09:17:15 He is the director of graduate studies and associate professor at the University of Kentucky. 09:17:20 In the agricultural economics department. if there's anything going on in the world that Kemp right Now, Tyler is probably involved in it just from the list of things he is currently researching and working on so we have a very good panel 09:17:34 here today to talk about this, so we will get started with. 09:17:38 If you guys would like to talk about what some of your ongoing research is in this area to kind of let people know what you're doing and what we're doing with starting Nicole So she can talk about what's going on 09:17:46 in Maryland. Oh, is this: Can you guys hear me? Okay. 09:17:54 Okay, sounds weird up here. Okay. good morning, thank you guys for coming. 09:17:57 It's nice to see more people filed in as the as the morning went on. 09:18:02 So as Paul introduced me, i'm the extension agronomist for University of Maryland, and when I started back in 28, he used the right words. 09:18:12 I kind of got sucked into the industrial hemp research, and that's when we started back in about 2,018, and it took the university about a year to figure out how we could legally start doing some of 09:18:25 this research? in order to make sure we were not jeopardizing our Federal funding. 09:18:31 So it was really about 2019 before we were actually able to get plants in the ground and start our agronomic research. 09:18:39 So we initially started looking at Cbd. Floral type. 09:18:43 Hemp, and we kind of hit the ground running, trying to evaluate where the optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate was going to be, so that growers who were interested in producing Cbd 09:18:57 hemp could include that as part of their nutrient management plans. 09:19:03 We also were curious to see not only what nitrogen rate was going to maximize, yield, but to see how nitrogen rate was going to have an effect on Phytochemicals both the desirable 09:19:14 phytochemicals like Cbd and other cannabinoids, as well as undesire or phytochemicals like Thc. 09:19:23 We wanted to make sure that adding an additional fertilizer was not going to be a problem in terms of legally producing hemp and not jumping over into Marijuana. 09:19:34 So we hit the ground running initially with Cbd. 09:19:37 Hem, but since about 20, I simon simultaneously. 09:19:42 About the same time We also were curious to start doing some research on fiber and grain hemp as well. 09:19:48 So we participated in some national variety trials that actually came out of University of Kentucky. 09:19:56 We have also been evaluating what depth to plant hemp and fiber him specifically. 09:20:05 And what is the optimal planting date and you might think Wow! 09:20:09 It really sounds like, you're starting over from the beginning and We really are kind of starting over from the beginning with this crop. 09:20:15 We really don't know how to grow this Crop very well in It's not like Corn and Soybean and our other commodity crops where there have been. 09:20:26 You know, a 100 years of research, and we really don't think about the varieties. we just kind of get out there and plant it. 09:20:30 So we really are kind of i'd say starting at the beginning again in terms of making sure that we have production recommendation for our growers. 09:20:41 And this is all kind of ahead. of the game I will say we don't have a whole lot of producers in the State of Maryland who are currently producing him. 09:20:49 But we plan to be ready in terms of University of Maryland Extension. 09:20:53 We plan to be ready with production recommendations, you know, if and when this industry takes off and growers really do want to hit the ground running, we want to be there to provide the support in terms of production recommendations. 09:21:04 For this crop 09:21:11 So I guess, unlike Nicole, in 2,014, I jumped into this crop feet first, just because nobody else in my department was willing to do it. 09:21:21 So I just took off on that plus I you know I've got 7 generations of kentucky farmer in my blood. 09:21:30 So and I can go back and find the historical hip records from where hip was produced on our farm. 09:21:35 So it was kind of fun. a little piece but that has really drawn me into almost every single topic in the hemp space since that point, and we actually do have records for him going back hundreds of years. 09:21:48 They're just illicit and we can't get and you can't publish or access any of that from its cousin. 09:21:54 So you just can't you can't put that data out there. 09:21:57 But many states have those those records going back. 09:22:02 So I work on everything from basically the farm level and regulatory components all the way through the consumer. 09:22:10 So we're doing stuff at the consumer level on who consumes his products. 09:22:14 How much do they consume? What might they like to have? 09:22:18 Or how would they think it is labeled I can tell you right now? 09:22:20 There's tons of miseducation. or there's needs for education on this crop, because if we look at a lot of our studies, I would basically say that there's lots of consumer confusion on what is hemp and what 09:22:31 is Marijuana and it's a it's a huge problem in that space, and getting this industry grow. I did a lot of the original enterprise budgets at the farm level that are still used today and looking at the 09:22:42 economics and mobility of that one of the early papers we put out was a Congressional report talking about the economic viability of him from the 2014 pilot program. 09:22:51 We're getting ready to redo that again for the 2,018 farm bill, as we gear up for the 23 farm bill, and trying to look at regulatory gaps and holes in that in that as 09:23:02 well, and opportunities to to push this industry forward i'm also looking at the feed side of it, which is another kind of interesting component. 09:23:10 We're looking at aquaculture specifically and that's a fairly large market there that has some some issues with some of the feed sources that they're currently using if those were outlawed How would you get How would 09:23:23 you feed those fish in that space a diet that is as rich, if not richer, and nutrients for that animal going forward. 09:23:33 So we're looking at that you know we're also looking at contracts and risk in the space crop insurance specifically. 09:23:41 And then the contracts i'm sure some of you have seen some of the contracts, and what happens with them and and how they look, and some of the things that they are completely missing, and paul's been heading that up for that 09:23:53 component. But yeah it's kinda where i'm at okay, and I forgot to mention this panel is being sponsored. 09:23:59 We use money from our Usda grant on risk management to cover a lot of the cost for this panel today, so none of this information we provide usda condones anything that we're talking about today or I forget the rest of the 09:24:10 disclaimers. i'm supposed to use that we're supposed to talk talk about in that. 09:24:16 But we we put enough out there that we're good so with our next question. 09:24:18 The way. We wanted to talk about this was we have had successes and some setbacks with this and we were going to start with the mid Atlantic kind of looking at what's been the successes in the mid Atlantic. 09:24:28 Nicole, and they move it on since tyler has much more of a national focus thing about what's been the successes and challenges nationally. 09:24:37 Sure. i'll start with the successes because I think there may be fewer of them. 09:24:41 I I guess that was a joke. Thank you with the one person who left 09:24:48 So I I I I think Well, I don't know how to frame this as a success, or not. 09:24:54 I mean I think we've you're i'm struggling here to come up with successes. 09:24:59 Paul. I think we were fairly successful at initially putting together kind of a very quick and dirty pilot program to kind of get this new crop in in a somewhat organized man, and you know, in a somewhat organized manner out 09:25:15 on farms. And there were successful partnerships that were developed between Private Growers University of Maryland, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore. 09:25:27 Other institutions of higher education. I think there were some successful partnerships that did come out of that. but I think a challenge of that was that the institutions of higher education had no more knowledge at the time than the growers who were putting this crop out at 09:25:41 the field. Everyone was planting this crop for the first time that first year. 09:25:47 I I don't think i've ever answered so many questions with, I don't know in my life like this really humbled me, because people ask a lot of questions, and we just really the University we just did not have the answers yet so 09:26:01 success in the sense we were really able to get these partnerships going quickly. 09:26:04 But I don't know that it really panned out in a very successful way. 09:26:08 I don't think there's a lot of those original partnerships folks who are still producing him 09:26:14 And so I think that kind of folds over into the into the challenges. 09:26:17 We as the University just didn't have a leg up and didn't have a chance to gain any additional knowledge prior to this crop being introduced kind of widespread across the State, and I don't think we really 09:26:30 had a very clear idea of what was going to happen with all of this material that was produced. 09:26:37 Once it was harvested. and really, once it kind of came out of the field. 09:26:43 What was gonna happen with this, and how we're going how are folks going to make money? 09:26:47 And Tyler mentioned the idea of the contracts I mean some of these growers. didn't even realize they were supposed to have a contract. 09:26:52 Didn't realize they were supposed to have a an outlet for this material before they even put it in the field right. 09:26:59 And so you know, as Tyler mentioned, I think there is a huge need for some additional education, and just on how to successfully and profitably produce this crop. 09:27:11 Another challenge kind of locally more in the mid-atlantic region, maybe compared to nationally is that you know we're in a really tough, just growing area where there's there's kind of a joke that if you want to see if 09:27:22 a crop is going to get a disease grow in Maryland, because we really kind of have, like the perfect storm of growing conditions. 09:27:30 We have warm kind of humid growing seasons. and so you know, like that first year when everyone said what kind of diseases you know, should I expect in this crop? 09:27:41 I mean we we found it out that first year. We all found it out together. 09:27:44 So you know, I think, that that produces a challenge, not only just with him, but with other. 09:27:49 You know commodity crops even specialty crops. too, that you know, compared to other parts of the country. 09:27:55 It's a lot more intensive, we have a lot more intensive management here in this region to produce the same quality, the same type of crop, as you know, other, maybe drier parts of the country. 09:28:06 And so we tend to struggle. I think sometimes being competitive, because it just costs more to produce a quality prop crap here of you know a lot of different crops. but I think especially for for hemp as well so 09:28:19 that's kind of a a local challenge and i'd say locally. 09:28:23 Still, you know, 2022 We still don't really have solid processing options for folks So there may be folks who are interested in getting into hemp. 09:28:32 Or they're really thinking about. It But it's still really not clear what they're gonna do. 09:28:36 We have maybe put 2 potential processors who would be purchasing, you know, fiber hemp, and neither of them are really up off the ground yet. 09:28:48 We're still begging them to get a copy of their contracts, so that you can look at them. Paul because I mean truly, it's difficult for us to recommend that our growers. 09:28:56 You know. hop on with the processor Well, we're not clear how that relationship is going to kind of Pan out. 09:29:02 So. I think We're still in the infancy here in the mid-atlantic compared to other parts of the country that i'm sure Tyler is going to mention mentioned here as well. 09:29:14 Yeah. So I I guess I would take that a step further. 09:29:16 I mean that anybody pay attention? What happened with Cbd and Major League baseball last week? 09:29:22 Yeah, charlotte's web sunday 30 million dollar official Cbd sponsor or major League baseball. 09:29:29 So obviously something, and someone has made some money here. Now we all hear about the disaster stories of producers who lost everything. 09:29:40 I can tell you from many of the talks that I gave the advice was not to spend any more money than you were willing to lose, and they did it anyway. 09:29:52 So it's a hard lesson to learn but it is also one of those things where, producers in the agricultural space are very used to a norm of outproduce a crop and there will be a market. 09:30:04 This was a brand new crop that came in that did not have a market established. 09:30:09 We did not understand what consumption patterns would be we still have Fda having not made a ruling on what happens there. 09:30:16 So you don't know what happens with the human consumption and animal consumption components of Cbd. and some of those things. 09:30:24 And I think we really grew way too fast on the cbd side of the coin. 09:30:29 And that's that's kind of hurt a lot of the other spaces. 09:30:31 But there are some other companies across the country that are really starting to gain some tractions, and if you were to look at a map of of production across the country, you would look up in the great planes and you would see quite a bit of grain 09:30:44 and fiber starting to to be produced in those spaces. 09:30:49 You know, Canada has historically been the grain hip grain production, space in the you are in the on the globe, and most of it comes out there. 09:30:58 We're seeing a lot of companies partner with manitoba hemp, which is a company in in Canada. 09:31:04 Basically the only processor left up there they're partnering and doing a lot of things here in the us. 09:31:08 So there's 2 major companies here in the us that are working on that one in Kentucky one in Montana, and they're really pushing the envelope on what we can do with the grain spaces. 09:31:18 We start to think about more growing plant-based meat type market. 09:31:23 We're starting to see some some move into that I mean we've got lots of pressure on our soybeans in terms of other areas to go into into in terms of renewable diesel and Then we're seeing also 09:31:33 an increase in crush capacity in the country as Well, so that's putting upward price pressure on soybeans peas is another big one that goes into the plant based meat space. 09:31:42 But it's missing some amino acids Well, some of those amino acids come in from the 09:31:46 Side of the coin to fill some of that gap so There's some some obvious plays or potential plays in that space in the fiber space. 09:31:53 We're starting to see a lot of things Come along There I think originally it was a field of dreams. You know. 09:31:58 We, We will build this fiber plant, and and people will come in and buy this stuff. 09:32:03 Well, that's really not the case because we were thinking about it from where we're going to grow this but we don't have any in market. 09:32:08 You really have to turn that around and think about what is your in market? 09:32:10 Are you going into the automobiles? Are you going into the bio plastics? 09:32:14 Where are these spaces that you're? going and what are the types of standards for? 09:32:21 You know tensile strength those types of things that you gotta have in that crop to be able to move into that supply chain. 09:32:28 So there's a lot of companies now that have kind of Put the brakes on a lot of things, and are now trying to figure that out and working from the end of the supply chain back through system and genetics and production 09:32:37 practices, I think, are, will change as we continue to to move down that that road. 09:32:44 I think one of the other big successes is I mean let's think about the amount of research and work that was done originally in that 2,014 to 2,016 timeframe. 09:32:55 Basically with no research dollars to do that, and we we most universities have kind of gotten up to speed as quickly as possible. 09:33:02 Now we're starting to see some reach research dollars flow into this space to to research a crop that that was out of production for 80 years, 09:33:11 And is already behind the a ball there. so we're gonna play some catch up there and you know, so I I think there are some real successes starting to come out of this I i'm kind of glad to see that bubble 09:33:20 burst, and we come back to reality and realize where we're. at as an industry, and that we are a little bitty fish and a great big pond of you know, a whole lot of production. 09:33:30 And now let's see if we can grow at some sort of reasonable rate versus trying to grow 1015, a 100% a year. 09:33:38 You know, like we were doing between 16 and 19, you know we we were. 09:33:44 We were more than doubling every year during part of that period. 09:33:47 So. So yeah, I think we've had some real successes in that space I think the big hurdles are really regulatory. 09:33:54 Has been one of the big ones. And how do we get the radioatory components? 09:33:58 I mean, if you look across the country, each State that is not within the Usda program has a different licensing. 09:34:04 Be well that different licensing fee impacts cost of production for those producers. 09:34:09 They may either require the processor to be licensed or may not be licensed. 09:34:16 There's still a confusion on interstate transportation. 09:34:19 Some of these products, you know, and then we we still need some additional regulatory clarity from the 2013 or 2023 farm bill. 09:34:27 To really help move this forward i'll leave it Okay, Yeah, we do need a lot more regulatory clarity in a lot of areas just to make this work a little bit better. 09:34:37 Fda, you know, could actually do some stuff but we won't get into that. 09:34:43 So, looking at some of the other challenges that face the industry. 09:34:47 We talk kind Nicole kind of hit upon this we're having issues with processors coming into the State, or the challenge is being faced by processors. 09:34:56 You know within this region, and nationally that we're seeing why they're not moving in, or why they're failing in certain areas. 09:35:03 Sure i'll start. Well, I I think the biggest thing on the processor side is, if i'm a processor and i'm sitting on the sidelines and i'm watching this market develop Well, one we haven't 09:35:13 had clear regulation from fda on what's allowed on the Cbd Side, So do I want to invest money in that, not knowing how or having regulatory clarity on what's going to happen there if you're on 09:35:24 the feed side you haven't wanted to step in and they're there after you're on the chemical side. 09:35:31 You may not want to step in on that side either so I think what you're seeing is you're seeing a lot of very small operations moving in and around raise capital to put these processing components together. 09:35:44 But I think once we get some some more clarity on the regulatory side, you will start to see those larger Ad. 09:35:49 Companies step into this market once they know what's going to happen across the landscape. 09:35:52 So you will see a real infusion of money at that point in time. 09:35:57 But until then I I think that's gonna be a struggle to to get to happen at least that's what I've seen from all that i've worked with yeah I think and tyler's national 09:36:11 perspective is kind of echoed here, locally I think we have kind of been fondly referring to it as the the chicken and the egg issue right. 09:36:22 If if we're not producing material here what's going to attract someone to come in and want to process that material and move it forward, so do we try to set set set up some type of a program where we would 09:36:34 incentivize a processor, to to become, to establish themselves here in our region, to generate the material so? 09:36:43 Or do we try to generate some material to try to entice a company to, you know, want to be attracted to this area? 09:36:50 It's it's really kind of a tricky sticky situation. 09:36:53 We really don't know how to help we in terms of the the University and through extension, we don't really know how to help that process along. 09:37:02 You know other than I mean we are trying to continue our research, and hopefully generate some small amount of material that could be used to kind of start up a potential processing company. 09:37:14 But i think that that's kind of what we're seeing locally is that there's a lot of people who are dipping their toe in or saying that they're interesting. 09:37:24 They're interested in the developing an industry here but no one, as far as we've seen, so far has really fully committed, and you know, I only because I saw some of my farm crimes here, you know, is there an issue with 09:37:37 getting, as Tyler mentioned, some some capital to really be able to start up. 09:37:41 I mean. Obviously, this is going to be capital intensive to, you know. 09:37:45 Purchase a property set up an actual physical facility to be processing. 09:37:50 So. you know, going back to that need for education. Is there some need for education with our lenders that they need to understand? 09:37:57 You know better understand the risks, the true risks involved with. 09:38:01 You know this type of lending so there's a There are a lot of challenges that are need to be approached from different aspects. 09:38:11 To be able to help kind of solve this problem or we just need someone who just is very independently wealthy and wants to just do this on their own, you know. 09:38:21 And as as Tyler mentioned, if you're not afraid to lose money jump into it. 09:38:24 But you know, I think, you know that's kind of the situation where we're at here locally which is interesting because I think we have a lot of potential generally in the mid-atlantic region. 09:38:36 You know we're very close to some major population centers like I think this is actually a great area to potentially start up a new business on the fiber side. 09:38:46 We're looking at some potential processors who are interested in producing horse betting. 09:38:51 Right. So, taking our fiber material and and selling it to horse farms, we've got a huge concentration of horses here in not only Maryland, but you know, across the mid atlantic with our multiple race tracks in 09:39:02 the area. So there is truly potential and you can develop a sound business model based on it. 09:39:06 It's just someone needs to jump in. and actually kind of take that first step in and do it. 09:39:15 So we do, too, though. you know and and we've we've looked at that horse betting issue, and I I found it interesting. but it's not how value enough in my opinion from an economic standpoint to justify buying acres 09:39:28 away from other crops, so that's kind of where we're at? Can I echo one more? 09:39:32 Can I say one more thing on addition no i'm not gonna put down your your your spot on. 09:39:37 I I agree I don't think it's a it's a high enough mark. 09:39:38 It's not a high enough value to kind of justify that 09:39:43 But Tyler brought up a really good point that I Think we're struggling with from the production research side is, we are constantly asking these processors. 09:39:53 What do you need the growers to deliver to you? 09:39:56 How do you want this product? How do you want this material delivered? 09:39:59 And when we constantly are told I don't know I can't help growers create the product that's going to be desirable. 09:40:08 And so it goes back to Tyler. You know we really have to start at the end, you So what is your end goal? 09:40:12 Are you trying to produce fiber material that you know Ford Motor Company is going to put into the You know parts of their car, the the the the fake wood that goes into the car right What is the end product what does the 09:40:27 processor need to deliver to that final buyer. And what do they need? 09:40:31 The farmer to deliver to them right and so I think we're we're kind of stalling around this question, and I constantly keep asking these potential processors tell me what you want to deliver, and we will help the farmers 09:40:44 deliver it they don't know on their end too, and So we're kind of at a stalemate until they really do that market research, and they've identified with that final that end use of this material is going to 09:40:55 be, we can help them produce it. But the market has to do, or someone has to decide what that end product is going to be. 09:41:06 So looking at some of the other challenges. you've already hit on Charlotte's web sponsoring major League baseball and becoming the officials sponsor for Cbd. 09:41:17 What are some of the challenges that are being faced within the Cbd market, and allowing it either to grow or reach its full potential? 09:41:25 Well, I mean one of the challenges in the in the Cvd market is if you were to back out all the numbers, you know, maybe 10 to 15% of the Us. 09:41:33 Population is going to consume, and how many milligrams they consume. 