Hello, Harford County! May in Maryland! The Sheep and Wool

Festival, Preakness, and…mosquitoes? In Maryland, mosquitoes generally make their appearance in May. While they’re generally an unwelcome pest, mosquitoes are a bigger concern than normal this year because of recent outbreaks of the Zika virus.

Zika has been getting a lot of press lately, so you probably know that it’s spread by two species of Aedes mosquitoes. (It can also be sexually transmitted through semen and can be passed from a woman to her fetus during pregnancy.) Most people who contract the virus experience only mild symptoms, if any. The Zika virus has gained so much attention, however, because it can cause serious birth defects in the babies of infected pregnant women. There is no vaccine, and there are many unknowns about how the virus behaves as research is still ongoing. As of April 27, all reported cases of Zika in the U.S. were in people who recently traveled to areas where Zika outbreaks are occurring. Eleven of those cases were reported in Maryland. Although there is not an outbreak occurring here currently, infected individuals are present, and Aedes mosquitoes occur in Maryland. Thus it’s possible that we could be dealing with an outbreak this summer. The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental

Grants for Specialty

Crops and Value-Added

Products

2

Invasive Species:

Japanese Stiltgrass

3

Restoration Services for

Harford Landowners

4

Administering Antibiotics

to Livestock—Legal

Controls

5

PSNT: Crucial for Corn! 6

Grow It, Eat It, Preserve

It Canning Classes

7

University of

Maryland Extension

Harford County Office

P.O. Box 663

2335 Rock Spring Road

Forest Hill, MD 21050

(410) 638-3255

M—F 8:00 a.m—4:30 p.m.

Extension.umd.edu/harford-county

facebook.com/HarfordAg

Sara BhaduriHauck

Ag Extension Educator

sbh@umd.edu

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Hygiene, as well as local health departments, are working to prevent the spread of Zika via surveillance, source reduction, biological control for larvae, and, when necessary, pesticide applications for adult mosquitoes. But citizens have a responsibility to take action, too! Eliminating breeding sites is the most effective thing you can do. There are many areas on a farm where standing water can collect: buckets, tarps, and flower pots are just a few that come to mind. Be diligent about eliminating standing water, and encourage everyone you know to do the same.

At this time, Zika is only known to pose a health risk to humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have not been any reports of animals becoming sick with Zika virus, and birth defects have not been reported in infected animals.

The CDC has compiled a comprehensive collection of information about Zika at www.cdc.gov/zika. MDA has also assembled resources and information, including tips for eliminating mosquito breeding sites, at mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/Zika.aspx. Sincerely,

The Extension Office will be closed on Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.

The first edition of the 2016 “Agronomy News” newsletter is now on the web and can be obtained by visiting go.umd.edu/3ym. In this edition, you will find updates on freeze damage, resistant ragweed, disease, and weather. If you would like to be added to the email distribution list for “Agronomy News,” you can sign up at extension.umd.edu/grain/agronomy-news.

Agronomy Newsletter Available

Grants Available for Value-Added Products

Grants Available for Specialty Crops

The Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO) has announced a grant funding opportunity to encourage Maryland's independent agricultural producers to engage in value-added activities and pursue financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Value Added Producer Grants Program (USDA-VAPG). The USDA-VAPG is a highly competitive nationwide grants program with approximately $44 million available for distribution in 2016. These grant funds can be used for planning or working capital expenses in accordance with USDA regulations. Eligible purposes include feasibility studies or business plans, working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects. MARBIDCO is making available Maryland Value Added Producer Matching Grants (MVAPMG) of up to 15% of the amount of a USDA-VAPG award to help an eligible applicant meet the non-federal financial matching requirement. All applicants that meet the MARBIDCO requirements will receive a commitment of matching funds to be included with their federal USDA-VAPG application. A MVAPMG monetary award from MARBIDCO will only be provided to an applicant that is selected to receive USDA-VAPG funding. The application submission deadline for the USDA-VAPG program is Friday, July 1, 2016. Questions regarding the USDA-VAPG can be addressed to the Maryland/Delaware Office of USDA-Rural Development at 302-857-3629 or by visiting USDA’s website for more information. Applicants seeking to receive a commitment of matching funds from MARBIDCO must submit an application at least two weeks prior to the federal submission deadline. The deadline for submission of MARBIDCO applications is Tuesday, June 14, 2016 (or postmarked by June 13, 2016). Please visit the MARBIDCO website for more information and

to download the MVAPMG application form. Questions about the MVAPMG may also be addressed by contacting Andra Davis, MARBIDCO Financial Programs Specialist, at 410-267-6807.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced a competitive grant program to fund projects designed solely to enhance the competitiveness of local specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops. The department will administer $325,000 in reimbursement grants to projects focusing on food safety, market enhancement, and pest management. The minimum amount of funding per project is $15,000. The department intends to fund projects that can produce the highest degree of measurable benefits to Maryland specialty crop producers in relation to each dollar spent. Successful applicants will need to have support from specialty crop producers as well. To qualify for the grant, applicants must be a Maryland resident or affiliated with a business or organization within the state. Electronic grant applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on May 18. Visit the department’s website to download the application. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Karen Fedor (karen.fedor@maryland.gov, 410-841-5773) to discuss their proposal.

