adverse weather or loss condition, including drought. ELAP provides eligible producers with compensation for feed and grazing losses and transportation costs associated with transporting feed/forage to livestock and livestock to feed. Eligible producers must complete a notice of loss and a payment application to their local FSA office by January 30, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses.

Tree Disaster Assistance Program (TAP). If you have trees, bushes, or vines that produce an annual crop for commercial purposes, they can be eligible for assistance. Ornamental, fruit, nut, and Christmas trees are also eligible for TAP. To qualify, you must experience a loss greater than 15% of normal mortality.

The Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) also can provide assistance for drought loss. Eligible crops are those commercially produced for which crop insurance is not available in the county. In most cases, a policy must be purchased beforehand. However, if you are a socially disadvantaged producer, you may still be able to qualify for assistance.

If you are a farmer affected by the drought in Allegany County, please get in touch with Brianna at the AC FSA Office at 240-609-3492.

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• Jeff Semler will conduct private applicator training at UME Washington County (Extension Office) on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Study books are available for $15 at your local Extension Office.
• MDA will be at WC UME to administer the Exam on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Please contact the Washington County UME office at 301-791-1304 to register.

The Western Maryland Food Council (WMFC) will hold a food conference titled "Buying Local Helps All." This is the third food conference held by the WMFC. The conference will be held in person or virtually on November 15th. In-person conference attendance is offered at three locations in Western Maryland: Garrett College, Allegany College of Maryland (Cumberland), and the Washington County Extension Office. The conference will feature three speakers in the morning, followed by a local discussion of the food system, and three speakers in the afternoon, followed by a second local discussion. Topics include food pharmacy programs, restaurant meal programs, food access at farmers' markets, restaurant connections, and local foods to institutions.

The registration fee is $35, including lunch (live locations only). Registration will be live soon. Visit the WMFC website at www.wmfoodcouncil.com or call your local UME (Extension Office) if you have questions or need assistance registering.

"All fall manure transport and injection projects must be completed by December 15, 2024. Claims for payment should be submitted to the department’s Conservation Grants Office by January 15, 2025." The full press release from Sept.16, 2024, can be found at mda.maryland.gov or by clicking the photo.

The University of Maryland Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, together with Cargill and Maryland Extension, will be holding a Nutrition workshop for all interested cattle producers. The goal of this workshop will be to cover several important areas of cattle nutrition, including feedstuffs and commonly used terminology, feed/forage sample collection and understanding the results, plant varieties when grazing, nutrient requirements for cow/calf herds and feeding cattle, as well as Body Condition Scoring Cattle and the economic impact of poor management.

Date and Location: Tuesday, Nov. 5th, 3-7:30 pm: WMREC, 18330 Keedysville Rd, Keedysville, MD

This program costs $40 per person, including all materials, refreshments, and a hot meal (dinner or lunch).

For more information about the workshop or to register with a credit card, please visit either our Event page: go.umd.edu/beefnutrition2024 [go.umd.edu] or our Website: https://ansc.umd.edu/extension/beef-extension/educational-courses/#series-iv [ansc.umd.edu]

If you have any questions or concerns or would like to register offline, please don't hesitate to contact Racheal Slattery at 301-405-1392.

Now is a great time to begin planning for the 2025 growing season. Call the AC UME Office to request your nutrient management plan update this fall. Nutrient management plans can be flexible, so if you are unsure what crops you plan to grow in each field, your plan can include multiple scenarios. Fall is the perfect season to update soil samples from your fields after your crops have been harvested. Soil samples are good for up to three years. Our office can provide the required documents to send out your soil samples, and the Nutrient Management Advisors can answer any questions. As a reminder, be sure to take yield records throughout the harvest season.

To request a nutrient management plan update and discuss needed information for your plan, call 301-724-3320 to plan for 2025.

UME newsletters offer informative, research-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 that is available electronically from April through October. Published by the University of Maryland Extension Agriculture and Food Systems team. Fruit & Vegetable News

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Sarah Llewellyn, Extension Educator

Horticulture & Agriculture (AgFS/ENR)

Master Gardener Coordinator

sllewell@umd.edu Phone: 301-724-3320

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

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

To make changes to your contact information or if you choose not to receive this publication in the future, please email tonir@umd.edu or call the office at 301-724-3320.

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If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any program or event, please contact our office, at least two weeks prior, at 301-724-3320.