By: Kimberly Johnson
Over 100 farmers, regulators, agricultural professionals, students, and policymakers took part in the third annual Agriculture and Environmental Law Conference on November 17, 2017 in Annapolis, MD. The conference brought together the state’s environmental, agricultural, and legal communities at one event to stimulate discussion and advance understanding of the relevant issues, laws, policies, and regulations that Maryland farmers face.
Panelists covered a diverse array of topics, including Organic Farming, Legal Resources for Improving Soil Health on Leased Land, Maryland’s Climate Change Programs, and Hot Topics in agricultural law in 2017. A video of each panel presentation, now available on Youtube, as well as the conference materials, can be found on the ALEI Conferences section of the ALEI website.
The complete list of panels and presenters includes:
Organic Farming – Challenges, Benefits, and Legal Battles: Alison Howard, Homestead Farm; Kelley Poole, vice president of government affairs, Organic Trade Association.
Legal Resources for Improving Soil Health on Leased Land: Sarah Everhart, senior legal specialist and research associate, ALEI, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; Terron Hillsman, PhD, state conservationist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Nutrient Management Update and Preparing for an Audit: Hans Schmidt, assistant secretary of resource conservation, Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Administering Antibiotics to Livestock in Maryland: The Legal Framework: Michael Radebaugh, VMD, state veterinarian, Maryland Department of Agriculture; Colby Ferguson, government relations director, Maryland Farm Bureau; Betsy Nicholas, JD, executive director, Waterkeepers Chesapeake; founder, Fair Farms.
Maryland’s Climate Change Programs: Ben Grumbles, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment
Keynote Panel: Conservation Programs and the 2018 Farm Bill: Paul Wolfe J.D., Senior Policy Specialist, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition; Matthew Teffeau, Director of Government Relations, MDA
Developing Legal Issues in Agriculture and the Environment: Paul Goeringer, extension legal specialist, ALEI, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland, College Park; Kelly Nuckolls Winslow, extension legal specialist, ALEI, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland, College Park.