Invasive Species: Japanese Stiltgrass

If you heat with firewood, now is the time to think about getting your wood for next winter. Why? Because it takes 6-9 months to season wood properly to about 20% moisture, which provides the most heat (measured as British Thermal Units, or BTUs) and lowest emissions. Research indicates that about 60% of people who burn firewood collect and process the wood themselves. However, whether you buy it or do it yourself, the outcome is usually the same: most people burn wood that is not properly seasoned and it creates problems with using your stove.

One myth is that if a tree is dead, its wood is dry; it merely needs to be cut and split and it is ready to go. Actually, dead trees still have a lot of moisture in the wood. In fact, hardwood does not start to dry significantly until it is split, so cutting it into rounds is not enough to start the seasoning process. The University of Maryland Extension’s firewood drying

study used 8-14” diameter fresh-cut hickory logs. The wood was cut into 16-inch rounds and put in a well-ventilated and covered area along with hickory rounds that were split into firewood pieces. After one year, the un-split rounds still had over 30% moisture when split while the split wood was 20% moisture. Wood needs to be split to dry!

So if you cut your own firewood, now is the time to cut and split it and cover it so that air can circulate through the woodpile and dry it in time for the fall. If you buy firewood, now is the time to buy it because many producers sell wood that is not properly seasoned, so by purchasing it now you can store and cover it so it can dry by fall. The added bonus is that prices are typically cheaper this time of year.

This issue’s invasive plant goes by a number of aliases. Besides the most common name, Japanese stiltgrass, it is also known as Nepalese browntop, Chinese packing grass, and others. No matter what you call it, Microstegium vimineum is an invasive grass that threatens native plants and natural habitats in the eastern United States.

What is it?

Japanese stiltgrass is native to Japan, China, central Asia and India. Its first documented appearance in the US was in 1919 in Tennessee. Apparently it was used as packing material for porcelain from China and escaped.

Today, this invasive has successfully colonized a variety of habitats throughout the eastern half of the nation, including every county in Maryland, and reaching as far west as Texas.

David Apsley, of Ohio State University Extension, calls Japanese stiltgrass “very adaptable” because it “can tolerate low-light environments with sufficient soil nutrients and moisture; conversely, it can tolerate

low-nutrient and low-moisture environments with adequate light. When there are adequate amounts of nutrients, moisture, and light, it can thrive and out-compete most native understory plants.”

It can be found in the moist, open ground of woodlands, floodplain forests, wetlands, fields, thickets, roadsides and ditches. It can also colonize open lawns, where favorable conditions of moist, rich soils high in nitrogen from fertilizers allow it to thrive.

How does it spread?

Japanese stiltgrass spreads in a fashion similar to many grasses. Its flowers are small and hidden, but are self-fertilizing. Each plant can produce 100-1,000 seeds that remain viable in the soil for as long as three years. The seeds germinate very quickly in soils that have been disturbed by both natural and mechanical means. Deer do not browse on this grass, but an abundance of deer may overbrowse native plants and disturb the soil enough so that the invasive can take root.

Thinking About Staying Warm Next Winter?

The stories on this page are from University of Maryland Extension’s

quarterly “Branching Out” newsletter. You can subscribe to

“Branching Out” by e-mailing Editor Andrew Kling at akling1@umd.edu.

(con’t…)

Eastern Tent Caterpillars at Annoying Levels This Year

Restoration Services for Harford Landowners

How can I identify it? Japanese stiltgrass is an annual that typically grows

one to three feet in height. Although it grows in sprawling mats, the plant itself resembles a miniature bamboo. Leaves are narrow and lance-shaped. They have a distinctive, pale, silvery stripe of reflective hairs on the upper surface. It is similar in appearance to several native grasses, including Virginia cutgrass, Pennsylvania knotweed, and some smartweeds.

How can I control it?

This grass has very shallow roots, so removal by hand-pulling is easily accomplished, especially when the soil is moist. It is best to do in late summer when the plants are mature; doing so earlier in the year encourages further flowering and early seed dispersal.

Chemical herbicides may be necessary to treat extensive infestations. Grass-specific herbicides, such as Ortho Grass B Gon, are best when used in spot treatment (such as in landscape beds). Other herbicides, such as Roundup or Accord, are non-specific and are best applied to infestations where no other plants are present.