09:41:36 I mean we're probably in the ballpark of 10,000 acres or less to satisfy that market as a currently stands. 09:41:47 Well, if that's the case then let's see in Kentucky and 2019, we grew almost 20,000 acres and we weren't. the only state that did that. So we have stockpiled tons of bow mass around that 09:42:02 country. Now the good news is is one for the most part it's either degraded to the point now where it's absolutely worthless. 09:42:11 It's been processed into something like crude where it is still available to store, or it's been processed into other products that you may or may not want to talk about. 09:42:25 And then or you know so we've worked through the majority of that now. 09:42:30 So we're probably down to you know in 2920 20. 09:42:35 We were probably over 200 million tons a biomass sitting around. 09:42:38 Now we're probably down less than 50 million tons or 50,000 tons. 09:42:44 Get my numbers right here this morning. 55 times sitting around. 09:42:50 So we we've worked through a lot of that so we are starting to see some prices increase. 09:42:55 Now, and I think this year you're actually going to start to see Well, we have seen some markets around the country have some shortages in that space, and we've seen those Cbd prices come back up now if we get 09:43:05 down the road, and we find out that Cbd potentially has a medical benefit. 09:43:15 Does it become something like soybeans that you turn around your package and soybeans just in everything? 09:43:21 If that happens, then that 10,000 acre number starts to really explode, and we start to start to really push that market for it. you know. but then you've got all the other cannabinoids in there to Cbg cbn 09:43:34 cba therapies. That all have some value too. I just don't think we've really understood yet what that market really looks like for those other minor candidates in that you wanna do anything in Okay, I guess i'll go to our 09:43:53 next question we have on the list, since it kinda is a hot topic, and people are thinking about it. 09:44:01 Now we are seeing a rise in Delta a coming on the market. 09:44:05 So I guess the first question is, what is delta? 8 for those that are not aware of what Delta 8 is, and then how will this potentially impact? 09:44:12 How temp is produced in brown and some of the challenges to the industry. 09:44:21 I'll swing at that. you know whatever I gave him a hard question. 09:44:26 So so delta 8. if you're unaware let's let's start out of the basic process. 09:44:31 So Delta 8 is not economically viable produced at the plant level. 09:44:35 So you basically got to take your crude you got to go all the way to isolate. 09:44:41 And then you're going to process delta 8 out of the isolate delta 8 is a psychoactive just like Delta. 09:44:47 Non not I guess i'm not a chemist i'm an economist. 09:44:51 So you know. so it's not quite as psychoactive as delta non, but it is under Well, there's lots of gray area and lawyers. 09:45:01 You all can argue over it. I I enjoy seeing that sometimes it's a huge gray area, but it resulted it came as a result of the Cvd market prices were tanking in that space. 09:45:14 We had to find a way to get rid of this excess biomass. 09:45:18 Some people were very good at chemistry, and figured out that they could synthetically produce Delta 8. 09:45:23 It could be a psychoactive it. could get under that they were able to right now produce it in that gray area and be able to sell that in a number of States. 09:45:33 So that's how they work through this big huge pal about mass. So if you really want to know where that palo bomb, that's when they went to deltaate and it's still going into delta 8 I would 09:45:42 say that people will get very creative when their business is on the line, and they will find lots of different ways to to get that under that 09:45:52 Now the downside of that is, I think that has brought it into even more competition with the marijuana market. 09:45:59 And you're starting to see some States look at well if you're going to do that. 09:46:03 Then we're also going to tax you and you're going to be regulated like the marijuana industry, and in many cases some States have stuck the cannonoid and the marijuana 09:46:12 regulatory component in the same office. so you are going to see that I think that's been a downside to to this side of the industry is that you know you you've made that bridge even closer and harder 09:46:26 to ever separate, because now you're starting to see people say well grain and Fiber aren't the same. 09:46:34 I'm sorry they're all still producing Cannabis stevia, and the milk industry the dairy industry. 09:46:41 Hadn't been able to separate milk from almond milk from cashy milk. 09:46:45 So what makes you think that a plant that produces all of those types of things? you're going to be able to separate that out long term? 09:46:51 I think it's going to be very difficult I think that's another education issue. 09:46:54 We're gonna have to deal with down the road but I think it's had somewhat of a negative impact on the green and fiber space trying to come along to think about that as well, Luckily, we haven't really seen 09:47:06 any huge safety issue come up because those that synthetic production of delta 8 can have some some issues there. 09:47:15 If the chemistry isn't right and can produce some not not fun things to do with from a food safety standpoint. 09:47:21 So we haven't had any huge breakouts with that but I think if you did have something like that that would pretty much be in the end to some of that, for now, so we're we're sitting on a 09:47:33 knife's edge, I guess with that 09:47:37 We can move on from that and move on to sort of looking at this from some some local issues. 09:47:44 And here in Maryland we had a lot of issues, initially with some of the first crops, with people complaining about odors and other stuff related to the crop. 09:47:55 Where, Where are we at with that now? And what is being done is sort of prevent some of that with the research that you guys are doing some of those concerns. 09:48:04 And then I can, from a research perspective, I don't know that we're doing major real formal research on it. 09:48:17 I think we're trying to keep our ears to the ground and pay attention. 09:48:21 That this is a potential issue when you're when you're growing. 09:48:27 I don't know if odorous is the right word, but i'm gonna use it because it sounds good when you're growing so differ as crop like that in a in a highly you know urban 09:48:36 suburban area. I think it's bound to happen right Everyone likes driving past a field of corn, because it looks beautiful and it doesn't really impact you in any negative. 09:48:46 But you don't like, driving past a beautiful field of corn you've got way more corn in your state than we do in our state. 09:48:55 You know, and and a field of corn isn't really hurting anyone. 09:48:58 But when there's purported claims that someone who is producing him is having negative health impacts on humans just by their you know, relative proximity to that field, it you know it becomes an issue and then that falls the the challenges 09:49:13 category that we've just been discussing about growing this industry right? when there's going back to that education when someone is feeling that there are negative health implications because they neighbor is producing a crop that just happens to be a 09:49:27 little stinky you know it's really going to going to negatively impact that that market. So in terms of research. 09:49:34 I don't know that we're doing much management you know boots, boots on the ground research per se. 09:49:40 I don't know that we can make the plant smell less. 09:49:45 I mean that could be a genetic effort by you know someone in a genetic space. but that's really not what we're focusing on. 09:49:51 We're just trying to kind of pay attention to What's happening. 09:49:54 But you keep us in the loop. with Paul you know kind of what's going on in terms of in terms of that I was thinking when we talked about this question. 09:50:03 You know there's a there's a concern in terms of, and maybe Tyler's experience this in another state growing cbd type hemp and growing fiber and grain him in too close to proximity to 09:50:15 one another. There's a potential pollination effect the the fiber in the grain. 09:50:22 Type plants can potentially fertilize or pollinate the Cbd type plants rendering that plant useless, right? 09:50:31 And so so how does one decide? You know, How do you decide which neighbor gets to grow? 09:50:36 Cbd hemp, but which neighbor gets to grow fiber him. 09:50:39 How do you tell someone who's been growing cbd him? Well, your neighbor's gonna start growing fiber him Now they could potentially ruin your crap, and so, from a from a legal aspect, or a land use kind of area 09:50:49 aspect. I think there could be a potential issue that on the horizon there. 09:50:54 I don't think it's really arose yet here at least in Maryland. 09:50:58 I don't know if Tyler has any experience with that anywhere else but 09:51:02 It could potentially be an issue here. where we've got kind of smaller parcels to land much more close together, and from a research perspective we have been purposefully growing Cbd hemp on the same farm where we've been 09:51:13 growing fibre him to try to evaluate if We've if we've seen some pollen pollination, and we have. so it's a very real potential that it could happen here in Maryland have you experienced that 09:51:25 issue elsewhere across the country. Okay, so and I guess on both of those fronts I I think both of them are kind of genetic driven on both those fronts. 09:51:37 The first one of the the smell, I think, is related to the terrepreneurs and the specific turpine profile within that, and they are looking at how they can turn off turn off or turn on those different 09:51:51 terribane therapy that create those aromas that come out of that side of the coin. 09:51:56 And I think what you also found is different. Varieties will different varieties, cultivar strains, whatever they, whatever the agronomous to the day is decided to call it it. you know, will change what that that profile smells like 09:52:09 as well. but you can look at you know i've had a number of calls with the groups in Colorado about they're looking at how they zone their county to to protect the marijuana producers and not 09:52:20 have you know grain or fiber anywhere close to that. 09:52:24 If you look at humble county and California they've flat out outlawed the production of hemp in that county just because it's the largest marijuana producing county in that state so that they don't 09:52:36 have to deal with those issues. I think those issues are probably somewhat over blown. 09:52:43 Because the flowering dates for those are quite different. 09:52:48 You know we are looking at some economic research to look at what are, what is the economic impact of of these crops being grown and close proximity to one another? 09:52:56 How do i've got data from Kentucky I've got another colleague with data in Colorado. 09:53:01 We're looking at those 2 now to see If we can actually put together. 09:53:04 What is the economic impact of having that crop fertilizer? 09:53:08 And yes, it will decrease the cbd content to some degree in that current crop. 09:53:14 But it's really if you're saving seed for the next year, where you start to see the real impacts of that come about. 09:53:20 If you were saving seat from that Cbd strain of hemp to to produce the next year. 09:53:25 So. You know they are both issues. that, I think will be solved from the genetics point of view. 09:53:32 And now, with our remaining 7 min i'll open it up to questions from the audience, the first one i'm gonna go with was one that's online. 09:53:40 I already attempted to answer one as we've been talking from Joanne. 09:53:44 Because part of your question involves an illegal product under Federal law. 09:53:46 We actually can't answer your question. so we will we have to skip that question. 09:53:51 Sorry about that. There are enough administrators in this room. 09:53:58 I am not touching anything that is illegal under Federal law, and then 09:54:10 You guys touched on this maybe a little bit. But what are some changes? 09:54:14 You think need to be made in the next farm bill both to from a sort of like societal good standpoint. also to help farmers of this crop? 09:54:25 Sure i'll start Well, I I think the one thing is the regulatory component specifically from Fda. 09:54:33 Are we going to be able to put this into food products? 09:54:37 How is it going to go into food products? We are starting to see States do it themselves. 09:54:41 Now the problem is is that those products can't lead the state so they have to be consumed within the State. 09:54:46 So we're starting to see that framework come about so regulatory clarity there. 09:54:51 Regulatory clarity on the feed side would be. 09:54:53 He is well, because keep in mind when you're producing a grain, and once you once you've extracted the all, you still have this seed cake that you got to do something with and that would be an obvious 09:55:03 market to pick up some of that would be a would be the feed component because it's not You got a whole bunch of material that has very little economic value, and it's really hard to pencil in a profit just on the oil 09:55:15 side of that coin. I think that would be those would be 2 big things. 09:55:21 Another big one. you're gonna hear about is thc and should it be raised to 1%? 09:55:25 I will give you both sides of the coin on that if i'm a processor I wanted to be raised to 1%, because keep in mind. 09:55:31 I'm a specifically on the cbd side i'm about a 25 to one ratio. 09:55:37 So 25, you know, if I have point 3 then that's about 7 and a half percent. 09:55:39 Cbd concentration. if I go to a 1%. Now, on a 25%, Cbd concentration from a processing standpoint, I've just really increased my processing efficiency, and I've also 09:55:50 really lowered my transaction cost because i'm gonna cut out about Oh, you know, the majority of my farmers, because all I need is one or 2 very large processors to process that 10,000 acres to produce that 10,000 acres 09:56:04 total on 8. Okay, that's great now if i'm on the production side of the coin. 09:56:10 I don't know that I really want to go to a 1%, because now you've really got to be you got to get larger. probably you got to have a very solid contract in place. 09:56:19 So it's gonna be it's gonna shut out the market for a lot of smaller producers that are just trying to get into this and and try and look at that to start with. 09:56:27 So there's pros and cons on both sides of that coin. So those are some things that I would think about 09:56:34 I would also think about. You know. how do we change the crop insurance program to actually provide a somewhat symbol of protection? 09:56:44 Right now the yields and stuff in that are so low that we're not providing much protection at all in that space. 09:56:51 Now it's going to take some time we're probably starting to get enough data. 09:56:54 Now we're in some of these states that have been around since I guess 2,020 is when that started 2020 or 2 to to really start building up an updated to to understand what these yields are However, keep in 09:57:07 mind a lot of these varieties that we're bringing into this country. 09:57:12 We're grown at different latitudes to what grows well here in Maryland may not grow very well in Kentucky. 09:57:18 And Tof Point. we're seeing what grows really well in the planes and up around Canada does not grow well in Kentucky. 09:57:23 So we're still working through the genetics on that piece as well, and I guess I should always put a pitch in. 09:57:31 We always need more funding. Yeah, I was gonna say that, too. 09:57:35 Actually, I I think you maybe said it before, like yeah, or some funding. 09:57:39 But I think from a university standpoint, to Do some of this research we are struggling to get the funding, and you know a lot of our institutions. 09:57:48 I'm sure kentucky has been the same way the first year or 2 was willing to throw us a bone and give us a little bit of money to get started, but we know that doesn't sustain us very long I 09:57:57 think. you know we've spent out a lot of that money very quickly, and we've been aggressively applying for Federal funding the past couple growing seasons, and it's just it's not panning out you know the a lot 09:58:08 of the U.S.A. programs. They just don't know where to fit hemp into the funding structure. 09:58:15 So we've been kind of farming this out to a lot of different Federal programs, and no one's really biting on this. 09:58:20 So if there was a way to increase the the funding to the universities doing some of this research through the farm bill would be fantastic. 09:58:29 So we could kind of continue doing this work kevin will be our last question, and and it's the quick one for Nicole. 09:58:39 So we do have some case studies in the state and in the region of some successful smaller and mid-scale hemp growers who have found a market for their product, and it's going well. 09:58:51 But let's assume for a minute that we get one of these mythical processor manufacturers to set up shop, and to have capacity to manage and and buy thousands of acres. 09:59:04 Of hemp. How confident are you that the university, the industry and and also I. 09:59:12 You know, from Kentucky within the region How confident are you that we have the knowledge and the skill set, and the research to widespread large scale grow hemp successfully. 09:59:25 So i'm probably supposed to say yeah 100%. positive we got this, and I mean, and I think to an extent we probably could muster something together, you know, pretty quickly to support you know a growing industry. 09:59:41 I think if there was a processor who was going to pop up and say, you know I need x thousands of acres. i'm sure we could find some friendly farmers who are already well established, that could kind of transition for a 09:59:52 year or 2 to produce the material I I have no doubts about that kind of in the initial. hey? 09:59:57 Let's get some material out there grown locally I think we could. but I think the real key component there of what I just said was, we would jump on board with existing farmers folks who already have the land the capital the 10:00:12 equipment, I think, starting up you know if a processor was to start up tomorrow. 10:00:18 It's going to take time for new new farms new enterprises to really be able to get on board and get into that space here, here locally in Maryland. 10:00:30 In, in my opinion, so we could cobble something together for a short amount of time to help make those processors be successful. 10:00:35 But then it's also going to take time for new market. you know new growers to jump on board and really get that capital and get themselves up to speed from an educational standpoint. 10:00:45 I think we're getting there. I think we've got some a good start in terms of hey? 10:00:49 You want to grow hemp here's how you do it I think we have enough knowledge now in the past few growing seasons to really help some new growers get on board. 10:00:58 But that's a really great question and there's really a distinction there knowledgeable and existing growers could probably jump on board pretty quick. new growers. 10:01:06 There's going to be a lag time and there's going to be that educational component that needs to be there. 10:01:12 And and then the you know, financial backing support there to kind of keep them viable. 10:01:16 So great question. That was a good one, Kevin. No, I I would like to see you know that company have enough money to put in escrow to pay those producers to provide that stability there. 10:01:28 And do they have that type of financing? Do they have the offtake agreement to be able to do that? 10:01:33 I think you've already started you know Cornell has already started on a breeding program. 10:01:37 I think they're gonna have some things that come out fairly quickly 10:01:40 So I mean, I think we're moving along on the genetic component. 10:01:44 I think that's only going to get better I mean if you look at corn and soybeans. 10:01:47 I mean what 2% a year or so in terms of yield increases and whatnot. 10:01:52 So I I think we could see in an escalated yield curve for that for him, you know, in a couple of years, as those genetics continue to come out. 10:02:03 So I think there are opportunities to do that it's just getting everything lined up to to be able to do it. Why don't we give our panel a hand? 10:02:13 Sounds good, and then I believe we are on break until 9 or 1015 correct. 10:02:22 So go out, get food. we're gonna take about a 15 min, break feel free to interact with some of our sponsors in the back room. 10:02:35 Take a minute, step out, interact with one another. a friendly reminder about our pre registration survey. 10:02:40 If you could find there's a qr at at the registration table. 10:02:45 And like I said we'll be starting back at 1015 10:02:52 Okay. 10:02:57 Yeah, if you bye. 10:03:17 Gotcha 10:03:31 , 10:03:41 Let me 10:04:33 Yeah, , 10:04:53 It's 10:05:12 Okay. 10:05:42 Perfect. 10:06:43 Okay. 10:06:44 Okay, yeah, , 10:07:44 , 10:08:11 Okay. 10:09:01 Okay. 10:09:02 Okay, , 10:09:21 Let's go 10:10:38 We're gonna start back up in about 5 min folks so this is a 5 min warning 10:12:11 George. 10:12:20 Hi! 10:13:21 Thanks. 10:14:14 So if you want to start heading back to your states we're gonna start in about 1 min if everyone could start heading back to your seats again, we're gonna start here in about 1 min So we appreciate 10:14:26 everyone coming. and again, we're gonna start here in 1 min. 10:14:32 Okay, , 10:14:40 Awesome. 10:15:27 Okay, okay. I think we're ready to get started If everybody wants to take their seat for the next panel 10:15:42 Thank you very much for joining us. everyone. I hope everyone has had an opportunity to fill up their coffee. 10:15:49 Have a little breakfast snack if you Haven't yet I encourage you to check out the Qr. 10:15:55 Code in the middle of your table there that's going to give you access to all the speaker Bios and our agenda. 10:16:00 Thank you for joining us today in person. thank you for everyone on the line. 10:16:03 I'm good to introduce this panel and these esteemed panelists that we have here today. 10:16:09 Our next panel is entitled Environmental Justice in Maryland. 10:16:13 How recent changes to State law impact equity please we're gonna have time for questions. 10:16:20 If you could hold them to the end that'd be appreciated for everybody tuning in online, go ahead and put them in that Q and a box. 10:16:26 Our first panelists. We've got Assistant secretary at the Maryland Department of the Environment. 10:16:31 Devin Dodson. Thank you for joining us Devin Devin's full and impressive Bio is on our website accessible by that Qr. 10:16:37 Code. We've also got 2 student attorneys from the Marilyn Kerry law environmental law clinic. 10:16:43 We've got Margaret bush go and cody culture i'm gonna let these guys take it away. 10:16:48 So. thank you very much. 10:16:57 Oh, my! Oh, there we go! Good morning, I'm, Assistant secretary at the the environment. 10:17:08 If you go onto that Qr code and look at my bio. it looks a whole lot more impressive when you write. 10:17:14 When you got it written down like that. Then it really felt like doing it all. 10:17:18 So i'm here to talk about environmental justice and some new act activities and actions that took place. 10:17:26 I'm gonna tell you a little story very try to make it very quick this an effort that Mde has been spearheading in leading the state agencies going forward on diversity equity inclusion and justice 10:17:41 kind of fell into my lap. So at the time I was working for then Secretary Ben Rumbles, as his senior adviser on energy policy, and we had a situation where a community in Prince George's County the Brandy 10:17:56 wine communities sued the Maryland Department. The environment sued the Department of Natural Resources Power Plant Research program suited the Public Service Commission because for improperly placing a gas fire at power plant in a community with environmental justice 10:18:13 concerns and turns out there was nothing the State could do, because all of the laws had been followed. 10:18:19 The reason why this community was up in arms was because the developer for the the gas plant had a public participation element. 10:18:31 He has to go and talk to the community where the plants going. 10:18:35 So at this public participation, hearing the developer brought in several community members from brandy wine who were supportive of the power plant coming in turns out, those residents of brandy wine were 10 miles or further from the power 10:18:51 plant the residents that were within. We call the line of that power plant. 10:18:59 We're never notified about the power plants existence until the construction started. 10:19:02 Anyway, Mde. and the other agencies. 10:19:06 You know we are, because our actions were legal. 