By Paul Goeringer
With the Maryland dairy economy struggling and previous nutrient management exemptions expiring the first of July, three dairy risk management workshops were held across Maryland. The workshops, held by Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Crop Insurance Education Program, covered financial risk management information, an update on the manure management requirements starting this winter, and a farm succession planning discussion.
The workshops were held July 11 in Elkton, MD, July 12 in Boonesboro, MD, and July 14 in McHenry, MD. The University of Maryland Extension hosted the workshops with sponsorships from Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corp. (MARBIDCO), and the Maryland Farm Bureau.
The workshops covered the state of the dairy economy, an update on nutrient management regulations, financial assistance available, and financial considerations in a tough economy. ALEI’s contribution to the workshops was covering basic farm transition and succession planning considerations and bankruptcy basics with Ashley Ellixson at the Elkton and Boonesboro workshops and Paul Goeringer at the McHenry workshop.
Other presenters were from the University of Maryland’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Penn State University, Maryland Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit, and MARBIDCO.
Materials from the workshop are available online.