Harford County is starting a county-wide habitat restoration program and is seeking willing participants to accept free restoration services on their property! The Department of Planning and Zoning (P&Z) would like to reforest land, as well as restore streams and wetlands, to promote better environmental health. Restoration of a natural habitat reduces soil erosion, mitigates flooding, greatly contributes to better water quality, and creates sustainable wildlife habitat. For any questions, or if you are interested in accommodating this habitat restoration effort, please contact Bryan Lightner, Environmental Planner in P&Z, at (410) 638-3103 ext. 1386 or bclightner@harfordcountymd.gov.

One of the most visible signs of spring this year is the abundance of Eastern tent caterpillar nests. This native insect gets its name from its familiar silken tents in roadside trees. Typically there are only one or two tents per tree; however, many trees this year are sporting multiple tents, causing residents to be concerned for the trees as the caterpillars eat all the leaves.

The lack of damage is due to the timing, not the severity of the defoliation. Because the caterpillars hatch as soon as the young leaves unfurl in the spring, the tree has put little energy into the leaves and typically re-foliate in June, seemingly no worse for wear. The young caterpillars venture out to feed on leaves during the night and return to the tents for protection during the day.

Homeowners concerned about particular plants may wish to keep an eye on them and consider U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved

insecticides before the caterpillars mature and are done feeding. The Eastern tent caterpillar finishes eating in mid- to late-May and leaves the tent to seek a place to spin a cocoon. By this time in the lifecycle, it is too late to use insecticides to control the fully grown tent caterpillars since most insecticides available to the public must be sprayed on leaves and ingested by the caterpillars to be effective. (Source: MDA. Abridged.)

Photo: University of MD Extension

Photo: Cornell University Cooperative Extension

Photo: University of Kentucky

Administering Antibiotics to Livestock—Legal Controls

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, at least 2 million people in the United States become infected with bacteria resistant to antibiotics each year, and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of these infections. To address this health concern, identical bills have been introduced into the Maryland House (HB829) and Senate (SB607) which aim to prohibit producers from administering antibiotics or antimicrobial drugs to cattle, swine, or poultry without a prescription or veterinary feed directive (VFD) issued by a veterinarian. Each branch of the legislature has had an initial hearing on the respective bills though it is unclear at this point whether either will proceed in the legislative process.

According to a story published February 26, 2016, in the Carroll County Times, Sen. Nathan-Pulliam, who is one of the bill’s sponsors as well as a registered nurse, explained the reason she sponsored the SB607, "[w]hen farm animals are given antibiotics in their feed and we eat it, we can develop resistance." In the same story, the Maryland State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Radebaugh explained the bills are essentially a duplicate of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new animal feed regulations which will go into effect starting 2017.

What is the FDA doing?

Currently, livestock producers can buy feed-grade antibiotics over the counter at a feed mill. In 2013, the FDA released a voluntary guidance document, New Animal Drugs and New Animal Drug Combination Products Administered in or on Medicated Feed or Drinking Water of Food-Producing Animals: Recommendations for Drug Sponsors for Voluntarily Aligning Product Use Conditions with GFI #209 (Guidance #213). The document guides drug companies to voluntarily revise the FDA-approved labeled use conditions to (a) remove the use of

antimicrobial drugs for production purposes; (b) add scientifically-supported disease treatment, control, or prevention uses where appropriate; and (c) change the marketing status from over-the-counter to VFD for drugs administered through feed or to prescription status for drugs administered through water to provide for veterinary oversight or consultation. FDA has also updated the agency’s existing regulations relating to VFD drugs.

Although FDA made some updates to its regulation, its approach to phasing out over-the-counter antibiotic use is a voluntary strategy. The regulation requests drug sponsors to work with FDA to revise the approved use conditions for their medically necessary antimicrobial drug products, removing production uses (such as growth enhancement or feed efficiency), and bringing the remaining therapeutic uses under veterinary oversight. Once manufacturers voluntarily make these changes, products can no longer be used for production purposes, and therapeutic use would require veterinary oversight. Although this is a voluntary program, once product labeling is voluntarily changed, it will be a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to use these products in feed for production purposes. How will the new system work?

Starting Jan. 1, 2017, veterinarians will have to write a VFD or prescription for medically important antibiotics (examples: penicillin or sulfa) use in livestock feed, and those antibiotics can only be used to treat specific health concerns. Once the farmer gets the prescription, he will have to fill it at a distributor who has registered that specific prescription with the FDA. The veterinarian, farmer and distributor are required to keep the VFD paperwork for two years.