10:19:11 There was nothing that Epa could do but what Epa has zoom between Mde. 10:19:18 And the community where we could do that prospective relief, ie. 10:19:22 In in enhance and change. our public participation processes, etc. 10:19:29 Community at the end of the day did not sign that agreement, because there was no resources, no money associated with it. 10:19:33 But at the same time this is happening. That was 2 and a half years of my life. 10:19:37 Freddy gray happens, George floyd happens and we start taking these issues of diversity equity and justice, and looking at them through a new lens. 10:19:46 So here's the definition of environmental justice straight off from Epa, and then Maryland builds on that definition, adding a citizen should be expected to expect to be protected from public health hazards and have access to socioeconomic resources 10:20:05 necessary to address those concerns, so whether we do it, we created an internal Ej. 10:20:11 Policy in 2,020. My former boss spin grumbles said to me, Please, we've got to revitalize this agency. 10:20:18 These are the justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. 10:20:24 And so you'll have the slides I don't need the slides. 10:20:28 I don't use the slides really I'm just talking through them. 10:20:32 We also have a commission on environmental justice and sustainable communities. 10:20:35 That commission has been criticized because it had been inactive. 10:20:40 We had languishing members my secretary told me to revitalize that commission, and we did, and that Commission is one of the strongest entities that we have in the State. 10:20:51 Our Environmental Justice Commission is statewide and it it holds agencies feet to the fire. 10:20:56 State agencies feed to the fire But now it's going to start holding counties and localities feet to the fire as well, because many of these issues can be addressed. 10:21:09 Early in the local sea. we talked about the Egypt So the reason why we ended up creating an Ej screening tool. 10:21:18 Now Epa has an E. J. screening tool. right? University of Maryland already has an Ej. screening tool. 10:21:24 Why did Mb. create create its own screening tool? The reason we did that was not just because we had Mde. 10:21:30 Specific information that we could use. It was also done by a working group that was created by an internally Ej. 10:21:39 Policy that we've created that working group was made up of from top to bottom throughout our agency. 10:21:44 So the reason I wanted that Dj. screening tool created was to get buy in in my agency. 10:21:53 Turning us around with dealing with equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice. 10:22:00 And it worked because now everyone in the agency knows about the screening tool and is using the screening tool for their own work, not what statutorally required, yet but for their own work. 10:22:13 And we're going to talk about what statutes were required in just a second. 10:22:17 So we create the screening tool soup in that and it's fantastic. 10:22:24 The beauty of the screening tool now is that it mirrors what was happening in law? 10:22:32 So while we were creating the screening tool the legislature meets and starts talking about diversity equity and justice and issues. So what the Legislature ended up doing was passed 2 bills that significantly affected environmental 10:22:49 justice. So i'm gonna weave back to the screen tool in just a second. 10:22:54 The climate solutions now act so that's the big comprehensive bill that now requires us to reach 60% greenhouse gas reductions by 2,031. 10:23:03 But in that there's a section in that bill that describes something that the department has to do with our Commission on environmental Justice in doing climate change research and climate change impacts. 10:23:19 But the beauty of what the legislature did here was for the first time in State law. 10:23:24 They defined 2 very important terms for environmental justice. first was underserved community. 10:23:30 Now we have a definition in State law of an underserved community, and the underserved community is a community. 10:23:35 We had any census trap has 25% are more poverty. 10:23:40 50% more minority or 15% or more limited English proficiency. 10:23:45 So when you go back to that map, when we did the screening tool, the way we coded the map, it's color-coded in yellows and blues in the darker the blue, the more underserved over burnt your community is 10:23:58 right. So as soon as you click on the map, you go to our website and click on the map, it populates a bunch of blues. 10:24:07 Those blues are the definitions for underserved community. 10:24:12 So if you go and look at that map, and why, this is important you can't really see it that? Well, but obviously in the I 95 corridor, you've got a lot of blues right? 10:24:22 But look at the shore looks all along The Delaware border. 10:24:25 On this shore also blues those flues, some of them, yes, or minority. 10:24:30 A lot of them are poverty. Take a look out in the west of Maryland, out in Ganner County, see some blues. 10:24:37 None of those blues are minority they're all poverty, and that is why that map is so important. 10:24:44 Because you see in your state where all the spots are, where all the places we need to focus our attention. 10:24:52 And so the legislature created that definition we added it to our map. 10:24:57 And now we're using it. how are we using it right back. 10:25:02 So that's the definition of overburned community school for what the purposes of what my agency is doing. 10:25:10 Visa b. diversely, equity, inclusion, injustice. 10:25:12 We are targeting those communities that are both overburdened and underserved. 10:25:17 Overburden community defined in State law now means any census track where 3 or more of these environmental health indicators are at or above 75% tile statewide. 10:25:29 So my favorite one, that I always point out a meeting is very relevant here. 10:25:35 Proximity to a concentrated animal feeding operation. 10:25:37 Kfo is a health in the environmental health indicator that trigger is your community. 10:25:44 To potentially be overboard. So you get 3 of those at 75% or more. 10:25:48 You can imagine. if you look at the map there's probably going to be a lot of places with 3 or more of those at 75%, plus because you gotta be overburdened and under served in addition with one of the 10:26:02 poverty minority, or limited English proficiency. 10:26:05 Slots. So what is all that mean? legally for the department I'll bill? 10:26:14 1,200 was passed. House Bill, 1,200 requires applicants for Mdes. 10:26:18 Public participation permits one dash 601 permits. 10:26:22 Most of our air permits. About 3 quarters of our land management permits. 10:26:32 About all have a public participation, public notification element. 10:26:35 So now that applicant for one of those permits must provide Mde. 10:26:40 With everything else that they have in the application. they have to do. 10:26:42 An E. J. Score. they do a run an E. J. 10:26:46 Screen, using our screening tool at University of Maryland, and provide that summary sheet that comes along with our screening tool to show a the Ej. 10:26:54 Score for that community itself, for the address of where that proposal, plant or permit is going to be. 10:27:00 But it also shows what else is there with other stuff? Is there right? 10:27:05 So this other stuff is the important thing, because we wanna know exactly what is in around that proposed area, and that's what the Legislature to do. 10:27:18 So once the applicant provides that score to us. 10:27:22 That screen score to us. We review it, verify it, like most likely, using our own screening tool. 10:27:26 Make sure, and then we provide both, of those what the applicant is provided make could, considering that if it's accurate or not, and then our score, and then we provide that to the public when we provide, public documents that's 10:27:39 it. that's all the law requires us to do the Legislature. 10:27:45 When it passed. This bill want a transparency and openness for those communities with concerns with E. J. 10:27:51 Concerns, and that is why they wanted the public know notification. 10:27:56 Part of it, but my agency would be doing a disservice to those communities if we left it at that. 10:28:02 So, my agency. what we now do in this bill became effective October. 10:28:07 We've gotten about 3 or 4 permits. now, we are now doing what the law requires us, and and that permit writer goes to his or her supervisor, and says, hey, I know we can't deny this 10:28:22 permit based upon the Ej. score but look at what's there? 10:28:26 Is there some conditions, some modifications, we could do to the permit to help that community? 10:28:34 Because look at what's there and that's what I wanted Oh, that like It's the holy Grail. 10:28:40 It's the big way, because i've got people in my agency, now thinking project by project, commute by community about diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in their work, and it, as I told my boss years ago, when we 10:28:55 started this process. We win if that happens, if our agency is being more diligent about what goes into these communities. 10:29:06 So what else are we doing? We're also targeting These communities using our Aj. 10:29:12 Score in our hj map We've We've worked in Chevrolet, in Prince George's County, where Curtis Bay, right now in Baltimore City. 10:29:21 We're going to Turner Station in baltimore City of Baltimore County, as our next targeted enforcement inspections compliance. 10:29:28 But also investments. These communities have been underserved for decades. 10:29:37 A lot of Federal dollars coming in. There are a lot of state dollars designed for diversity, equity, justice and inclusion. 10:29:44 And we're trying to target these communities. and we're not just staying on this side of the shore. 10:29:52 We're over in the eastern part of the state as Well, route in Western Maryland, as well trying to get our heads around what we can do to promote diversity equity inclusion justice in these communities and I think that's 10:30:07 my last slide. Oh, no one more couple of other bills i'll mention just briefly this is such thing as a supplemental environmental project. 10:30:19 So rather than us finding developer finding a permit via, we have what's called a supplemental environmental. 10:30:32 So rather than us fun, they give us money to the general fund. 10:30:36 It goes wherever it goes. Targeted projects in those communities. 10:30:39 Too bad those communities. So if you violate on Community X, your benefit, your your violation, your penalty, will go to that community as well. 10:30:46 And then there was a conservation finance act which requires now my agency to work with our environmental Justice Commission to make sure that Flint Michigan doesn't happen here to make sure that Baltimore city 10:30:59 doesn't happen anymore. and that's who I am and that's where you can reach me. 10:31:06 Thank you very much. happy to answer questions at the end. Thanks 10:31:23 Speaker. 10:31:34 Excellent. Well, thank you so much. devin in addition to Maryland's environmental justice permitting Bill that Devin just discussed. 10:31:44 Other States have been passing environmental justice, Oriented laws pertaining to both permitting and other aspects of environmental justice or ej implementation, such as grants and enforcement nationwide in 2021 alone State 10:31:59 legislature is considered at least a 150 bills related to environmental justice. 10:32:09 I know. Sorry. Sorry. Okay. 10:32:21 Alright. So I'd like to walk through a few of the recently enacted laws and their implications in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, in order to offer some broader context regarding environmental justice 10:32:35 legislation elsewhere in our region. My hope is that by comparing just a few of these laws I can provide a window into some of the trends in State level approaches to environmental justice, such as the formation of advisory 10:32:51 committees, legislative declarations of environmental justice as a state priority and increased participation and transparency. 10:32:59 Cody will then offer some insight into the ways in which recently enacted laws in Maryland. 10:33:04 Addressing a range of issues, including agriculture, infrastructure, food, resilience. 10:33:11 See also intersect with environmental justice matters at the State level. 10:33:17 New Jersey is commonly considered to be at the forefront of Ej. 10:33:22 Legislation in 2020 the governor signed New Jersey's environmental justice law which akin to Maryland's, Hb. 10:33:29 1,200 is presented by Devin requires the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection to in value to evaluate the environmental and public health impacts of certain facilities on overburdened communities when reviewing 10:33:44 permit applications that evaluation is based upon publicly available data assessing the location of the State's most vulnerable communities. 10:33:53 New Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection is currently in the process of promulgating regulations to implement the E. J. 10:34:00 Law, and in the meantime the Department has issued an Administrative order directing permit applicants to engage with overburden communities and address concerns in a way that upholds the spirit of the Ej. 10:34:15 Law to the greatest extent possible 10:34:19 New Jersey's Ej law declares not only the fundamental principle of environmental justice that no community should bear a disproportionate share of the adverse environmental and health consequences of economic growth but also 10:34:34 that the States overburdened communities must have a meaningful opportunity to participate in permitting decisions for facilities that may increase environmental and health stressors. 10:34:45 The law requires the department of environmental protection or dep to evaluate the environmental and health impacts of 8 specific types of facilities, including major sources of air pollution as defined by the clean air act sewage 10:35:01 treatment plants, landfills, and medical waste and center years. 10:35:06 The Ej. Law relies fundamentally upon the new Cdep maintaining a list of overburdened communities in the State. 10:35:14 New Jersey classifies overburdened communities based upon census data for 3 key factors akin to Maryland's criteria for underserved communities and those are whether at least 35%, of the 10:35:25 households qualify as low income, whether at least 40% of the residents identify as a minority or tribal community member, and whether at least 40% of the households have limited English proficiency the 10:35:38 State has launched a beta version of a mapping tool for permit applicants to assess all of this data in one place. 10:35:45 If a permanent applicant is hoping to build a new facility or expand an existing facility that will be located in an overburden community, the applicant has to take 2 key steps. 10:35:56 Prepare an Ej. impact statement and organize and lead a public hearing in the overburden community. 10:36:04 After those 2 steps are taken. If the Dep determines that the permit activities will cause or contribute to adverse cumulative, environmental and health impacts on overburden communities, the Dp. 10:36:15 Will take a harder look at the permit request and potentially apply conditions to the permit to prevent those negative stressors on the environment or public health. 10:36:28 Devin described it's so definitely something over when for mitigating those adverse environmental impacts New Jersey's law. 10:36:35 Also goes as far as to mandate the denial of a permit. 10:36:38 If an Ej. analysis determines that a new facility cannot avoid causing or contributing to disproportionately addverse cumulative impacts on overburned communities, except in rare cases in which the department determines that a 10:36:52 new facility will serve a vital public interest in in the community in which it will be located. 10:36:59 So this is really a very narrow, exception, only granted If the facility serves in essential environmental health or safety need for the overburdened community, and there's no other way to meet that need so for example, a 10:37:13 wastewater treatment plant that serves the local community. 10:37:20 Something unique about this is that under new jersey's the D piece proposed regulations, Economic benefits of the proposed facility cannot be considered in determining whether a facility serves a compelling public interest so the department will 10:37:35 be, consider public interest to mean environmental health and safety needs of the local community. 10:37:43 So, as I mentioned, the Gdp. and New Jersey is currently in the process of implementing its regulations, and will likely continue to refine and adjust its tools as it works with regulated industry to ensure the protection of communities 10:37:56 already experiencing the negative impacts of air and water pollution and other environmental and public health stressors. 10:38:06 Over New York we could do next slide. The State has also been active in implementing ej. 10:38:13 Legislation. New York recently passed 2 significant laws with environmental justice, provisions, Environmental justice was included in its climate, leadership, and Community Protection Act, which created a climate justice working group that would establish criteria to identify 10:38:28 decision communities for the purpose of climate protection, related actions like reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. 10:38:38 The goal there is to ensure that underserved communities benefit from the State's initiative to transition to cleaner energy sources and in turn benefit from reduced pollution and cleaner air in their community New York also recently passed 10:38:51 article 48 of its environmental conservation law focused in entirely on Ej. 10:38:57 It established a permanent environmental justice, advisory group, and in Ej Interagency Working Council, which includes members both of community-based organization who work with minority and low-income communities on 10:39:09 environmental matters and representatives of businesses that are permit holders. 10:39:14 The law requires each State agency that engages in any activities that have a significant effect on the environment to adopt and rely upon in Ej. 10:39:24 Policy. So this includes agency actions like issuing permits, but also acquiring, when maintaining property and funding certain projects. 10:39:33 Policy wise. This approach is longstanding. in New York. 10:39:37 The first mention of Ej. in New York statutes was back in 2,003 when Ej. 10:39:44 Was added to the list of factors for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, or Dc. 10:39:49 To consider in selecting remedial actions for contaminated, abandoned industrial sites. 10:39:55 At same year the Commissioner of New york's dece issued comprehensive guidance for incorporating Ej. 10:40:01 Concerns into the dece's, environmental permit review process as well as its enforcement, its grants, and its public participation. 10:40:09 The policy had a number of elements that foreshadowed what I've described as far as New Jersey's, Ej. Law, and what Devin described as happening here. in Maryland. 10:40:18 It outlined the types of major projects and major modifications for permits that the policy would apply to, and then it required a preliminary screening to identify whether the proposed action was in or near a potential Ej. 10:40:32 Area and would potentially have adverse environmental effects on the area. 10:40:37 If so, guidance on Ej. would be given to the permit applicants and then enhanced public participation plan would be initiated as part of the permit process, and this policy is still actively in place today. 10:40:50 So all this is to say, Well, there's certainly been increased Egypt activity in the New York Legislature. 10:40:54 The past few years has also been integrated into departmental policy for the past 2 decades. 10:41:02 Environmental justice nearby. here in Virginia, meanwhile, has been touched upon in an executive order and a Circuit Court case, as well as addressed in legislation. 10:41:12 Virginia recently implemented a broad environmental Justice Act, establishing the promotion of Ej. 10:41:19 As a focus throughout the State. virginia's established a state office of environmental justice, a council on environmental justice and an interagency working group. 10:41:29 As far as the intersection of permitting, and Ej. 10:41:32 In Virginia a 2,018 executive order acknowledged that Virginians in low income and minority communities throughout the State do not enjoy clean air and water. 10:41:41 In order to review of the State Department of Environmental qualities, permitting monitoring and enforcement activities. 10:41:49 The executive order also called for improved communication, both with the public and with the regulated community. 10:41:55 In Virginia the development of Ej. law and policy has been centered around a court case as much as legislation in the 2,020 case friends of Buckingham, the State Air Pollution control Board the Federal Circuit 10:42:06 court critiqued the airboard, the airboards failure to consider the impact of a natural gas compressor station on local Ej. 10:42:14 Communities. The court noted that environmental justice is not merely a box to be checked and vacated. 10:42:20 The Board's award of a permit for construction so that Key Court decision has helped build momentum behind the legislation that's been enacted in Virginia over the past couple of years so Ultimately. 10:42:33 we'll states vary in terms of whether ej has been integrated into agency actions through policy or law or regulation. 10:42:39 There are these common threads, the establishment of advisory councils and working groups that further ej as a priority, A call to take ej. 10:42:49 Into account when State agencies, conduct permitting and communication. 10:42:54 Sorry conduct permitting and environmental reviews, and also a call for greater public participation and communication with those overburdened communities. 10:43:03 A number of legislatures have designed bills aimed at empowering the agency and the public with tools to make their work more equitable, and to inform both proponents and opponents of the process environmental 10:43:16 justice can only be achieved when all communities have that same level of protection from environmental and public health risks and take part in equitable decision, making processes, whether it's permitting funding or other agency decisions, thank you so 10:43:30 much i'm gonna turn it over to cody 10:43:43 Thank you. markets So where Margaret talked about environmental justice in the permitting context in the region, i'm going to zoom in a little bit and talk about some recently past ej legislation and Maryland that's related 10:43:58 to conservation infrastructure, and funding and i'll build a little bit on what devin talked about as well. 10:44:06 And to start ej isn't limited to bills that say environmental justice in the title. 10:44:13 But it really encompasses anything that affects equal protection in the environment. 10:44:18 So i'm gonna go over maryland's definition of environmental justice. 10:44:23 I'll give a broad look at some 2,022 legislation that's related to environmental justice. 10:44:29 And then i'm going to dive into 3 specific bills that pass this year. 10:44:34 So to start with. This is Maryland definition of environmental justice. 10:44:41 And it's codified in the maryland environmental code. Environmental justice means equal protection from environmental and public health Hazards for all people regardless of race, income culture, and social status, a broad look to Give a 10:44:59 flavor of some of the different areas that environmental justice touches in the legislation. 10:45:05 You can see it touches everything from conservation to urban agriculture to food resiliency as well as things like the Ej screen tool that devin discussed earlier today. 10:45:15 I'm gonna focus on 3 specific pieces of legislation That's the urban farmer assistance program. 10:45:23 The Conservation Finance Act and the Urban agriculture, water and power infrastructure. 10:45:28 Grant program. So, starting with the Conservation Finance Act, which Devin touched on earlier 10:45:37 This act is intended to improve water quality and achieve conservation and environmental justice goals. 10:45:44 The act defines blue and green infrastructure, and provides financing for both of those, and the act is intended to make it easier for Maryland landowners to participate in nutrient trading programs So 10:46:03 So Devin went over this but the act requires the Commission on environmental justice and sustainable communities to make recommendations to ensure that the Maryland Department of the Environment is progressing toward E J. 10:46:16 Goals, including safe drinking water The act also defines blue and green infrastructure. 10:46:26 So blue. infrastructure is water based and includes things like oyster reefs and green infrastructure is land-based, and that includes things like rain gardens. 10:46:37 Both of these infrastructure types are intended to improve the health and resilience of the environment, and the bill allows for funding of both of these types of infrastructure projects. 10:46:48 So under the law there the lost establishes technical assistance through 2 revolving funds that are situated as sub accounts within existing funds. 10:47:00 So under the Water Quality Fund there is technical assistance available for long term green or blue infrastructure projects. 