ALEI hosts an Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference annually. This event attracts agricultural service providers, attorneys, educators, environmentalists, producers, policymakers, and students to discuss the complex intersection of environmental regulation and agriculture in Maryland. ALEI prides itself on hosting an event that brings agriculture and conservation experts together in a forum that allows for exchanging ideas and education for conference attendees on current legal topics of interest.
This year’s conference will be held in person on November 12, 2024, at the Graduate Hotel in Annapolis. Registration is now available!
Click Here to Register!
Agenda
7:30 a.m. -8:20 a.m. – Registration and Breakfast
8:20 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. – Welcome Remarks by Dr. Moses Kairo, Dean & Professor, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. – Recent Developments in Right-to-Farm
Presenters:
Tony Gorski, Esq., Principal – Anthony G. Gorski LLC.
Prof. Jesse Richardson, Esq., Professor of Law and Lead Land Use Attorney, West Virginia University College of Law
Panel description:
This panel will review recent developments with right-to-farm laws in Maryland and nationally.
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Planning for the Future of Value-Added Agriculture
Presenters:
Prof. Peggy Kirk Hall, J.D., Director and Associate Professor, Agricultural and Resource Law Program, the Ohio State University
Prof. Jesse Richardson, Esq., Professor of Law and Lead Land Use Attorney, West Virginia University College of Law
Stephanie Jones, Long Range Principal Planner, Queen Anne’s County Planning and Zoning
Panel description:
Debates on how to best regulate value-added agriculture have been ongoing in Maryland. This panel will expand upon previous years’ discussion on the various zoning, land use, and tax considerations for value-added agriculture. Legal experts and professors will provide an overview of their national research on how states across the U.S. have tackled these same issues when establishing laws and regulations for value-added agriculture. To bring it back home, because agricultural sectors vary significantly across states, the panel will also include a local planner’s perspective on how county government in Maryland continues to increase cross-departmental communication to assess the economic development opportunities when planning for the future of value-added agriculture.
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. – Break & Networking
10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Updates on Maryland’s Food Processing Residuals Utilization Permitting Law
Presenters:
Hans Schmidt, Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Assistant Secretary, Resource Conservation
Dwight Dotterer, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Nutrient Management Program Administrator
Panel description:
This panel will feature representatives from Maryland’s Department of Agriculture who will provide an update on regulations implementing Maryland’s new Food Processing Residuals Utilization Permitting law.
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – 2024 Ag and Environmental Review and What to Look Out For in 2025
Presenters:
Paul Goeringer, Principal Faculty Specialist and Extension Specialist, University of Maryland
Panel Description:
A number of legal developments have been seen in 2024 that will impact agriculture moving forward. What have those developments been, and what should folks be aware of in 2025? This session will cover national developments and specific developments that Mid-Atlantic producers should know.
11:45a.m – 11:55 am – Pre-Lunch Address by Vice Dean Deborah Thompson Eisenberg. Piper & Marbury Professor of Law and Director, Center for Dispute Resolution (C-DRUM)
11:55 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. -Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Farm Donations: Good Samaritan Laws and Incentive Programs
Presenters:
Prof. Kathleen Hoke, J.D., MPH, Director, Legal Resource Center for Public Health Policy, and Network for Public Health Law-Eastern Region, University of Maryland – Baltimore, Francis King Carey School of Law
Amy Cawley, Farm to Food Bank Manager, Maryland Food Bank
Wes Krock, Chief Operating Officer, First Fruits Farm
Panel description:
According to the Sustainable Development Goals, reducing food waste and loss is critical to reduce production costs and increase the efficiency of the food system, improve food security and nutrition in communities, and contribute towards environmental sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Farmers can make donating food part of their farm business planning as a way to combat food insecurity and increase their farm viability. This panel will discuss the entire process of food donation from production to delivery and covering the federal and state laws that apply to donated foods, general liability issues, incentives for donating foods, and additional considerations like receiver relationships and requirements.
1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Break & Networking
2:00 p.m. to 3:05 p.m. – Solar Development in Maryland
Presenters:
Elizabeth Thilmany, Faculty Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland,
Dr. Drew Schiavone, Agent and Energy Conservation and Technology Specialist, University of Maryland Extension, University of Maryland,
Bob Sadzinski, Director, Power Plant Assessment Division, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Panel description: This panel examines Maryland’s approach to solar energy, focusing on the regulatory landscape, including the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) process and distinguishing between utility and community solar projects. Panelists will explore agrivoltaics research, land use impacts, and mapping/dashboard resources.
Closing Remarks – 3:05 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. by Dr. Jennifer Rice, Senior Vice President and Provost, University of Maryland.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Platinum Level
Gold Level
Silver Level
To view materials from past conferences, click on the following link:
https://umaglaw.org/agriculture-environmental-law-conference-archive/