By Sarah Everhart, Legal Specialist, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Reprinted from the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog

Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Training

Soil nitrogen levels are very important for crop health and yields, especially when growing corn grain or corn silage. Fertilizer recommendations that are generated for a field that had a previous forage legume crop or manure application assume a significant nitrogen contribution from the previous crop or manure application. However, nitrogen is not a stable compound, and there are many factors that can affect the amount that is actually present when the plant needs it. This can make it tricky to know exactly how much nitrogen is in your soil and thus how much nitrogen fertilizer you need to add.

The pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) takes the guesswork out of nitrogen availability. This test determines how much nitrate nitrogen is present in

the soil at a critical time. When the results indicate that the nitrogen level is satisfactory, the grower is saved from any more financial inputs. However, when nitrogen levels are found to be too low, nitrogen can be side-dressed at a rate to ensure an adequate crop.

Do your crop recommendations depend on a nitrogen credit from an organic application or a previous forage legume crop? Are you applying less than 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre in your starter fertilizer? If this scenario describes your corn field, it is highly recommended that you schedule a PSNT study to evaluate the nitrogen levels at this critical time. Qualifications for PSNT testing: 1) Corn silage or corn grain is being grown. 2) Manure or biosolids have been applied this year or in the past two years, OR a forage legume was grown in the previous year.

3) Less than 50 pounds of commercial fertilizer nitrogen per acre was applied prior to testing. PSNT is not applicable when: 1) More than 50 pounds of commercial fertilizer nitrogen has been applied to the field. 2) Commercial fertilizer has been the only nutrient source. 3) Irrigation is used. When should this test be done? The PSNT must be run when corn is between 6 and 12 inches tall. It is recommended that you let your nutrient management advisor know now that you will want this test done to ensure the advisor’s availability. It is also recommended that growers alert their advisors prior to the 6 inch stage. Corn grows quickly during this critical time, and scheduling can be challenging. For questions on the PSNT test or to schedule testing for your fields, call Tricia Hoopes, Nutrient Management Advisor at the Harford County Extension Office, at 410-638-3255. PSNT Services are offered for both UME clients as well as for farmers preparing their own Nutrient Management Plans and for private consultants. Non-clients must provide information on nutrient applications, crop histories, and soil samples. Forms and directions are available upon request.

Pre-Sidedress Nitrate Testing: Crucial for Corn!

A two-day Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Pre-Certification Training Course will be held June 2-3 at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis. The training provides participants with an overview of material covered by the Maryland Nutrient Management Certification Examination scheduled for August 5. (This is the certification required for those who write nutrient management plans for operations other than their own.) Topics include state nutrient management regulations, nutrient management principles, basic soil science, and soil fertility recommendations. The non-refundable registration fee is $125 and includes learning materials and lunch. Register by mail by May 25. For more information or to obtain a registration form, call 410-841-5959.

By Patricia Hoopes, Harford County Nutrient Management Advisor

June 2-3, 2016 Maryland Dpt. of Agriculture

Annapolis, MD

New Website Connects Consumers with MD Flowers

Grow It, Eat It, Preserve It — Canning Classes

Candidates Sought for Baltimore City 4-H Position

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color,

sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression. The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by University of Maryland Extension is implied.

Jeff Myers

Area Extension Director

Harford, Baltimore,

and Carroll Counties

Sara Meagher BhaduriHauck

Faculty Extension Assistant

Agriculture and

Natural Resources

sbh@umd.edu Extension.umd.edu/Harford-county

facebook.com/HarfordAg

University of Maryland Extension is accepting candidates for an Associate Agent to work with the 4-H program in Baltimore City. The successful candidate will provide leadership for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive, innovative youth and adult educational programming in nutrition education and healthy lifestyles. The position requires a bachelor’s degree and willingness to work flexible hours including some evenings and weekends. This is a non-tenure track position. Candidates must apply online at ejobs.umd.edu: choose “faculty” and search for position number 120944. For best consideration, apply by May 13.

Do you want to preserve the bounty of your garden? Have you always wanted to make your own jams and pickles? Join us for a series of canning classes at the Harford County Extension Office this spring, summer, and fall. This series is intended to provide a hands-on experience for both beginners and advanced canners. Each session will include a class lecture followed by time in the kitchen to cook and can produce you’ll take home the same day. Registration is $35 per session and includes all the equipment and produce to process your own

The Maryland Department of Agriculture and Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association are pleased to announce the launch of the Maryland Grown Flowers website: www.marylandgrownflowers.com. With a recent increase in demand for local cut flowers, this new website will provide valuable help to any Marylanders interested in locating or learning about locally grown cut flowers. Website features include a section where users can browse photos of various types of flowers available by season and a directory of local farms listed by county. There is also a photo gallery of different floral arrangements made with Maryland-grown cut flowers.

preserved jar. Registration is required in advance and must be accompanied by payment. You can register online at gieipihc16.eventbrite.com or by cash or check. For questions, or to register and pay with cash or check, call the Baltimore County Extension Office at 410-887-8090.