10:47:07 This technical assistance is for developing an application for financial assistance or for a financing plan. 10:47:14 Hello, Global Entities for this fund include public publicly owned treatment works that primarily serve rural, small or tribal communities, state regional interstate or municipal entities and nonprofits working with rural small 10:47:28 tribal or disadvantaged communities. And if you think back to when Devin was talking about overburdened communities, those are the communities that are disproportionately affected by environmental harms. 10:47:42 Those communities are prioritized under this fund. Under the drinking water loan fund there is technical assistance to small drinking water systems through planning or design phase grants. 10:47:56 This fund is intended to address. lead pipes and eligible entities include a drinking water system, small drinking water systems, full-. 10:48:06 Jurisdictional entities and nonprofits, working with rural, small, tribal, or disadvantaged communities. 10:48:12 And again over Burton. communities are prioritized, and Federal funds that are deposited into either of these revolving loan funds must be deposited into the sub accounts and finely just to touch on nutrient 10:48:28 trading. This act attempts to make nutrient trading easier for landowners. 10:48:33 So under the act, the Maryland Department of Agriculture may not prevent cost-share program participants from participating in carbon trading programs, and Mda and the Department of Natural Resources may enter into private partnerships to 10:48:46 make carbon treating easier. So in the process enacting legislation, members of the public may submit, either written or oral testimony, stating their position on the bill. 10:48:58 And so for each of these pieces of legislation I pulled a quote from the written testimony just to show how some of the stakeholders are viewing these pieces of legislation This is a quote from the 10:49:09 Maryland Farm Bureau, that the changes will also advance environmental justice and public health. 10:49:16 So next i'll discuss a couple of Bills affecting urban agriculture in Maryland, the Urban Farmer Assistance Bill addresses, education and training and the urban ag water and power infrastructure and 10:49:29 infrastructure. Grant program addresses, infrastructure and funding on urban farms, and just to zoom out a little bit. 10:49:37 Urban ag encompasses all forms of agriculture that occur in and around cities. 10:49:43 Maryland defines an urban area based on the Us. 10:49:45 Census bureau, seineation of urban areas, and urban farmer is one who farms in an urban area. 10:49:52 This is especially important in Maryland, where we have a lot of urban areas and of large urban farming population. 10:50:00 So under the Urban Farmer Assistance program, the University of Maryland Extension will hire 2 new extension agents. 10:50:08 One will be focused on production methods and one focus on Agra business management. 10:50:13 And this bill is intended to assist with education and training of urban farmers. 10:50:19 Each of these agents will perform research and education in their respective areas. 10:50:25 For example, the agent focused on production methods. Could host planting demonstrations and the agent focused on Agra business could hold webinars about marketing products. 10:50:37 And again a quote from the testimony, this one from the Maryland Food System Resilient Council. 10:50:43 This bill will increase our food system. Resiliency in urban communities where residents are most affected by food deserts and food and securities. moving to the urban ag water and power infrastructure 10:50:57 Grant program. This bill establishes both the Grant program and a Grant fund. 10:51:02 Infrastructure particularly affects urban farmers who have to consider things like sewer lines when they're designing their forms. 10:51:08 And the importance of this bill can be highlighted by something like the boil water. 10:51:12 Notice that affected Baltimore a few weeks ago, really showing the need for urban farmers to have access to infrastructure resources. 10:51:21 So this bill is, establishes a separate fund for urban ag infrastructure. 10:51:26 There is money appropriated through fiscal 2027, and it can only be used for Urban ag infrastructure, grants, and administrative costs. 10:51:38 And again this testimony quote is from fair farms: Maryland, 10:51:42 It has the opportunity to bring in more urban farms with the associated economic, environmental, and public health benefits. 10:51:50 So, as I mentioned in the beginning, environmental justice is a broad subject that encompasses more than just explicitly environmental justice or environmental bills. 10:52:00 It also includes this broader notion of justice, and things like access to infrastructure and funding, as well as inequity in the food system. 10:52:08 And this is a framework that we should keep in mind as we consider. 10:52:12 Continue to monitor environmental justice legislation that is becoming more prevalent. 10:52:18 Thank you. 10:52:41 Can you hear me now? Great. Thank you. everyone. Are there questions from the audience 10:53:02 Hi Holly Porter, the executive director of the Dalmar of a Chicken Association. 10:53:07 And I guess one of my first questions and I have several but i'll i'll ask i'll wait till later. but one of my first questions I guess that i'm really curious about is is the the in the 10:53:21 definition. It talks about protection from public health hazards, which is absolutely must for all citizens, as I myself am the Maryland resident. 10:53:30 I guess my question really goes to house science, driven is the discussion on public health hazards. 10:53:39 You know where where's the tie to the science portion of public health, and the other aspects as well, too, let's say upon it to me. 10:53:54 So Mde. at least we're everything that we do we Science based So for the general public health hazards at absolutely with our one of our administrations is called the water. and science administration. 10:54:12 And so they're running everything and it's way above my head because i'm no scientist i'm a lawyer. 10:54:20 But I know for at everything that we're doing in science space. 10:54:25 Now we'll talk about the department of health so remember Mde. 10:54:28 Regulates the pipes in the ground, but the water coming out of the tap is regulated by the department of help. 10:54:36 I know it's and it's usually done by the local health officers themselves. 10:54:42 So the science is pretty straight on water, you know. 10:54:49 You you know what should be in water, and you know which should not be in water. 10:54:54 And so it's really easy to make those determinations on the public health side. 10:54:58 I think that's at least in attempt to try to answer that you know 10:55:16 Is there a definition under the Maryland law of urban 10:55:26 So under the urban the 2 urban bills that I discussed marilyn does define Urban, the Us. census bureau's delineation of an urban area so 10:55:37 and and that's literally how it's defined in the law. 10:55:40 So it's based on the census tracts that have the population. 10:55:47 But census bureau would consider urban. 10:55:49 I don't know off the top of my head I can I can look that up and get back with you. 10:56:01 Any other questions through many online questions. you have another question: Raise your hand, real Hi , 10:56:18 Colby Ferguson, Maryland farm bureau question that I've had and have never really got a definitive answer on when we talk about environmental justice and groups that are qualify under that with 10:56:35 agriculture, particularly crop agriculture, which is so subjective to the environment and to the volatile rain effects and things like that. 10:56:46 What agriculture fall under one of those vulnerable communities? 10:56:50 Or is it just specifically talking about economic and urban 10:57:01 , 10:57:08 Yeah. So I think that it it would depend on the area. 10:57:15 So for my understanding it would. you know you would have to look to the definition of under served communities and see if the population within that census track meets those criteria. 10:57:29 So general. When we talk about environmental justice, we are talking about low income and racial minorities, as you know, in terms of defining that. 10:57:41 A particularly vulnerable community that's been subject to those burdens. 10:57:45 So I think it's possible. that certainly the certain farms and agricultural areas meet those criteria under the as far as the census data and that's sort of the the working guideline for 10:57:59 defining whether a community meets that definition so according to our screening tool, our screening app salisbury is a area so we don't call them environmental justice. communities. 10:58:12 Folks get that right at the outset. these themselves don't want to be called environmental justice communities. 10:58:18 So we call them communities with environmental justice concerns saul's bury in the surrounding area as a community with environment. 10:58:23 Justice concerns Chris Field. This community with environmental justice concerns probably 10:58:30 Half of Somerset County is community. Environmental justice concerns both on race and on poverty. Colby. 10:58:37 So the poverty is the number. that You're seeing more particularly along the Maryland Delaware line in Caroline County Dorchester license. 10:58:49 Thank you. This last question is for Cody and Devin. 10:58:53 Does green infrastructure include solar installations and ev charging facilities? 10:58:59 Is there a grant or loan money available for these types of projects through the technical assistant accounts or urban Ag water empower infrastructure? 10:59:11 Grant programs. Kane Cody, please provide her. Oh, will provide your email afterwards. 10:59:21 I'll start with saying yes, I can provide my email and it it might be on the on my bio on the website. 10:59:26 I'm not sure so the solar panels for the solar energy. 10:59:31 I don't think is defined in the law under green infrastructure. 10:59:37 I think that it would be included under the urban ag power. 10:59:43 Infrastructure grants. But if you email me, I I can double check that in the law and confirm that 10:59:51 So Evie spoke. Solar canopy solar charging has its own funding grant funding source from the Maryland Energy Administration. Ev. 11:00:04 Chargers have several funding sources, one through the American and Energy Administration want, and the Maryland Department of Transportation together. 11:00:14 And there was the boltzmann settlement dollars that went directly to ev charging stations as well. 11:00:21 So there's a there's an annual grant program for eb charging stations, and for the purchase as to help subsidize the purchase of eb vehicle purchase all right Well thank you 11:00:34 to our panelists. I wanna give a special thank you to our students. 11:00:38 All students raise your hand if you're here as a student We have students, raise them real high. We have students come for free. 11:00:46 I'm going to encourage these students to move around and meet you during lunch. 11:00:50 So if you get a student at your table that cause some of these are mine, and i'm I told him to 11:00:55 But let's give a hand to our panel 11:01:09 Our next speaker is none other than our very own. Paul Goinger. 11:01:13 With the Ag Law Education Initiative, as the senior Faculty Extension, legal specialist at the University of Maryland, and Paul is going to be talking about our next topic, which is the 2,022 Ag and environmental 11:01:28 review, and also what to look out for in 2,023. 11:01:31 So without any further ado let's welcome Paul 11:01:36 I'll give it an impact cool 11:01:44 I'm waiting for. Okay, I got my thumbs up I can keep going. 11:01:48 Good morning, everybody. I am the only thing standing between you guys and lunch, and I need to get my timer going, cause I would hate for you to miss lunch. 11:01:56 That would probably make all of you mad at me and I don't want that today. And I need to move closer to the mic, probably for the people online and need to keep that in mind as I do this. 11:02:04 So yeah, we're gonna do the 2,022 legal review. and then we'll talk about what's to look out for in 2,023 where I work through some personal problems on some court decisions -oh 11:02:21 Nice screwed up. So with this when I was putting this together a few months ago for another group, and then kind of updated it for this group. 11:02:32 I thought about how it's the theme for 2,022 and 2,023. 11:02:37 How many people watch parks and recreations, we're going to talk a lot about ron Swanson's favorite foods in this, those being eggs and bacon. 11:02:47 But we're also just going to start off with broilers and chicken, because there was really no other way I could fit this in this team. so it really doesn't fit at all times. 11:02:55 So we are going to spend a lot of time on pork and eggs and chickens. 11:03:03 So how many people know about the poultry class litigation that is ongoing with settlements? 11:03:09 I see one person who has Holly knows a little bit about this. 11:03:13 Growers are getting these letters in the mail. Oh, yeah. 11:03:19 So 11:03:26 I forgot my slide that Yeah. So these have taken 2 forms in 2022. 11:03:31 First we have these settlements involving packers and stockyards act violations that i'll talk about first, and then we have claims by former growers that they are not actually in independent contractors. 11:03:41 They are actually employees these companies we'll start with the broiler settlement, which is also known as Coke. 11:03:51 So this was filed originally in 2,017 with claims that basically these integrators colluded on the broiler market violating the packers in Stockyard Zack for those that don't know the 11:04:05 packers in stockyard. That is this antitrust law that has been around for over a 100 years that lays out how packers and stock packers can work within the industry, and poultry has been added in more recently 11:04:18 by recently I mean about the 1,900 sixtys, so they have been added in. 11:04:21 This is a way to prevent collusion within the market and create some stability within it for growers. 11:04:29 So the claims are basically that the integrators agree to basically not think coach growers. 11:04:36 So if you're growing for one company, they weren't going to come over and poach you for it to another company that was agreed upon, then basically, that argument is how many people know what Agra. 11:04:49 Stats. This: Okay, the few people in the room. This is a company that pulls together the grower data company data and puts it out there. 11:04:55 This data is supposed to be anonymized where they cannot tell who the people are. 11:04:58 Within this system. The argument is that has been made, within this litigation that this data is so centralizing. you can get it down to an exact farm to tell who it is, even though it's a anonymized you are able to tell if you're the company who the exact grower is through that and they 11:05:16 use this data to lower grower compensations move on. 11:05:24 So basically this lawsuit was brought against Co Poultry, pilgrims fried Sanderson's, Farms, Tyson, and Purdue. 11:05:31 Currently only Coke is settled, and by currently I mean this was like 2 weeks ago, when I put this together. 11:05:37 I didn't look before I came here. I forgot to look at that, so that the other companies may have settled. 11:05:40 But at this point they have not settled yet, and my guess is they have not settled 11:05:47 I'm not going to read that list of co-conspirators off that is the full list of co-conspirators that comes directly from the pleadings. 11:05:55 This is almost every poultry company in the Us. 11:05:59 Is listed there plus address, stats, aggress, that I believe, has since changed its name to something else. 11:06:07 What are we doing with this settlement? Well, for the most part. 11:06:10 One day has already passed. September 20 third has passed. 11:06:14 If you wanted to be excluded from the settlement you had until September 20 third, to file a form and be excluded from this settlement. 11:06:23 Fairness hearing is today, the court will go in and look to determine if the settlement is actually fair to all the parties involved in the settlement, and then it may move forward and may not move forward, depending on what it is if it does move 11:06:36 forward claim forms will be submitted out to growers. Some of them have already started getting these forms. 11:06:45 If their data is in the form that attorneys that are involved in this litigation is getting information from the companies. 11:06:56 As a part of this settlement process, they may not have complete information. So if you're getting these settlement forms, you need to go in and correct that data. 11:07:03 So folks know what is going on, and what the right numbers are that need to be. 11:07:07 In this there will probably be a website setup where all this can be done. 11:07:11 There's a technically. There is one I believe it's broiler settlement, dot com but you have to make sure you go to the right broiler settlement in it. 11:07:18 There are 2 ongoing boiler settlements right now. 11:07:20 One is already passed. This is the most recent one 11:07:28 That's just our first poultry litigation class action lawsuit. 11:07:32 Let's move on to the second class action. lawsuit one that is much more interesting and fascinating. 11:07:39 Then the actual Royler settlement. So this one is the fair Labor Standards Act litigation. 11:07:45 These growers are suing under the fair labor standards Act! 11:07:47 How many people in the room know what the fair labor standards act is. 11:07:52 Hey basically lays out more or less how employers should treat employees. 11:07:56 What we expect out of employees are ag exceptions in it we'll talk slightly about that in this. 11:08:04 But That's kind of what this litigation does or this law does so With this we've seen 2 of these this year, one in Georgia and one in South Carolina both involve South Carolina growers 11:08:17 Both are bringing claims that the integrators violated the Fair Labor Standards Act basically, if you look at in any poultry contract for any grower, it lays out there independent contractors. 11:08:35 These former growers are arguing they are not actually independent contractors. 11:08:40 They are employees. If they are an independent contractor, they are exempt under the fair labor standards. 11:08:47 Act companies can provide them with whatever compensation they want to minimum. wage. 11:08:51 Laws do not apply at that point. They are an independent contractor. 11:08:55 Before I go on. Should I explain what it independent contractor is for everybody in the room? 11:09:00 Basically you do your work when you decide to do it you're hired to do it. 11:09:05 You're making your own decisions in a job you get paid based off what you agree with the person. 11:09:10 If your employer employee, a company is much more telling you what to do in that situation. 11:09:18 So if they're in employees they have to be paid a minimum wage, and the argument is, they're working over 40 h a week, or what ever in the various States, the Ag: rules are for overtime, for ag workers, they are Oh, time and 11:09:35 a half for overtime. At that case they are claiming that the tournament system does not pay them adequately to meet that compensation goal, and they are not being paid at least a minimum wage. 11:09:48 Under the State law 11:09:56 One of these laws suits the South Carolina lawsuit is claiming that they have violated the employee Retirement Income Security Act. 11:10:08 Who in this room knows what the Employee Retirement Security Act does. 11:10:12 Brooke does. But Brooke has also been looking at this litigation, too. 11:10:16 So Perk is in a different situation. I didn't know what this this law was. 11:10:21 This is a federal law. It lays out that if you offer benefits to one class of employee, you have to offer to all employees in that class. 11:10:30 So if you think about it, the way companies are structured, we have differences in how employees are handled. 11:10:35 Some are given certain benefits, others are not. This is all the same compliance with this federal law. 11:10:43 Their claim is within. this litigation is, you are offering these benefits. 11:10:47 Retirement, health insurance, other perks we're not getting as employees. 11:10:54 You've violated this law, and there are penalties associated with this, that they are claiming that companies owe them. 11:11:00 In that case that is only in the South Carolina case 11:11:13 Open went too fast. it'll go back so where are we at There's only been 2 filed. 11:11:24 We still gotta wait to see if this is even gonna be certified as a class action. 11:11:29 I have learned way too much over class actions over the past 4 years. 11:11:31 It feels like. So we will have to figure out if there are actually commonality in all these claims between the 2 cases. 11:11:38 Figure out if we can actually settle this through a class action process. 11:11:43 If that is, it will potentially be consolidated, and a Federal District court will be decided on. Where this will be held. 11:11:49 It will either be currently in South Carolina or Georgia. 11:11:52 We don't know where we don't even know if it will be settled by this. 11:11:58 I say there is some case law to back up Growers allegations. 11:12:00 We have never actually had an employee employer litigation. 11:12:07 Much more of the independent contractor stuff has been litigated on the environmental end, and not so much on the employee end. 11:12:14 So this is going to be an interesting case to follow over the next couple of years, as it plays out for those that don't know how class actions will play out. 11:12:21 If this act actually is certified and we get to trials, we will have bell weather trials. We will have one set of bell weather trials that is best for the plaintiffs, and one that is best for the defendants and 11:12:34 depending on how those turnout that will help, us, determine what the settlement will be in all of this, or it may not actually go to trial. 11:12:40 We don't know yet. We are just that depleting stages, and in most of these there were some delays and getting answers filed. 11:12:47 So I Still, I believe in one there's actually been an answer filed Actually, the Georgia one I don't think there's been an answer filed in yet. Are you all tired of chickens. yet. 11:12:59 We're still not done We still got a few more things to talk about this One's just really quick over there Summer Usda. 11:13:06 Now it's proposed changes. They would like to make to how the tournament system would play out. 11:13:10 I say, comment closed earlier this month. That was actually back in September. 11:13:13 I forgot to update this slide from last, and I give this presentation. 11:13:17 But those comments have been changed or closed there will probably be a proposed rule coming out laying out what this would be for those I don't know. 11:13:28 It would potentially just provide growers with more information that they may or may not actually need. 11:13:34 And if usda moves forward with this does anybody know what we can expect It's what we've expected every time on this role. 11:13:42 Every time it happens we will have lots and lots of litigation on this rule, and we will be making attorneys richer and richer, and that never makes anybody upset right. 11:13:52 Nobody gets upset when attorneys make money so yeah that's where we're at. 11:13:59 We expect that if this goes forward there will be lots of litigation potentially on this, or Congress will move to basically not allow the Administration to move forward, depending on how the election turns out 11:14:17 And now we're done with chickens partially and we're going to move on to pork 11:14:25 And this is where we're going to spend the bulk of our time. 11:14:27 How many people know what prop 12 is, I mean People have heard of Prop 12. 11:14:33 No one sort of propped up. Okay, so let's lay out What prop? 11:14:41 12 is first 11:14:42 Basically, this is a law passed by California voters in 2,018. 11:14:47 And it basically covers how pork and eggs should be produced lays out minimum standards for animal welfare as to how those should be done to be brought into the State. of California Basically, prop 12 limits. 11:15:03 The use of gestation creates within the pork industry. 11:15:05 Which are used with breeding sales and then battery cages with poultry growlers who are raising. 11:15:11 They're doing eggs 11:15:16 Forget what my next question was but we'll move on from that 11:15:23 So the majority of eggs and poultry, if you are pork and egg salt in California, do not actually come from California. 11:15:31 They come from other states. They come from Iowa particularly, and other midwest States that do not have limitations and do not have animal welfare restrictions on how these problems are raised. 11:15:42 So there are claims who are all the law students in the room, not to single you out. 11:15:50 How many of you have loved talking about the dormant commerce clause in law school? 11:15:55 How many of you think about the dormitories clause when you like, want to have a nightmare at 9? 11:16:02 It's better than the rule against perpetuities. But we will not go down that road today, So there are basically the pork industry, and several Ad. 11:16:13 Groups are working, and have been making arguments since 2,018. 11:16:17 That prop 12 violates the dormer commerce clause for those that don't know what the dormant commerce clause is basically the Us. 11:16:26 Constitution lays out that Congress shall have all authority to regulate trade amongst the States. The nations and the several Indian tribes is California laying out regulations with this on how products should be produced potentially We'll talk 11:16:44 about where that's at 11:16:50 Okay, Yeah. So that's what the commerce class does the dormant commerce class basically lays out. This is not actually written into the Constitution. 11:17:00 This is a development that came about in the 1,008 hundreds that if we gave Congress power to regulate commerce, we can't. 11:17:07 Just let the States go around and do things that could discriminate against each other. 11:17:11 So Marilyn could set out a rule that you know certain products coming into the State have to be. 11:17:17 Can't come from Delaware we don't want anything from Delaware coming into the State. 11:17:23 We'll use that as our basic example. that violates the Dormer Commerce class, because only Congress can really regulate a trade amongst the States. 11:17:31 The States have some ability. If there's you know a general policing power involved for the health, safety and wealth of citizens like, for instance, if we know, bringing lumber into the State produced in certain from certain States, could bring 11:17:47 diseases into our forest industry. That would be a reason we could keep that product out. 11:17:52 We're not discriminating we actually have a reason we want to do that. 11:17:55 We want to keep it passage in it out of the State that is where we're at with this we're gonna get to the fun part. 11:18:06 So far initially, none of the Federal courts agreed with these claims that this violated the Dormer commerce clause. 11:18:14 The first part was States Attorney General in these Ag States, brought claims claiming this violated the dormant commerce class. 11:18:21 The issue with that was, these Attorney General have no standing to bring this case. 11:18:26 They needed an actual person who had was going to be impacted by it. 11:18:29 So then the trade groups got involved and restarted, bringing the same comments or the same claims. 11:18:37 Basically throughout most of the Federal District court proceedings, Court of Appeals. 11:18:42 They have not agreed with this so far. they have not found the dormitory dormit, commerce, clause, violation in any of this. 11:18:51 This was heard last week or not last week, about 3 weeks ago, by the Us. 11:18:55 Supreme Court. Sure, we can have a little bit more to talk about than the last time I talked about this 11:19:04 At the same time Justice Department came out, and actually a file briefs to support the ag industry. 11:19:12 In this they view this as a huge problem. if this passes we'll talk about Why, here, in a second those oral arguments were heard last month Bye Scotus embay follow the oral arguments on any of this 11:19:27 who is the one Supreme Court justice that never talks in any of the oral arguments. 11:19:34 Thomas. Yes, you. The first person who talked during this was Thomas, you know I got Thomas to talk baking and eggs. 11:19:42 They get in and eggs got Thomas to talk? He asked a lot of questions. 11:19:49 All of them had questions. If we go to my next slide it talks about from the Transcript, it's a fascinating transcript read, I rarely read Supreme Court oral argument transcripts because 11:20:04 They're usually boring this one was kind of fascinating, based on reading them, and some of what I've seen in the media. 11:20:11 It looks like Thomas and Gorsuch would vote to uphold the law. 11:20:15 Why they're libertarians at heart and they believe you know State legislature should have some ability to regulate things. 11:20:24 They view this as not a problem alito and Kavanaugh. 11:20:28 They don't seem to be willing to uphold this law. They seem to be 2 people voting against it sort of my year. 11:20:35 Kagan and Jackson all appear to be citing also with California. 11:20:42 That's at least where it comes out we don't know we ever write. 11:20:47 When we guess, based on how justice is asked questions during oral arguments for the attorneys in the room were rarely right. 11:20:53 We might have a general sense of where we're gonna be but we're never right. 11:20:57 So it appears right now that we have a 5 to maybe 6. 11:21:07 No, i'm skipping I forgot somebody in all of this I forgot at least 2 justice. 11:21:11 Oh, I forgot Brown and Barrett Barrett. and yeah, those were the 2 we could. 11:21:18 I could never quite figure out where they were going to turn out so we don't know exactly where, but it looks like we have 5 votes to uphold right now, and we don't know where the others are going to turn out what happens 11:21:29 if we uphold this 11:21:36 In law school, you'll trot the parade of parables right? 11:21:39 What are some horrible things we could add into this y'all didn't know there was gonna be audience participation in life presented. 11:21:45 Did you It's much more fun than doing it on zoom none of you could actually participate. 11:21:54 What other crazy things could we put in place in background? Thank you. 11:22:03 One example. 11:22:07 Can we set other standards in place? beyond that? Could you produce? 11:22:13 Everything has to be produced to him a certain minimum wage to a living wage. 11:22:18 Basic healthcare has to be provided to all your employees. 11:22:22 What else do you want to throw in There. 11:22:32 I lectures to these general you can throw. you know, anything in this. 11:22:35 If this is upheld at least. that's what most of the arguments are, it's fun to go to Scotus blog and look about ag cases right Now Now I go on to my fun part what happened in us history in 11:22:49 1787, just a few miles up the road then we like produce the Constitution wasn't the idea to go away from State legislatures, actually being able to do this and for their will upon other States. 11:23:10 Then we want Congress to actually do this if by upholding this Are we seating power from Congress and the executive branch to State legislatures? 11:23:22 I'm Guestimating it was a 3 to 4 day ride from here, and I could never find out how many days right it was from Annapolis to Philly That's one of the problems where potentially running 11:23:33 down with this law being upheld with the law students in the room. What! 11:23:41 What's the ad case? you Have to read in con law you read Wicker versus Filburn. 11:23:47 Most of our constitutional practices in commerce. clause, litigation was started because one farmer, I forget where he was located, wanted to keep weed on his farm, and that set most of our constitutional practices with the 11:23:59 commerce clause and the effect it could happen with another add case to which could create a lot of fun issues for attorneys to figure out, and what the bright lines would be. 11:24:08 I think my next slide is just my examples i've already walked through. 11:24:14 Yeah, it's already kind of hinted at there's a concern among many scholars and many commentators that it prop 12 is upheld. 11:24:20 It opens a pandora's box beyond Dag. It is every industry as looking at standards being placed on them by other States. 11:24:29 But now they have to meet. so I already use the one that, like you would have to pay a certain minimum wage to your employees to be able. 11:24:36 Do you do that? That is the huge problem potentially we expect that this decision, sometime in 2023 My guess is we'll get it in June. 11:24:47 May or may not be one of the last ones issued. 11:24:48 We may get it earlier. But typically this may be one that comes out late June, depending on what it is. 11:24:54 This could create a lot of issues to where basically everything the law students have learned about the dormitory dormant commerce class is thrown out. 11:25:01 The window, and we have to look at a new case depending on what the ruling is. 11:25:08 I'm not all women do most days and then i'll get to you all questions, because we can play stump the chump for a while. 11:25:17 My last things to talk about. 11:25:25 Recently the 8 circuit vacated a 60 million dollar punitive damage award awarded by a Federal district jury in Missouri to a peach farmer who had drift damage from Dykamba. 11:25:39 The reason they vacated this decision is not that the damage award violated any of the State laws? 11:25:46 It was actually reduced to the benefit of this State law. 11:25:50 But when the judge put, gave the instruction to the jury on punitive damages, I believe in this case it was Basf, and I cannot remember the seed company that was involved in it off the top of my head the judge did not 11:26:04 actually give the proper instruction it was only should have been given against one company and not both companies. 11:26:10 There was not evidence towards the other company. So so basically both companies were lumped in together. 11:26:16 They have to go back and read us and re-look this pun in a damage issue, and seed another jury. 11:26:22 And we look at this issue to determine what that proper amount should be. 11:26:26 And if the other company should be lumped in with a settlement, So that's something that will move forward probably next year. 11:26:34 That's one of the first dichotomy drift cases that went to court 11:26:44 Next month the Maryland Court of Appeals will hear an appeal in the Mde. 11:26:50 Versus acetate coastal trust case. This is the decision basically appealing. 11:26:56 The lower court decision that found that Mba. has to take air admissions into account through the kfo per minute. 11:27:02 So we're using a water quality permit to take into account air quality issues. 11:27:07 This is going to be interesting to see, because most of the court decisions involving air quality. 11:27:16 The Federal District courts have ruled that that does not have to be taken into account during a water quality permit. 11:27:22 We are the outlier on that so far so it's going to be interesting to see how the quarter of the appeals makes that decision, and how some of these past decisions, at least within the federal system play out in upholding or 11:27:33 moving it in us in a different direction. 11:27:41 Supreme Court will not hear. They decided not to hear the appeal in, but this embarrassed litigation over the glyphosate cases. 11:27:49 I mean, People still get the commercials about Glyphosate or you. We all onto the camp with zoom water issue. 11:27:54 Now i'm getting more camp with june Now than I am glyphosate on my Tv at least. 11:28:02 So these were cases. this involved the homeowner If I remember correctly. and the decision there was bear was arguing basically that because Epa has put a label out on this product that says it's safe tells you how to use 11:28:19 it. A court cannot come back in and then declare it unsafe and provide these damages that they've been providing they've lost that pretty much the whole way through the State Court system and through the ninth Circuit the supreme 11:28:29 Court will not hear that decision. on my favorite topic Right? 11:28:35 The farm loss for the longest time. Iowa was the only State in the Union that found their right to farm law unconstitutional as applied to almost every case that came before it. 11:28:47 What is Iowa becoming known for besides corn? and so I beans. 11:28:53 What animal do they raise a lot of pigs in almost every case involving this, and involved the new hog farm going up, and in almost every case there was a permitting process to go through to appeal. 11:29:08 Most homeowners would wait until the farm was constructed and then sue under negligent or nuisance, and then the right to farm law wouldn't apply and they Would effectively shut the farm down after it had 11:29:18 been built, not in the permitting process. A number of courts had gone away from that and said, Look we, your process. 11:29:25 You want to do this at Is that the at the regulatory side? 11:29:29 You would. We don't really want you doing it this way Iowa came back and said, The test that they had created is too hard to actually follow follow by most trial ports. 11:29:38 It really was hard for most trial ports to follow, based on some of the court rulings they had. 11:29:44 They have now moved to where that previous set of line of cases no longer applies, and they will just look at it. 11:29:50 Like most other states, do. if you meet the qualifications the law applies. 11:29:54 Now 11:29:57 I do a blog at aggress, dot umd edu, and I time this perfectly to get me 15 min for questions. 11:30:06 I believe. next I read them to you Oh, no i'm also a part of this I'm working with the Southern Ag extension economist at Southern Act today. 11:30:16 Org they're, doing a weekly or daily blog similar to farm doc, but much shorter covering everything from farm finance, trade, policy, farm management. 11:30:27 And then Ag law is on Friday, so i'm one of the topic area leaders for that, and help review post every now and again for that. 11:30:33 So if you want that, you can sign up there that Qr. 11:30:37 Code should work, too, and I have cards if you'd like them. 11:30:39 They sent me a whole box of them and i'd like to get rid of them. 11:30:43 What questions do folks have 11:30:53 Bill good seeing you in person. 11:31:16 Okay. 11:31:24 , 11:31:32 No. Okay. 11:31:47 I mean there's I think the biggest part that could potentially be wrong with that is, we don't then know where. 11:31:56 If that product would even come into the State, and where some of that products, even coming from to be able to meet that qualification to do that, because it would depend on how we would probably have to implement more than Just 11:32:09 Pennsylvania in that, and bring in a T. a few other States. 11:32:13 But yeah, you have a good point. We could use it in that way to where it limit some competitive disadvantages that we have in some areas. 11:32:22 So. yeah, I wasn't trying to be all gloom and doom on it. 11:32:26 But yeah issues 11:32:53 That's a good point let's do questions on the mic, so that the Zoom attendees here. 11:33:02 I keep forgetting we have people online other questions Oh, kobe's got one. 11:33:12 This really is stumped to chop. Now. 11:33:19 So I wanted to get your this. your thoughts on the P. 11:33:25 Foss discussion that's going on in the new emerging issues with the possibility of it being at the Federal level. 11:33:35 High levels of P. 5 on properties becoming super fun sites. 11:33:39 And what would be the impact of a farm that uses let's say, bio mass from a wastewater treatment plan that has never been tested for Pfos and now has passively exposed the farm to 11:33:57 Pfos. So some of this I have to get back to you on, cause it's been a while since I actually looked at the super fun law. 11:34:03 So I have to remember how all the the liabilities work out in the super phone line, because that is not 11:34:09 Where, but there could be potential problems. Where, then? that farm is held on the hook for a long list of future claims? 11:34:16 Within that this is my cat. That was my initial caveat for me. 11:34:21 Not remembering how the superfund law works out off the top of my head. 11:34:28 Yeah, no, I I get that's a big worry because if that does happen that opens up a long line or liability. 11:34:39 Potentially. 11:34:40 No other questions, abortion all all to death that's good 11:34:51 None online. I don't have my ipad in front of me This time it was was easier to monitor what I was moderating. 11:35:01 I'm good Oh, God! holly's got one 11:35:10 So just I wanted to clarify it or something so you're talking about the Co. settlement, and that growers were receiving claims. 11:35:20 Is it only cook growers, or was it all because that wasn't clear to me. 11:35:26 It's all growers that are growing for those companies because we're seeing any of the companies, even the ones who haven't settled yet Yeah, cause they're all gonna be lumped in the same settlement, and apparently right now, cope's gonna pay 11:35:38 for cause it's a class action and every all the planeups and defendants have been lumped together. 11:35:44 So even all gonna pay together, even if the other companies neither settle or go. 11:35:49 That's my understanding. Well, i'm glad cooks out in our area. 11:35:55 Mainly Oklahoma in Arkansas I'm done 11:36:05 Well, there's nothing else i'm gonna leave thank you guys 11:36:31 All right. Well giving our pre lunch Remarks is gonna be Dean Renee Hutchins from Marilyn Kerry Law School. 11:36:38 We're very excited that we have a new dean and in addition to being a distinguished scholar, Dean Hutchins also taught at Marilyn Kerry law school for 14 years so those of us 11:36:49 who teach law school. We got a wonderful teacher, a wonderful scholar, and I will hand it over to her to say a few words before lunch. 11:36:59 Okay. 11:37:06 Oh, good afternoon, everybody. I am going to be very brief, because I know that everybody apparently is hungry. 11:37:13 So. I am, as Sarah said, rename it I am have today. 11:37:25 I'm gonna recognize Sarah everhart and bill permit A. 11:37:31 Who, I think, are the only 2 faculty members that I saw from Maryland. 11:37:33 But if I missed anyone I apologize. They are both absolutely essential members of the Marilyn Kerry Law family, and they are vital contributors to the agricultural and environmental work that We do at the 11:37:45 school. So thank you both very much. And the Aei agricultural and environmental Law Conference was actually created back in 25. 11:37:58 So we are. If a math is correct, we are 7 years old, and it was created to provide a form for farmers and environmental advocates to discuss their unique legal challenges and to give lawyers, educators, students, regulators, and 11:38:16 lawmakers an opportunity to learn more about recent developments and to become better informed advisors and advocates. 11:38:25 Role of the agricultural agricultural law education. initiative is to help Maryland's farmers understand the complex legal issues at the intersection of food production and environmental protection. 11:38:38 And I am very, very, very proud of the work that the Aeis legal specialists do. 11:38:43 Every single day for the farming community, as well as the work that they do in the classrooms, teaching and mentoring the next generation of lawyers, some of whom you have heard from so Cody Margaret great job ladies the 11:39:00 legal landscape that the agricultural community must traverse, is every evolving of you, as you have heard all morning, and it includes vital subjects like those that have been discussed. 11:39:09 Those that are related to things like environmental justice, equity, and innovation, as well as things. 11:39:16 You will hear about this afternoon release to social and economic impacts of agricultural regulation and food waste. 11:39:23 The nation looks to our State as a leader in the adoption of agricultural conservation practices through, For example, the States cover crop program, and as a leader in quality protection of water through things like the 11:39:39 Chesapeake Bay program. So the background of these accomplishments is the legal framework in which they operate and thrive; and although there is always more to be done, I want to applaud the diverse 11:39:52 stakeholders that here today, notwithstanding the lawyer jokes that we heard recognize that the law is a potential solution to address our most pressing concerns. 11:40:04 So with that I am going to wrap this afternoon is gonna include some fascinating panels. 11:40:10 So I want to encourage you to join us after lunch at 1,245 for the keynote. 11:40:14 That's for the folks who are online folks are in the room. You're going to be eating. 11:40:19 So you will be a captive audience. Thank you again for joining us again. 11:40:24 Thank you, Sarah and Bill, for the hard work that you are doing. 11:40:27 We appreciate it 11:40:34 Thank you very much. Dean hutchins so at this time. 11:40:38 We're gonna go ahead and serve everyone lunch for those that anyone that had special dietary restrictions or needs. 11:40:45 You should have a box to the wall closest to us. 11:40:48 Here on the left, on a separate table, with your name on it. 11:40:50 So please take a look at that. if you did make a special request, otherwise feel free to go out and grab Box launch. 11:40:58 They're labeled with different sandwich types and wraps, and then we will start again back up at 1,245. 11:41:05 So. Thank you. Everyone 11:41:39 Of course. 11:41:51 Sort of 11:42:12 Okay, yeah, Okay, And 11:46:31 Good. Yeah. 11:46:57 , 11:47:06 Yeah. 11:47:23 Yeah. 11:47:32 Yeah. 11:48:02 Yeah. 11:48:03 Yeah. 11:48:50 Yeah. 11:49:14 Yeah. 11:51:45 Hmm. 11:53:01 Yes. 11:53:34 As you're eating if anyone needs an additional sandwich you have plenty of extra sandwiches out bronze, so feel free to grab another one, if you'd like or take one home with you 11:55:27 Oops 11:57:26 Oops This is so cool, and this 12:00:31 Heart that's true, there are such things true tree don't want to whisper, Darling, you're my guiding star, not caring what you want, but just who you are 12:01:04 There are such things. A rainbow! Hi! I have a little faith. 12:01:19 Trust in what tomorrow brings you'll read your star because there are such things 12:02:06 , 12:02:32 Yes. 12:03:23 Alright that's true. there are such things upstream or 2. 12:03:36 There are such someone to whisper darling star not not caring what you all but just who you are a peaceful scarves. 12:03:54 They're all such such things. A Rainbow hi I have a little face. 12:04:09 Trust in what tomorrow brings you'll reach a star because there are such things 12:04:35 Yeah. 12:04:40 Yes, yes. 12:04:53 Spanish. 12:05:00 A little Girl as well. no and she'll sing a song 12:05:35 Yes. 12:06:14 Yes. 12:06:36 Swimming a little girl is that 12:08:54 Okay. 12:12:42 Okay. 12:12:53 Okay. 12:13:48 Okay, , 12:15:47 Alright. 12:15:53 Yes. 12:16:48 Yeah. 12:17:18 Yeah. 12:17:39 Oh, Thank 12:20:15 Okay. 12:20:52 Okay, there. Hmm. 12:21:14 Okay. Come on. 12:21:58 And 12:22:14 And 12:22:31 Okay. 12:23:17 Thank you. 12:23:44 Okay. 12:23:48 Okay. 12:24:41 Yes, 12:30:37 Sorry 12:30:38 Soft. 12:31:50 Sorry. 12:31:56 Asked. 12:32:02 So 12:32:10 Folks. We're gonna get started in 15 min this is just your 15 min warning 12:32:22 Okay. 12:32:44 Yes. 12:33:57 Yes. 12:34:03 Yeah. 12:34:09 Okay. 12:34:34 So 12:35:00 Yes. 12:35:52 This is 12:37:32 Mr. Speaker: Okay. 12:39:25 Yes. 12:39:31 Yes. 12:40:53 Folks. If you could start making your way back to your seats we're gonna get started here in about 5 min this is your 5 min warning. 12:41:01 So if you could slowly serve megging your way back to your seat, we'll get some 5 min 12:41:15 Yes. 12:41:37 Yes. 12:41:49 Yes. 12:42:46 Yeah. 12:43:13 Like first. 12:43:17 First. 12:46:09 No. on the other side 12:46:12 No, on the other side. No, you guys can sit here, did you? 12:46:22 Okay, you i'm here, you have them I have a turn I mean I can see it on the other side of this. 12:46:29 So, at least i'm sitting I know this and just like I know. 12:46:40 Well, i'm gonna like 12:46:56 Well, i'm gonna like sit so i'm not standing there. I don't think it's a perfect response. 12:47:09 Here we'll go with the okay Then if I get tired i'll sit down 12:47:26 Yeah. 12:47:34 That'd be so entertaining now? yeah i'm good let me go? 12:47:42 Do I press a button? Oh, time! Hello! everyone Unfortunately, lunch has come to a halt, but we have something better for you reason you can't the rest of our program for the afternoon. 12:48:06 Give everyone a minute to great Hopefully everyone enjoyed their lunch. 12:48:15 We are going to go straight into our next set of speakers. It's going to be our keynote panel on discussion discussing the farm bill. 12:48:28 Could be the 2023 farm Bill might not be to 23. 12:48:33 We'll see but for now, and we'll just say what's gonna happen with the next farm Bill from our experts. 12:48:39 So directly to my left is Dr. Stephanie Mercia. 12:48:44 She is a principal at agricultural perspectives, and she is also currently serving as a senior policy adviser at Farm Journal Foundation. 12:48:55 Prior to this role she served between 1,997 and 2,011, in the position of Chief Economist for the Democratic staff of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and During that time and her leadership 12:49:07 position. Dr. Mercia worked on 2 farm bills so definitely an expert in this topic. 12:49:15 And then one over is Dr. Roger Kleiner, the chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, and has a an extensive background in dairy programs and usda from his predispositions with 12:49:31 that. this is going to be me asking them some questions, and then opening the floor up for your guys. 12:49:39 As questions for these lovely economists, experts and so, make sure to write those questions down when we get to that point. 12:49:48 We're gonna start more generally with what impact on the next farm bills, timing topics and themes would a change in house leadership have? 12:49:59 Yes. What do are these on? Just 12:50:10 This one's on this one's on 12:50:15 Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? I I think there's likely a significant shift in what topics might be prioritized. 12:50:30 In the next 5, while if, in fact, the House takes over control of the House Representatives 12:50:40 I I think the for the farm bill for farm build purposes who is in control of the Senate, is less important because there's a long standing. 12:50:49 Pretty good relationship between the chair and ranking member and the Senate Ag Committee. 12:50:54 If that flips and Senator bozeman becomes chair and center stab now becomes ranking. 12:50:59 Member. I don't think that's going to change how the Senate I committee uses, but if the House does flip and Congressman Thompson becomes chair. and Congress Scott becomes ranking member. 12:51:11 They are less. So I say, on the same page, on a number of issues, and I would expect that Tt. 12:51:19 Would want to essentially start the process over again. that he would start holding Field Hearings focusing on the issues that he cares most about, and in that, under those circumstances I think it's relatively unlikely they will actually finish the 12:51:31 new far bill before the current farm bill expires which is September the thirtieth, 2,023. 12:51:40 I can't disagree with anything that stephanie said. I would say that, we're fortunate that agriculture is one of the last things that has been pretty bipartisan and the difference 12:51:50 between Republican and a Democratic farm bill is much smaller than the difference between the Democratic and Republican. 12:51:59 Almost anything else. So we I think I think it's we're optimistic either way that we'll we'll get what we need. 12:52:07 The farm agriculture will get what it needs from the next farm. 12:52:11 Bill and and and 2 areas in particular that I think would see a much different focus. 12:52:17 If Republicans do take control of House Representatives is that Congressman Thompson is far less likely to want to emphasize addressing climate change at least a direct way in the next room. 12:52:31 Bill then Scott would be and the other place I think we'd see a lot of differences in the nutrition title. 12:52:41 There's always been a strong preference among house Republicans to limit eligibility and limit spending on the supplement nutrition assistance Programmer Snap. and there there would be a strong push especially from the more conservative members of 12:52:55 the house to should rain in spending in that area. If the House is controlled by Republicans. 12:53:02 They're gonna run up against a position in the Senate, though, because the the bias against snap is not so great among Republicans in the Senate as it is in the House with that in this next farm. 12:53:16 Bill. Is it more likely to be transformative, or a maintenance? Bill? 12:53:20 With some of those discussion points to your brought up. 12:53:27 So far. I think. we were talking about this earlier I think when when it first gets written. 12:53:33 It's gonna look like a maintenance bill like a tweak of what we've had 4. 12:53:40 But I think, as time goes on, as through the life of the bill, it will facilitate transformation. 12:53:46 I think, for example, there's a we have a strong expectation that I insurance will will begin to evolve very rapidly. 12:53:52 A lot more contracts should be written. a lot more various, you know. 12:53:59 Revenue in margin, and all sorts of different risks that farmers face every year will be addressed through through new crop insurance, products that will be facilitated by a crop insurance title that will 12:54:12 probably will not look very different from what we've had and by the same token, I think, modestly increased in funding, or much increased funding for conservation will be will be a will be a 12:54:27 tool for sort of a market driven and other policy driven sort of changes in in how agriculture operates. 12:54:38 With respect to climate change, and generally I would I would say in response to this question, i'll soon in response with Stephanie was saying, is that I think either party can sort of buy into the approach that 12:54:56 we've advocated for conservation programs we've been navigating very strongly. 12:55:03 The conservation program should be voluntary incentive based. 12:55:06 Voluntary market-based incentives for for farmers to to to make changes, not to just put burdens on them, but to to compensate them for the for the improvements that they make in support 12:55:21 of of any you know mitigation of of climate change as it's interpreted by the where the powers would be, and in that's that's something we've worked out We we've been involved with an organization called 12:55:34 the Farm and Agricultural Climate Alliance, along with Farmers Union and the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Nature Conservancy, and a couple other groups we have. 12:55:44 We have worked with those groups we've got a long set of recommendations that were for voluntary market, based incentives. 12:55:55 In in a report done by that organization, that by that coalition and that has been identified by the Administration as A. 12:56:03 Is this part of the route foundation for the climate. 12:56:08 Smart commodities program, which is probably gonna be probably gonna be. 12:56:16 Have a substantial role in defining the future conservation programs. 12:56:20 So yeah, I would tend to agree with roger's comments unless by some miracle. the Budget committees find a way to provide additional funding to the Senate House side. 12:56:36 Committees to do the next farm go because if it's a if it's if it's what we call it a baseline farm bill, which means that essentially they only have the resources that are available from the existing set 12:56:47 of programs. then it's it's likely to be sort of just, you know, at least in terms of the funding pieces of it very likely to be very much the same as the the current form, of which is past in 2018 but if there 12:57:01 are more resources. you're. gonna see a lot of that money go into bolstering, You know things like the reverence price and the commodity programs. 12:57:12 Or perhaps the premium subsidy in crop insurance programs. and that would that is something that some of these groups have expressed a desire to see get to this formula, but unless there's an actual opportunity to to spend 12:57:24 more money than the baseline then, it's difficult to see how that happens. I would agree with Roger that there's a strong tradition in the farm bills that that committee is right? 12:57:36 That you only provide voluntary conservation programs that you don't, with the exception to conservation compliance that there's there are no conservation or requirements that are mandated on farmers and everything 12:57:49 else that that is an opportunity for them is bond and it's incentive based. 12:57:55 So it's not surprising because there's a long you know 56 year tradition. 12:58:00 That that's the way usca wants it with these programs Other agencies have different approaches. obviously. 12:58:06 But U.S.A. has always gone that voluntary about great Stephanie. 12:58:12 You mentioned that if the house did flip the we we see probably less direct impact on climate medicine, strategies and funding opportunities within the next farm bill. 12:58:29 But again you said Direct, because at this point there's some extreme weather community, that both parties are paying attention to. 12:58:37 So what opportunities does the farm bill have? especially these nonpartisan avenues to improve farmers? 12:58:42 Resilience to extreme weather events. We see drought conditions in the midwest, but also here in Maryland, things like salt water and choose intrusion are becoming and changes in climate and temperature is becoming a bigger issue. 12:58:57 Yeah, and and putting on my farm you know for a moment we think there's a strong for increasing funding for in this farm bill, because of the kinds of things you mentioned that that farmers are going to need new new technologies new 12:59:15 seed varieties of improve genetics and both crops and livestock, in order to develop the kind of resilience to the extreme weather events that we're seeing and in order to deliver those kinds of 12:59:26 outcomes to farmers. You need to spend public money on on those research efforts and So that has got to be a major piece for garbage, which party is controlling the House. 12:59:39 And Senate is, is we need to see a push for more resources in this area. 12:59:43 Yeah, I would agree. I would say that there's a lot of we have a lot of programs to address the financial resilience of of farmers. 12:59:57 And I think it's important to recognize that there's that there are all kinds of risks associated with with the the world, that volatility and markets and political environments, and and arguably climate but 13:00:17 I. but I certainly agree with stephanie that it's it's really important that the resiliency of of production itself is supported through through research and innovation. 13:00:27 And and I think there's no question at maintaining and expanding funding for for agricultural researches 13:00:39 Great. And that leads in my next question of how do we bring in the global context of the last 4 or 5 years and put that into the context of the farm bill? 13:00:53 And how are those things going on with the war in Ukraine? 13:00:58 Covid, How is that going to come into the farm bill discussion? 13:01:04 And how programs are adapted, change and so on. 13:01:10 Well, there's a number of ways that that could be manifested in the next round. 13:01:15 Bill. I mean one. That that is a particular interest of mine is is my perception that the the 3 shocks that have hit the global economy in the last 3 years, starting with the Covid outbreak in in March in 2,000 13:01:32 and 20, followed by the the the huge E shipping like that occurred over the next in 19 months, and then, of course, culminating in Russia's invasion, ukraine all disrupted 13:01:44 global markets, including our culture markets, and and had some pretty adverse impacts on people and and the economies in developing countries. 13:01:55 In particular the Head of the world for program. and so former governor, South Carolina, David Beasley testified at a hearing of the Senate Formulations Committee over the summer. 13:02:07 And he said that their data said that at the time the Covid outbreaks hit, there were an estimated 150 million people globally, who were in acute food insecurity, and because of those 3 13:02:21 shocks as I would describe them, that no has gone up for more than almost 350 million over the last 3 years prior to these last few years, we were actually seeing it a a gradual decline in the number of food and secure people around the 13:02:37 world. And but as a result of the shocks and the kind of the fragility of the global food system, especially in developing countries, we're actually going very severely in their own direction. 13:02:48 And I would hope that the what we do in the formal start second and look at what the Us. 13:02:53 Government can do to at least trying to identify the causes of this within within developing countries, and seeing if there are not some solutions we can add on the trade side. 13:03:05 For example, we have several programs out there that are aimed at helping to build into structure and develop them countries. 13:03:15 There's a program that usca runs called the food for Progress program. and I would like to see the purposes of that program expanded to help build, not just sort of purely market infrastructure, but also developing things 13:03:29 like extension and research systems in those countries to help addressing that resilience issue. 13:03:37 I think the global context for for this farm bill is that for the last 40 years we've been extremely lucky in in the growth of agricultural productivity. 13:03:46 We've had events that have have contributed to the growth from production that we don't really recognizes sort of one off events that may actually sort of be going backwards. 13:03:57 Things like market reforms in China, because at the around 1979 that that mark Chinese market reformers began in agriculture, and they have made China today. 13:04:08 From what i've been told in terms of value of production, the most productive agricultural economy in the world. 13:04:18 But that way they still import a lot because they go that wouldn't be happening without those reforms to the fall. 13:04:25 The Soviet Union and market reforms in Russia and Ukraine and Belarus, and other other pharmaceutical republics, has has unleashed enormous productivity in the the wonderful blacks earth of 13:04:37 Southern Russian Ukraine, and in some other places. 13:04:42 You know you create, you create a Russian hour or bread baskets to the world in the seventies to the Soviet Union, who's a bastard case? 13:04:51 They couldn't feed themselves and now, they're they're exporting. 13:04:54 That's that's a that's a one-off shock to the system unleashing a lot of productivity. 13:05:00 We've had the benefit of first. to green revolution with with the hybrid breeds and support to that Norman Borlog and others accomplished. 13:05:12 And now the one thing that's that's been working that could continue if we allow to continue, is is a growth of biotech biotech has enormous potential to make agricultural, more productive and more 13:05:26 sustainable and if we fight it out of principle without really understanding what we're doing without doing the math. 13:05:34 We're we're just kind of hamstering ourselves the Just I think it was last week Us State Virginia check put out a global agricultural productivity report that they do every year that shows 13:05:50 the total total factor. Productivity and agriculture is is growing, but at a slower rate than it was in the previous decade. 13:05:58 And really raising the learned that we've got to we've had to do better all the way around. 13:06:02 We've got to do better we've got to recognize that we can't put the burden of every every problem on agriculture. 13:06:10 We can't assume that agriculture will continue to grow that'd be more productive. 13:06:14 We can't use yeah we can't we can't see conservation and climate solutions that involve farming less. 13:06:25 I've said a lot of times let's talk about how we can farm better, because every farmer wants to farm better. 13:06:31 But don't don't ask farmers to farm less because that doesn't do anybody any good. 13:06:35 Yeah, I mean, I agree with Roger that that it's a Oh, balance. So we have to figure out how to get there. 13:06:42 We we need to to improve our production in order to feed What's that. 13:06:48 Say it'd be perhaps 10 million people globally. in 2,050. but we need to do it in a way that preserves the natural interest of this planet. 13:06:57 So it's it's we need to focus on both of those objectives. 13:07:00 The report that that Roger mentioned the gap report they've estimated that would require an annual increase in total photo, total factor productivity of 1.7 3% in order to be able to feed that that 10 billion population and right 13:07:16 now in part, because of what's happening in terms of covid and things like that, we are well below that target level. 13:07:23 The estimate was 1 point, 1 2% so we're you know, 30, 40% will know where we need to be. 13:07:29 And in order to address that, we need to increase, not just the United States, but around the world. 13:07:33 Our investment in in Ag research and and related activities. 13:07:38 Great you guys like took my question that I was writing as you guys were discussing that and how to balance conservation programs and need to increase production. 13:07:48 So. Dr. Marcia, you talked about expanding ag research in both United States and potentially implementing that internationally. 13:08:01 Could you give us some like specific things that could be include in the farm bill beyond? 13:08:09 The the food for progress that it may be here that we could then expand out especially that pertains to the farm, though. 13:08:21 I guess you could say it's a program that was added to the 2,014 fund form bill called the Foundation for food and air and culture research, which is actually a 5 o one. T. 13:08:32 3 nonprofit that was founded under the direction of the farm bill, but it's it's not directly operated by U.S.A. 13:08:42 And they get money from the farm bill, which they are then we're required to allocate to research projects. 13:08:47 But only if they can obtain a match amount from a non-federal source. 13:08:53 And since the 2,014 farm bill they've had about 400 million dollars from Federal money, Federal courses, about the 2014 form bill and the 2018 firm bill, and they have not just achieved a one to one match which is 13:09:11 what the the legislational cars but they've achieved a 1.4 to one match, So they're like 40% above what they need to, and and putting more resources in allowing the foundation for food and that research to continue 13:09:22 to do what they're doing. I think would be a very important piece to accomplish in this form. 13:09:27 Bill, because they've sort of tackled areas that are not as clear profit making opportunities that the private sector would wanna pursue individually, but they partnered with a number of private sector companies to look in areas which need to be 13:09:45 addressed. sort of trying to fill the gaps that appear in these kinds of areas, because you you have a clear interest in the in the public sector funding things like infrastructure and basic research and things, like that and the private 13:09:59 sector has a clear interest in funding research projects, I think, will generate a profit for them. 13:10:05 But a lot of stuff that falls in between, and the the work that the foundation for food and agriculture is funding, and addresses a lot of those kinds. 13:10:13 Falling in the cracks. kinds of projects great. 13:10:18 And Roger, do you have any examples or ideas for how the form bill can help producers farm better? 13:10:31 Not less especially because they're still can be a need for conservation programs and easements. 13:10:35 But obviously it's all within balance. So do you have any ideas or projects in mind that exemplify that the farming better, and not necessarily less agriculture is has come out in in droves to to apply for these 13:10:55 these the climate. smart commodities program, they got it it's a they tripled the funding, and they're still enormously underfunded, compared to what folks would apply for like this if you explore 13:11:11 them and and you folks the opportunities and if you do the math. 13:11:16 One of the things that's again on climate change we need to make sure we're doing the math and we're doing the right things that we're measuring things the right way. 13:11:24 I think one of my bugaboos is is folks who get worked up about methane from from animals. 13:11:31 Okay, there are, you know, when when Christopher Columbus arrived in North in the America, they were 60 million buys in on the North American planes that were having a lot of the same bodily functions that our current 13:11:45 livestock have and this they're just part of a you know, for hundreds of thousands of years it's been a cycle method goes up in the air. 13:11:55 It. It breaks down over 10 or 10 or 15 years into into water and carbon dioxide, which then gets taken up by the grass that the cowsy or the buys, and eat or whatever other room and it is 13:12:09 on the grass seats, and this and this is the cycle that goes on and on. 13:12:13 So it's a kind of a as capital stock you know that that carbon is a capital stock that we use over and over and over. 13:12:20 Yeah, and it's it's it's treated it's gonna solve our problems to make towers stop they're doing their what they do isn't is not doing the math. One of the things we do we we focus on a 13:12:33 point in time. Greenhouse gas. you know the the the great house, and the atmosphere as of 2,030, or as of 2,040. 13:12:43 If you focus on a point in time, and you start focusing on methane in a way that doesn't make any sense, it's just the wrong measure. 13:12:48 So you know, there's an awful lot of things a lot of these things where we need to to do the math. 13:12:55 We need to figure out what actually makes sense to figure out how agriculture can contribute when you define, and we need to offer ways to compensate farmers for for making that contribution to just imposing it 13:13:09 on it doesn't is not a good way to balance our need for for food, fuel, and fiber on the one hand, and the and our conservation needs under the hand 13:13:24 Great What is the impact of the recently past Inflation Reduction Act on the next Farmer Farm Bill? 13:13:35 I know Dr. Mercy you're talking about how There might be a need to increase the baseline to accommodate a ditch additional funding opportunities to this next farm bill. 13:13:45 But what? where's the overlap what does that change when we're going into these budget discussions and conversations with the form? 13:13:54 Yes, So if i'm reading legislation correctly there was a clear intent on the part of Congress to and the funding on conservation programs in biofuels and renewable energy that was within the inflation 13:14:09 Reduction Act to the farm baseline, because they extended especially on the conservation side. 13:14:15 All for the programs that have got additional funding were extended through 2,031, so that's a clear intent in my mind on the part of Congress that those funds be added to the baseline that will be 13:14:27 put out next year by Cbo. That will be sort of the starting point for the the next round. 13:14:33 Bill so clearly that was Congress's intent I haven't heard officially from Cb. 13:14:38 That they will do that, but but clear that's what they want, and I think one of the fights that we will see in the farm bill, especially the Republicans, take over 13:14:47 The House side committee is that they will want to divert some of that money. 13:14:53 Whether it's the 19 billion dollars is supposed to go into conservation programs or the 4.9 million dollars is supposed to go into for sure to help reduce incidents of wildfires or the money that's supposed 13:15:05 to go to enhance so, renewable energy and energy, efficiency and farms, I think there will be an effort, probably, to move some, if not all, the money, into other parts of the firm, bill, and and that will be a 13:15:19 pretty significant struggle over the next year. So yeah. 13:15:27 What are the impacts? 1 one of the packs that we won't have from the inflation reduction act is the reduction in inflation. 13:15:35 Which raises a another issue about about funding because we have a farm bill, where, quite appropriately, food and farming are tied together, the nutrition titles are tied to the rest of them, and that's 13:15:46 it's important for political reasons, it's important thematically I'm. 13:15:50 I'm struck by how often I hear people talk about Hunger and they seem to forget that Hunger has anything to do with food. 13:15:59 Yeah. and I will get in more detail on that. 13:16:04 But inflation has has increased the cost of the the nutrition title 13:16:12 The nutrition title structure in a way that as inflation rises as prices rides 13:16:19 The spending on on snap rises, spending on the other programs rises. 13:16:25 Hmm! I I don't room numbers exactly but I think the baseline and all that. 13:16:31 It. Going into the last farm bill was that nutrition would be about 70. 13:16:34 5% of the spending, in the way. it's looking Now it's going to be more like 85% of this money. 13:16:40 Something in that ballpark you know there's a lot of Costs have gone up for farmers as well There's a there's you know, costs of of undertaking conservation programs Have gone up cost the 13:16:50 prices. You know, prices for inputs have gone up. 13:16:55 All kinds of costs and prices have gone on up with inflation, which is not over. 13:16:58 By the way, I think we've got you know another year or 2 of inflation of 5 to 9% range for before it really starts to to drop off significantly. 13:17:09 But which is another reason why it's important that we Take this this stuff into account. it's it's we're starting to talk about whether there has to be some sort of inflation adjustment on the on the farm titles 13:17:21 in the in the farm bill, because I mean how can we not do that we're shrinking. 13:17:26 We're shrinking the the far bill and its impact over time. 13:17:30 If we don't take that into account so I had another point on that. 13:17:36 But I don't remember where it is so is there any other opportunities. Then, within the farm bill to help producers manage information beyond just adjusting the different funding and outrage opportunities in the farm bills inflation 13:17:57 rates or yeah, in general, so i'm not Sure, this is like gonna be tackled the farm bill. 13:18:03 But there has been an effort, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the jump in fertilizer prices that we saw afterwards. 13:18:11 There's been several 100 million dollars been allocated by Usc. 13:18:16 And other Federal agencies to engage in research on couple of different things led into fertilizer. 13:18:23 One it is to. How do we improve for larger application? 13:18:31 So that that efficiency of fertilizer application, so that you don't you more of the fertilizer that actually goes into the ground is actually taken out by the plants, and and doesn't end up 13:18:41 getting in a groundwater surface routers for you can figure out a way to improve that, and the fertilizer costs for farmers might be reduced. 13:18:52 And there's also some of that money has gone into trying to develop alternative ways of using fertilizer and I'm not as verse exactly is what that's gonna look at. 13:19:01 But obviously that's a fertilizer is a major input cost for farmers, and if we can figure out a way to reduce that, then that would be helpful to farmers. 13:19:10 My understanding is that under repeat roles if you over, apply commercial fertilizing runs there's exempt. 13:19:18 But if you over reply, manure and it runs off, that's a violation. it seems like a kind of a stupid set of incentives, for for which which you should rather apply to to the to the so your 13:19:28 crops, and and of course a nitrogen fertilizer is beyond the the cost issues. 13:19:38 Bottom line issues nitrogen fertilizer over applied has has, according to the what we've been told, has a greenhouse gas implications. 13:19:50 And so there's there's it's one of the things that's been kind of brought into the lot of this climate. 13:19:54 Smart commodity. Discussions and conservation discussions generally is how to encourage farmers to not consistently pursue the highest possible yield. 13:20:05 Which yield is came in the in in Iowa and and you know I. 13:20:14 How do you convince folks to to fight a better balance on on that application? 13:20:17 That's that's a challenge I don't have an answer for that one. 13:20:22 And again I had something else to say about that but I can't remember what it is. 13:20:25 Sort of the add on what to what roger is just talking about. 13:20:30 There's a group that I work with called the the agree environmental economic rest, coalition that help develop the new crop insurance endorsement that came out on a limited basis last year, which farmers needle in 13:20:43 midwest and select counties who grow non irrigated. 13:20:47 Corn can get an endorsement if they want to use split application of nitrogen fertilizer, they can ensure against the possibility that they're not able to fully apply that that second round second 13:20:59 transfer fertilizer in an effective way. And this stuff right? 13:21:05 You lost this result that that Lawson is indemnified it's called pace, and I think a week or so ago that the pace pile got expanded to additional counties in the midwest not sure I don't 13:21:15 think it's available in the East Coast yet but you farmers who raise car might keep an eye on that in future years as a possible way of helping them. 13:21:26 User fertilizer more efficiently, but but protect them against any risks of doing so. 13:21:32 And I remember what I wanted to say about inflation is inflation. 13:21:38 Inflation is, is a monetary phenomenon. 13:21:42 The Federal Reserve Bank increased the money supply by 40% In 20 months. 13:21:46 After after covid head that's absolutely unprecedented. 13:21:51 And it, and it basically means there's that much extra there was that much extra money out there in the economy that had to be absorbed. 13:21:56 3 can economic growth through the demand for for money to hold and through inflation. 13:22:03 And there's just a lot of inflation yet to to work its way out. 13:22:06 In fact, right here Maryland is I went to college in Hopkins, in Baltimore, and and one of my professors at Hopkins is to crank, and out there Steve Hanky that was interviewed on 13:22:18 he did interview with on John stewart's podcast last week, and i'd encourage you to listen to that. 13:22:26 If you got 45 min to get schooled on what's really causing inflation with the really what the real answer is. 13:22:36 So. So, tying back into research initiatives and opportunities through the farm bill or other Federal funding and programs extension is, of course, a great way to then connect with the producers with that being said is there where what 13:22:55 would you predict would be the impacts of what we've been talking about are changes, adjustments to the farm Bill on producers directly, and if you can tie it into the mid-atlantic region, that would be even better I did a little 13:23:08 bit of research before I came to to speak at this conference. 13:23:13 Yeah, it looked at the 27 census variables of the day that we which reports on on how many Maryland farmers versus overall us farmers have adopted certain conservation practices, and I i'm very pleased to 13:23:28 say that Maryland farmers are head of the game. Naturally, in on 2 very important sets of practices. 13:23:34 One is is what is known. No, no. tell cultivation. Yeah. 13:23:38 There's a higher percentage of maryland farmland that is using that practice as opposed to to share nationally, and it's very much the case for cover cropping where something in the neighborhood of 400,000 13:23:51 Marilyn cropakers are using cover cropping, which is about 20% of all of all end and farms in Maryland as opposed to less than 2% nationally. 13:24:00 So you guys are heading the game in many respects. 13:24:04 But there will be, I think, with the the resources to provide in the Inflation Production Act. 13:24:10 Opportunities for more. about went Maryland pharmaceutical. 13:24:14 These practices through the mainly through the Equip and Csv programs, because those funds are directed to adoption of a certain select certain set of practices that in our cs deems to be climate smart and things 13:24:27 like no till and cover cropping devin qualified for that So that's definitely an opportunity that Maryland farmers you guys have the the Maryland cover province in it which has been very very helpful to a lot of farmers But there's going 13:24:39 to be additional opportunities to get Federal resources as well from the the new money going into these programs. 13:24:46 Yeah, according to numbers our folks have put together for for far middle education and and and advocacy. 13:24:55 Maryland has a a 1 million point, 4 crop land acres, and 800,000 acres covered under crop insurance. 13:25:06 600 X. about about a 1 million covered under arc or plc. 13:25:13 So that Marilyn producers are participating you know, pretty in a pretty healthy dose and farm and farm bill programs. 13:25:24 And I I think the crop insurance opportunities are only going to keep in creation. 13:25:29 I don't think i've I think we've talked about the shift, So one of the one of the I guess I could talk about a little bit about transformational. 13:25:35 There's going to be almost anything you do in agriculture is potentially coverable, you know, under crop insurance. 13:25:43 And There's been a acceleration of innovative policy writers out there developing new products on new crop insurance products. 13:25:53 If you're if you're organization, if you're part of an organization for commodity, or or sector sector agriculture, I'd encourage you to be exploring exploring that looking at what the risks in your you 13:26:07 know your business are, and thinking about what sort of crop insurance products may be available for that. 13:26:13 I believe one of the things that will be discussed is is, is the potential for increasing. 13:26:21 The the crop with the farm bureau farm Bill subsidy for margin type insurance programs. 13:26:28 That's one of the discussions that'll have to be happening in this next farm. 13:26:32 Go round I think i'll take this moment to point out of some of the things that we're we're also interested in in usda staffing being sufficient to to meet the needs there's an awful lot of 13:26:49 counties that where folks have been underserved in the last few years, the there was a shedding of a lot of employees for 3, 4, 5 years ago, and they haven't really caught up yet. 13:26:59 The covid Covid has really disrupted that a lot of people retired. 13:27:03 They didn't want to come to the office and in some cases it's they've they've been performing beautifully from home. 13:27:11 In other cases they they're afraid to come in and they're not really doing much us taste staff needs to be sufficient. 13:27:17 Stephanie mentioned. the reference price increases. 13:27:22 If only for inflation. That's important and some of the you know. some of the locking in some of the improvements in the dairy margin Coverage is is important as well as potentially raising the the volume 13:27:38 in the tier one. If you're not in if you're not into dairy. 13:27:41 You have no idea what i'm talking about but that's okay, and and and and and maintaining conservation funding, maintaining the the funding for the for the programs generally, and making sure that we're doing everything we 13:27:54 can to support productive agriculture at a time when it is needed more than ever. 13:27:59 Not just not just here, but around the world. And again, when a lot of folks talk about hunger in the Us. 13:28:05 We're what we're really talking about is some income distribution issues that have the But when we talk about hunger around the world. 13:28:12 It's incredibly important that whatever other things we do and talk, talk about redistribution. 13:28:19 The Un Food Program, as Stephanie said, is mostly about redistribution. 13:28:23 And as Stephanie said, programs like that, and others really should be thinking much more about about helping improve production anywhere and everywhere. 13:28:31 So it's important that we again that we will not talk about farming less. 13:28:37 But we talk about farming better. Oh, and one of the things I wanted to mention 13:28:45 Rogers mentioned cropping church, which is important, but I Wanna make sure one is aware that there is also insurance for livestock production available under the Risk management agency, and if you raise cowler hogs or other less 13:28:59 likely you should look into what's available under the risk management for for your your species as well. 13:29:06 10 years ago didn't say anything for you for what you produce. Look again, because there's really it's expanding all the time, and it's there used to be a cap on how much . 13:29:20 You can spend delivering that program. But that cap was removed, I think, in the 2018 form bill, and so it's Now this is available much more widely than it was previously great. 13:29:32 Well, we brought you guys here, and you've provided so much insight, and we wanted to give some extra time for the audience to ask questions. 13:29:41 Since the farm bill is far and wide, reaching in agriculture, and we have so many different individuals that are part of the ag industry. 13:29:50 Here in the mid-atlantic present 13:30:05 , 13:30:07 Yes, thank you very much. and that the theme, or one of the things that I picked up from I guess both he was, you know. 13:30:15 You know far, far better, not less. I am curious that in a future farm bill, and I think you may have touched on it in terms of extension. 13:30:22 But part of farming better, is also trying to encourage that agriculture is like a viable. 13:30:28 I guess not only Bible industry, but a, you know, viable means of employment. and when we try to increase production, that also needs to get more people interested in farming or offer more opportunities, not just you know traditional you know. 13:30:45 agro tourism long. So I am curious. concerning a I guess the 2023 farm Bill. 13:30:53 What future does aggregate tourism or say? You know Agro, aligned industry? 13:30:58 What would they play as opposed to just unusual increasing Cross increase in crop production and animal husband dairy, which is, you know, just as important i'm not downgrading it. 13:31:07 But there are other you know it's an evolving industry, and it's so it's all about I guess, inviting more people to participate in as well as expanding you know the the roll of agriculture and like 13:31:17 agriculturalism business pretty much. Yeah. So I mean, we spend a lot of time talking about the monthly title one the conservating title which is titled to and the Trade Tab a little bit which is Tel, 3 but there 13:31:33 are 8 or 9 other 5 insurance which is like 8 or 9. 13:31:40 But there's a a role development title which provides for grants and loans to help establish role businesses to, rebuild their update royal infrastructure a number of kinds of activities 13:31:52 are available to be assisted through those programs and I didn't work on those when I was on the end committee, so i'm not as familiar with them. 13:32:04 But there are significant opportunities in that I know there's one that's called the world business, and industry Grant which provides for resources for people wanting to set up businesses rural areas and i'm quite sure that the 13:32:16 agoterrorism. piece that you mentioned would probably be eligible for that. 13:32:19 Yeah. and aggra tourism to me to to me the ideal lack of terrorism is is is a programs where farmers have an opportunity to help folks understand how agriculture actually works. 13:32:33 I've heard some bad stories about agricultureism text breaks in Vermont, where it basically ended up turning into a tax break for restaurants growing some time in the backyard, and the farmers just kept getting pushed 13:32:49 out by the growth of the growth of the you know the second home business and the you know just the some. 13:32:57 You know, programs that actually support agriculture and help give, provide additional revenue streams and on working farms, and that, as I said, it really helped folks bridge to the gap between between the city and the and the 13:33:15 farm at my age. I can talk to people my age, and I can. 13:33:21 I can I can tell them I can like i'm the the Carnac, that magnificent and you don't know what that is. 13:33:27 People my age do, I can say, in one of your grandparents, milked cows, and they go. 13:33:34 How do you know that cause you're you know because you're 55, and you and you're American and so clearly one of your grandparents grew up milking cows Well, people your age most of them a lot of them 13:33:46 don't have grandparents in milk cows it's it's another. 13:33:49 You know 2 generations removed it's the the the connection to farming just isn't there we're very lucky in the in the Us. 13:33:55 That there is a really high appreciation. for farmers we've done polls that show farmers are the most trusted profession in the country, which is great, but we Co. 13:34:05 You know, a couple more generations. We could be where Europe is where everybody thinks of farmers is as rich rich rich people on the dole. 13:34:14 And don't really respect what they're doing or or have much appreciation of what they go through. 13:34:20 So I think agricultureism that really really brings us all together is is the ideal. 13:34:26 I think we're out of time for questions we have 15 more minutes This is this is an hour and a 5 min time started. Yes, I was just trying to text you that you'll kind of short. call Well, that. 13:34:53 You may have wanted to stop in there so I I guess i'm Curious Now we we've seen the Ccc. 13:34:55 Tapped for both research and ad Ho! So what role is that going to continue to play the next farm bill? 13:34:58 So who cares if we get a baseline farm? 13:34:59 Bill, We're just gonna tap into ccc and and add on that way. 13:35:06 And then on the research side, you know, we had it was a 1 billion dollar call that we pay ended up paying out 3 billion. 13:35:11 I've never seen Nifa get that kind of increase for research funding but i'm kind of curious about how that kind of all plays together, and what role that that drops the farm bill in in future years yeah Well, I was still 13:35:24 on the air, called your committee in 2010, when Congress decided to severely restrict what U.S.A. 13:35:35 Could do with Ccc. money. But then, when Donald Trump became President, and they relaxed that. and so both the President Trump and President Biden have made so I say, Liberal use of that authority in in different ways I know there's been 13:35:50 some discussion among Republicans that they'd like to restrict that authority again. 13:35:57 I'm not sure that they would get agreement enough agreement to out of veto proof majority on that. 13:36:03 But it is. It is an issue. a lot of folks care about. 13:36:09 You know they started out with this partner, stiffer climate, smart commodities at 1 billion, and they had so many proposals. 13:36:15 I think it was over a 1,000 between the 2 lots of money they. They increase the amount of funding available to 3 and a half 1 billion. 13:36:23 They? They didn't assure Congress that there was still enough money left in justiscal 2022 to meet their other obligations. 13:36:32 But it the use of the ccc has taken a lot of decision making authority out of the hands of Congress, and putting into the hands of the Secretary of our Culture. And there's certainly some parameters are uncomfortable with 13:36:45 that take any concrete steps but there's only been a lot of unhappiness exhibited and it's it's stuffing, said the Congress gives them the authority to do it That's what they're 13:36:59 doing every year. the it kind of has to get ratified after the fact by refunding the refunding. 13:37:05 The Ccc. is, so it's not like Congress is is powerless to to manage how that Yeah. Well, so far they haven't politicized the replenishment of the Ccc. 13:37:17 Quite the same way they've done the but they that's prerogative. and every time yeah, every time they do it they they can always put riders on spending for the following year. 13:37:32 So they, as my wife says you must like it or you wouldn't keep coming back for it. 13:37:37 But I mean over the years Ccc. money has been used for a lot of stuff. 13:37:41 But the if you look at the underlying statute which which states back to the 19 thirtys that is, it's very broad. 13:37:52 So i've got one online that i'm gonna ask first, and then i'll get some more from the audience. 13:37:56 What changes do you anticipate to the nutrition program? 13:37:59 So you may have already covered this Well, I know certainly that i'm in the intriguing community. they would like to see a lot of the flexibility that were provided to the nutrition programs during the 13:38:12 pandemic to be made permanent Oh, that would be pretty expensive, and I don't know where the rest will come for that. 13:38:20 On the other side. Republicans are are not particularly happy with the way Usc. 13:38:23 Uses a 32 increase of the the the money allocated under the 50 food plan which made the benefits a little more generous than they had been, and I suspected, if they are in control of the house they may try. 13:38:38 to restrict or even reverse what the sector else I did in that area. 13:38:45 And there's been talk about free lunch for everybody and talk about all kinds of things. 13:38:50 So and certainly I know there's a lot of interest in, in, in not just providing more resources under the nutrition programs, providing incentives to encourage recipients to to buy more actual 13:39:01 nutritional food through you know farmers markets that kind of stuff. And and there are already some some topics programs that have proved to be very successful in that area. 13:39:13 And there's going to be at least some course to try to put more resources into those There's one program called Gus Nip, which is, which provides a double funding for double double coupons, basically double credit for folks to 13:39:27 buy fruits and vegetables gosh shoe markers's name freshmen Schumer, who I worked for in Massachusetts one summer that was under Sector of Agriculture for 13:39:40 far. Yeah. farm services back in the doubling the credit for healthy fruits and vegetables, I think could be applied. 13:39:51 I think we have policy that would support applying that to to to meet, and I and, I think applying it to fresh there products is is also valid. 13:40:04 I think the things that you know, the things that that are under under consumed. 13:40:10 The American Diet are free for vegetables meet and dairy. 13:40:14 We we plenty of carbs and I can talk about doing the math on nutrition all day long, but I won't. 13:40:22 Get into that and let me take a minute to talk about the farm bureau. 13:40:25 And how far be your develops are the policy that things we support and things We don't support. 13:40:29 Farmborough is a groceries organization the American Farm Beer Federation is, is a federation. Is it? The name implies? 13:40:37 Of our 50 51 State State farmers, including Puerto Rico, and including Maryland, who's 13:40:46 Administrator. The farm view of the marin farmbuter administrator, John Torres is there in the back and i'm i'm always glad to see John cool most our policy generally. 13:40:58 It comes, starts at a county farm beer meeting Somebody proposes a a policy that they think they like to see at the State or county, State or Federal Level Federal policies again. 13:41:10 Mostly start at the at accounting farm your meeting. Sometimes they start a community meetings at the State level. 13:41:17 And they get and they get passed on if they're approved at that level they get passed onto the state State delegates vote whether or not they believe that's a that's a good thing, though to support and if they so if 13:41:28 the State delegates supported it's yeah and it's a Federal policy. they'll pass it on. 13:41:33 They will choose to pass it on to the Federal level and we have since it's sort of hammer these things out shape. 13:41:39 But for the consideration of our delegates that are annual convention, and so federal. 13:41:45 So our policy is really we talk about farm bureau as the voice of agriculture, and that's really what it is We I've worked for tray associations before where the general attitude as well let's let the Staff 13:41:56 figure out, and then we'll ratify it after the fact that is not the way things work at farm bureau. 13:42:03 The the our farmer members decide what they think needs to have and what they want to happen. 13:42:09 They, we work with them to fried in whatever sport, whatever whatever resource, materials, whatever explanation they want. 13:42:15 But only what they want and then and then it it'll and the policies all come up to the top, and I think it's I think it's a very good example of sort of the the American democratic process 13:42:30 in action. you've got a very We have 6 million members in in 50, 50 states in Puerto Rico. 13:42:42 And yeah, Well, we have. We have not all of our members farmers, but a lot of motion. 13:42:45 A lot of them are. most farmers or farmer remembers. 13:42:48 You talk to farmers and most other organizations. They also. 13:42:52 They also are farm bureau members, and so that's where we come up with policies we're not. 13:42:58 We're not big ag We represent everybody roller growers. I don't know any other organization that that represents Royaler grows as as individual farmers. 13:43:09 The way, farmer does So you know we're not We're not the big guys supporting the big big everything like some folks want to make us out. 13:43:19 We're really supporting farmers, across the country there's my plug for yeah, I mean I I appreciate hearing more about how farm bureau is formed, and how it operates in celebrated this hundredth anniversary 3 years 13:43:31 ago, awesome 103 years old and strong, ready for another question. 13:43:40 You guys talk some about the Usda programs around climate and Usda is clearly really taken, thanks to the Food and I Climate Alliance. 13:43:50 I think a very market based approach with those but we're in Maryland, and we care a lot about Chessie Bay and water, and people will say, if you look at like gallopoles pollution of rivers and streams is the issue 13:44:05 that people care about more than anything else any other environmental issue. 13:44:10 So what are some opportunities in the farm bill to really refocus some of our conservation programs around market for water quality outcomes, or just like more market based approaches for for water quality? 13:44:26 And better. Well, there's a piece of which is focused on giving U.S.A. 13:44:37 30 is set up sort of a process and stand by measurement. 13:44:41 Things like that. pass, senate, I think pretty easily that's is skeptical. 13:44:52 So it would be nice if you would finally come up with something. 13:44:55 Propose changes to that that he can live with would allow that legislation to move during the lame deck session. 13:45:03 If not, I I think they're going to have to tackle the same set of issues again in the farm bill, and hopefully he's going to be a little bit more willing to negotiate on this I I I my understanding is 13:45:15 that, and I think justifiably, a lot. of Farmers are skeptical of participating in these kinds of market opportunities, because so much uncertainty. There's so much veryability between the various outlets is to You know what 13:45:28 are the expectations. How long do you need to keep a practice in place in order to to realize the benefits? 13:45:36 What what sizes of operations are eligible there's so much variability among what's available right now that it would be nice if there were some sort of standards and and requirements that had to be met and that they 13:45:49 had to demonstrate their capacity to do kind of the basic functions of setting markets and paying farmers in or to the performance. 13:45:59 They have more, a little more confidence in what they're participating in. 13:46:03 So I they need something in that area whether it's that legislation or something else. 13:46:05 But I think that really needs to either be that trickler Bill passed, or something similar added to the next round. 13:46:13 Bill. Yeah, that I mean the growing climate solution. Snack is mostly about greenhouse dases. 13:46:19 With respect to to water water quality. I grew up in the cats skills in upstate New York, where we, we, you know I grew up on a hillside between between a reservoir a New York city reservoir 13:46:33 that that emptied into the Delaware River water, another one that emptied into the Hudson River watershed and water quality was extremely important. 13:46:41 New York City has the best water drinking water in the world because it comes from my hometown, and and that was a that was an example that I'm more familiar with than I know There's been a lot of successes in 13:46:52 Maryland, I know, but I know that in where I grew up I I don't know enough about the organizational activities. 13:46:59 What's going on, I know in where I grew up there was really intense engagement between the farmers and the city of New York and the folks that everybody in everybody who had a steak and and they really came into 13:47:15 agreements about better practices you know the farm bill has a lot of the conservation funding and a lot of those programs isn't only for for greenhouse gas for our projects that's available for for water quality 13:47:28 projects and spell all all sorts of environmental improvement processes. 13:47:33 So probably something like if only you had something like an agricultural law program! i'm joking. 13:47:45 But but the you know, having having a framework like this to have conversations about how you organize these things to. 13:47:52 So they're a little less haphazard and a little more organized around. 13:47:55 I'm sure you're doing that maryland i'm sure there's been a lot of that, you I mean. 13:47:59 I wish I wish I could I already knew hans what what y'all were doing. 13:48:04 But I I think that the farm farm bill funding has a role in all of that. but it won't do it by itself. 13:48:11 The farm Bill won't handle it alone, I think folks folks like the the State Department of Agriculture are probably in a better position to help organize that that type of work as as again i'm sure they already have but because I know that the Chesapeake 13:48:25 bay massive massive you know generational success and I know there's always room to improve. 13:48:33 Yeah, no, there's certainly has been success for individual regional water markets that have changed, you know, very effective. 13:48:43 I would also point out that a lot of the practices that are deemed to be clement. 13:48:47 Smart practices, but interc us like so the health practices cover cropping, not to also have water quality benefits. 13:48:54 So you're, you're not excluding addressing water quality, but it's certainly a co- benefit in that context. 13:48:59 And so some of these practice is really hard to separate out because there's so many different things that are that are beneficial from them. 13:49:08 Involuntary programs. get buy in yeah compulsory programs, get compliance, and I think you'd rather have buy in the compliance. 13:49:21 Thank you both for this riveting discussion and information about this upcoming farm bill and everything that takes to get this farm bill going and incorporating producers in the ag industry. 13:49:31 We really appreciate your time and energy being here with us. 13:49:42 I'll shape your hands we're gonna take one more, 15 min break, and then we'll have our final session of the day. 13:49:52 So 15 min we'll be starting up again. yeah I can 13:49:57 I'll make sure 13:54:03 Huh? 13:55:08 Huh? 13:55:23 Cool. 13:56:06 So 13:56:25 No 13:59:35 You know 13:59:46 , 14:00:15 Hey, everyone, we're gonna be starting in 5 min so we'll do our final panel of the day. 14:00:44 In 5 min 14:00:47 I was. which way? Yeah, I think it's just that defense regret And then, when when when you're done just yeah, it's kind of sucked up the things Yes. 14:01:59 Hmm 14:02:00 Hmm. 14:02:11 Yeah. Okay 14:04:50 Hey, everyone! how's it doing testing can you hear me we're gonna get started in just a few more seconds 14:05:06 Is this thing on Okay, hey? Everyone it's 2, o 5 too loud, closer. hey? 14:05:16 Everyone can you hear me I Yeah, it's green you land. Alright, I can hear myself if everyone can find their seats, please. 14:05:27 We'll go ahead and get started for the last panel today. 14:05:33 Just keep folks find your seats. we're gonna get started for the final panel. 14:05:37 Thank you. 14:05:45 You, Brian. Alright, yes, thank you we're in the home stretch here, everyone. 14:05:49 Thanks for sticking around with us. So our last panel today is handling food, waste, organic waste, reduction by version and rescue efforts in Maryland. 14:05:59 My name is Margaret Todd. I usually go by Megan. 14:06:02 If anybody in the audience recognizes me i'm a legal research associate with the agricultural education, initiative and I'm. 14:06:09 Moderating Today's last panel before we get started I wanted to give you all just a few numbers, so that you get a sense for the enormity of the issue of food waste at a national scale, and i'm really glad 14:06:22 that we went after the farm bill discussion, actually, because it kind of sets it up a little bit in terms of their discussion for food and security and the need to produce more food just globally. 14:06:32 Internationally. but we also need to think about the flip side of that coin which is reducing in the food waste that we we already have. 14:06:39 So, according to the epa about a third of the total amount of food that's prepared for human consumption actually ends up being wasted, and I like to visualize things and So I like to go say you go to a 14:06:51 grocery store or a restaurant, and you go into the walking freezer. 14:06:54 Imagine a third of all the food that's in that store is actually going to go to waste right and then you think about the number of stores and restaurants we have in every city and every State across the country that's a massive amount 14:07:05 of food every year being wasted, and not just the food itself, but all the inputs that go into producing that food from the water. 14:07:13 The fertilizer. The fuel that's used to transport package and store. 14:07:18 Of course, we know those inputs create greenhouse gases which have clear connections and implications for climate change. 14:07:26 But we also talk about the land. use implications of all that food waste. 14:07:29 We have. The Epa has an estimate that roughly, 23% of our total wasted material, like all of the trash that we generate in the Us. 14:07:40 Is going to either a landfill or an incinerator, so that that food that's decomposing in those in those landfills is also, con, you know, creating methane another very strong greenhouse gas that's 14:07:51 contributing to the environmental and public health crisis of climate change. 14:07:57 And then on top of that, of course, we know we have food, security, food and security issues and reducing foodways can help significantly address issues of food system, resiliency and local supply chains. 14:08:09 So this has been a known issue for decades decades, and there are decades. 14:08:15 Yeah, this this panel is still very timely, because we are talking about 14:08:19 Another recently passed Maryland law, and that's hb 264 organic recycling and waste versions for food residuals, today and we have 2 I think 2 of the best people in the State that we can learn about 14:08:31 this topic from today. Shannon Mcdonald and Tim Kerr, who are natural resource, Who? 14:08:37 Planners with the Maryland Department of Environment, and have been key and driving forces behind, drafting the the proposal regulations on this bill, and creating guidance for industry and all the educational materials that you can find on 14:08:51 the Maryland primitive Environments website. But we also know that for a lot of these issues local community efforts are key and to those aspects we have Ava Richardson, who is director of the Baltimore office of sustainability from the Department 14:09:07 of planning and We're Going to hear more during the second part from her about local issues that she's been a driving and key player in in Baltimore City to educate community members on the value of 14:09:20 compost, and food was reduction. so to get us started, though we're gonna hear from Shannon and Tim. 14:09:25 Can you guys explain to us what food residuals are, and then give everyone an overview of what the new food residual is. 14:09:32 Law, involves 14:09:37 Hello! hopefully, you can hear me if not i'll speak my regular voice, which also i'm originally from New Jersey. 14:09:43 So you should be able to hear me from the back as well. 14:09:47 My name is Shannon Mcdonald. Tim Kerr and I are the 2 individuals responsible for providing education and outreach at the State of Maryland throughout the State of Maryland. 14:09:56 On the food residuals law we're also compliance and enforcement. 14:10:02 So we are holding mini caps for this. So the laws actually the law was asked both in the House and in the Senate. 14:10:13 So there are 2 bills, but we affectionately call it 2, 64 in the State. 14:10:20 You can look these laws up online. They are very condensed. 14:10:21 And tight, and so, therefore the regulations, the proposed regulations that are out there right now provide a lot more information relative to it. 14:10:30 But generally the law states, If you produce food residuals and they, those food residuals, can no longer go to landfill and generation. 14:10:37 There are caveats at to that. But the law was passed in 2,021, and it goes into effect. 14:10:42 January, the first of this year for those that produce 2 tons or more each week, a food residuals, and then it dropped the threshold drops down to one time each week. 14:10:54 The following year. there are other caveats within it but generally that's the for you produce food residuals and 2 tons a week and 1 10 week. It can't go to Lanceville incineration anymore. 14:11:06 Well, it's probably staring at a bunch of lawyers. So the law defines the food. residuals are those that are both pre and post-consumer food waste. 14:11:13 So it isn't just back of house materials but it is also at the front end as well. 14:11:19 Those are lots of materials. that can be sent to landfill consideration, and that's why we call this the food residuals law as well, because it's not just the back end side of it. 14:11:31 In other States throughout the nation where there are food diversion laws those can. 14:11:35 Sometimes they've identified them as just the back of house food residuals. 14:11:41 A person under the law is anyone that produces food residuals. 14:11:45 But we do have a few exceptions, and they are the and no restaurants in the State are considered. 14:11:50 Those that are required to meet the food diversion, law, and the aggregate of all the school county school systems. 14:11:57 So the entirety of Ann Arundel County is a county school system, does not become one entity or one person, but an individual school would. so some. 14:12:07 There are. let's see, there are at least 6 schools in this state that are in the top like 1% of school sizes in the nation. 14:12:19 As far as the number of individuals in a public school. 14:12:22 So Pg County has one of the largest middle schools. Baltimore Count No. 14:12:31 Pgs is high school, and rendals is middle and Baltimore is high, so they've got we've got some pretty large schools in this in this state, and so they may over time be the needing to meet the requirement. 14:12:44 Of a diversion, the map up here, our potential person, some of this law. 14:12:49 And I say that because, as I said, there are nuances within this. 14:12:52 But if you see it's not just on the 95 corridor, the obviously the the density of these blue dots would indicate that state. 14:12:59 But you can look along those areas. And as Devin had shown earlier, with the environmental justice mapping, not having that food being sent to landfill incineration in areas that potentially have those high levels of environmental justice. 14:13:16 You can see on this map we could potentially divert a lot of that waste from those areas. 14:13:23 So again, who's potentially impacted large food producers, hospitals, schools, stadiums, There are a lot of categories in the law that are called out. 14:13:37 So those include things such as this: hospitals. The nursing homes assisted living facilities. 14:13:41 But then they also don't call out everything so we have to look at this broadly and say, do you produce food residuals? 14:13:49 And you're not a restaurant and you're not the aggregate of school system. 14:13:51 Now let's figure out how much food you're producing it's also going to be impacting those recovering facilities because we are intending not only are you gonna be source reducing the food but if 14:14:03 it's food for people could it be sent to people again. 14:14:06 I mean that's what it was intended for so let's get that food to people and offset the food and security numbers. 14:14:11 Then also food receptors. So aerobic day, composting. 14:14:18 And if there is a potential for feed for animal, then of course, we would like to have that option or opportunity sent, so that might be from from breweries as well. 14:14:30 And of course, education, because we're hoping that if we can start a download. 14:14:33 We can teach the next generation to figure out better sustainability. 14:14:40 Options for food waste for agricultural impacts. 14:14:43 We know that the compost has a greater it it offers more nutrient capacity. 14:14:52 It has a better soil structure, and therefore it creates a better agricultural impact. 14:15:00 And, as I said, the opportunity for food for livestock, whether it is coming from a brewery or a distillery. 14:15:08 Those are options for feed that would otherwise be sent to Inlanta. 14:15:14 Washington State has been doing food diversion law since the 1980 S. 14:15:18 A large percent over. I think it's 1.5 million tons of distillery waste has been sent to livestock for use. 14:15:30 So that's just one category of a large food produced here that is, directly impact in requirements. 14:15:39 But although agricultural needs 14:15:45 The motivation in the law. we thank you very much for sharing that. 14:15:52 You know, food and security is a major issue in the State. 14:15:55 By providing that there is a potential for food that could have been used for 4 people will still get returned to people is a major component within this law. 14:16:08 The reduction of greenhouse gases that are created when they're in landfills and incineration the reduction of that. 14:16:15 And then that potential that that could be captured and used as a natural fuel as well, is a really strong component within this bill. 14:16:24 There This law? We are running out of landfill space for in the State, and so, by cutting down on the percentage of material that could otherwise be used in a way, whether it is recovery recycle or reduction we 14:16:39 are going to sustain our state much longer. so the options for diversion. 14:16:47 We follow the same Eba hierarchy as well? 14:16:51 Who reduce the waste of food can We look and see how much food should not be sent to my phone consideration, and because maybe it doesn't need to be purchased in the manner that it was maybe there's a better 14:17:01 opportunity for a sustainable product as well. 14:17:07 Can we send food to people? Could we send it for livestock? 14:17:11 Could we recycle it in aerobic digestion or composting? 14:17:15 Because we really are trying to avoid that landfill incineration. 14:17:20 So as I share before our role in this is the education, outreach and compliance and enforcement. 14:17:26 This map up on here is the map that we've created that illustrates the number of composts. the permitted composting facilities within the State that can receive food waste as well as one of the 14:17:39 larger anerobic digesters that just came online and Jessup. 14:17:42 And then the pinkish lavender. Bubbles are permitted facilities in other States that surround Maryland, where there's an opportunity to potentially divert 2. it does not. 14:17:53 Those. This map does not say you must avert to these places. 14:17:55 This map does not tell you that they are going willing to capable to accept it, and that's that big caveat within the law. 14:18:03 I did jump over this, and I apologize. So basically on top of being a food producer and the threshold of the the tonnage that you create, you have to be within an area that is within 30 miles of a 14:18:18 recycling and organic recycling facilities such as these permitted facilities here that is willing and capable to take your food. 14:18:25 Residuals. You are not required to send your materials there. You're not required to create a contract with them. 14:18:32 They just have to be willing and capable of receiving that material. 14:18:36 And then the diversion requirement kicks in So it's a bit of a nuance within it, and we got a lot of questions about it, and hopefully, in our proposed regulations we give a little bit more of a direct explanation 14:18:45 on that but we're always willing to hear more feedback these lovely Qr. 14:18:55 Codes up here direct you to our Mde. 14:18:58 Website, but also a link for for for you to learn more information. 14:19:03 You. There are paper on the tables is just a link to the website, and you can sign up on there as well. 14:19:08 Here's our contact information, and I look forward to having a lively discussion after this. 14:19:17 Okay. 14:19:33 Thank you scanning so I wanted to ask pause and ask a question of you guys, so you can answer did in your presentation. 14:19:40 I don't know if you mentioned this in detail, but there is a waiver available as part of the regular proposed regulation of the program. 14:19:49 That if the recycling or composting facility within the 30 mile radius is not able to accept and process their food residuals, then they could basically qualify for a waiver from their requirements do 14:20:04 you think that that waiver Opportunity is a big ol that could reduce the effectiveness of the wall? 14:20:09 Everybody. Hello, the waiver! The purpose of the waiver in the law was to to account for a situation where, if you are one of the persons under the law, and you are currently sending your food waste to landfill or to 14:20:31 incinerator. if, in the process of separating your food waste and having it hauled to an organics recycler like a compost drink, if the cost to do that is 10% more than the cost was 14:20:46 when you were sending it to the landfill, you can apply for a waiver to Mde. 14:20:55 The waiver is not needed if you are a person creating food residuals, and you are contacting your local composter, and they say we can't take your food residual so they're unwilling to take your 14:21:11 food residuals under the law. That means you are not required to divert to organics or cycling facilities, so there would be no need to have a waiver. 14:21:21 The waiver is only for businesses that under the law are required to divert their food waste. 14:21:29 But the cost is 10% more than what they were doing when they were sending it to Landfill. 14:21:35 There's also another part of the waver where if you have other conditions that come up where it's just not possible to divert your food waste For some reason some other circumstance not having to do with finance you 14:21:53 could also apply for waiver, and we would look at those individual circumstances. 14:21:58 But we don't view it as a loophole to get out of the law as far as If you are not required to divert already, you don't need a wavelength where is only for people who are required today 14:22:14 or and the cost is just 10% more than what they were diverting before to a landfoot 14:22:25 So in addition to that, I want to highlight just how major of a do it was that Hb. 14:22:34 2, 64 past It took a couple of years within the Legislature Legislature to get the bill passed in. 14:22:41 It represents a major cultural shift, and how we will manage waste across our state. 14:22:46 So I think the fact that the bill passed and we're coming up on implementation was a significant for bringing these management system across the State into a more modern smarter way and approach to better manage our natural resources. 14:23:09 And so definitely there's different considerations for various sizes of businesses and kind of all the caveats that may come into challenges that businesses may encounter when complying with the law, so I didn't see 14:23:19 it as necessarily a loophole, but more so. 14:23:25 A consideration where you have to. You have to factor these different challenges that come into play when you actually get to implementing, enforcing any legislation or law. 14:23:35 So as someone from local government. I was really excited that it would. 14:23:40 It could potentially be an opportunity to really expand the capacity and an infrastructure for food-based reduction across our city, and further contextualize how we're approaching food waste across the state of Maryland so often 14:23:53 we talk about compost because it's sexy right but we're not talking about food rescue enough and we're not talking about food waste prevention. 14:24:02 How much food went to waste during today's lunch how many people actually consumed All of the food that was out there, How many boxes were left that probably will either go in the trash, but likely won't be consumed 14:24:14 by a person in perhaps not opening. so I think it's really opening up a chance for us to be about the culture of our consumer patterns and significantly change them. 14:24:25 So it's it's definitely gonna be a process though. 14:24:31 But thank you. Yeah, and we and what we've heard before is like people are actually interested. 14:24:37 They're not looking for ways out of compliance they're looking for ways right? 14:24:42 So this is a great opportunity and time to switch gears from the State program to hear more about Baltimore City, and what efforts that you have been doing in Baltimore to increase community engagement. 14:24:52 And we're gonna start with the video about community composting in the city whenever you're ready. 14:25:13 How do I work towards the future, where people can grow really helpful food in ways that's beneficial to the environment, but also benefit from the production of that food, and use it to feed themselves and to feed their families and to be their 14:25:31 communities. Food food is this kind of poor tenant of everybody's lives, and really so much of what we interact with revolves around food. 14:25:41 Food Food is actually not only related to help but it's also one of the kind of biggest environmental drivers and one of the biggest things that kind of shapes. 14:25:51 Our environment. Food was actually the largest material in our landfills in the Us. 14:25:58 Preventing that food waste from happening in the first place, is actually where we will get the most environmental 14:26:12 Baltimore has taken an amazing approach, which is, you know, engage community partners, engage residents, and engage them at different points throughout their day. 14:26:21 They used to be buildings here before this became Whitelock community, for my name is Marvin Hayes. 14:26:29 I'm the youth program manager for the baltimore compost collected. 14:26:33 We are. You fled full scrap collection service. We have 77 customers and Federal Hill Riverside, Lucas Point, Curtis, Fate, Brooklyn, Nrdc. 14:26:42 And the Rockefeller Foundation have been able to support us, to make us a model for composting for Baltimore City, for other community guards to learn that they can divert their food scraps and turn it into compost 14:26:55 soil and hands. Yeah, 3 cm. Baltimore City has one of the highest asthma rates in the country. so we have a great opportunity to educate the affected people, and this . 14:27:12 I trend you for the other small and the full scrap collection service. 14:27:17 Bring the pool scratch back to fill the street garden process it and make it into Black Gold Bill the Street gun, which I like to call the waconde of South Border. We don't make vibrating, but we do make 14:27:31 leaf, gold compost 14:27:40 In our 2,019 sustainability plan, the city committed to reducing food waste by 50% by 2,030, and in our recovery strategy we actually committed to reducing residential waste 14:27:50 by 80% in the next 20 years. When we began our partnership with Nrdc. 14:27:56 It really catalyzed the efforts that we were doing regarding food waste across the city. 14:28:02 Everything from the funding to the subject matter, expertise that they were providing really ensure that we have the resources to implement these programs effectively. 14:28:10 We collect food scraps at the farmers markets on Saturdays and Sundays the farmers fill up their trucks with the goose scraps and take it back to their farm. 14:28:18 So we don't have to pay a holler it's just a way to be creative, and it kind of really represents the ingenuity of Baltimore. 14:28:25 We are also working with our Dc. to launch a network of community posting sites across the city. 14:28:32 These sites will be critical and key to ensuring that residents have accessed it. 14:28:37 White lot. Community Farm is a farm that allows the community access to notice throughout the day that you'll see folks that will come by and stop by and help out. 14:28:52 We used to have the old fashioned chicken wire kind of compo system, and it was here, on the main lot with the funding. 14:28:59 We were allowed to purchase the kits and the materials in order to build the 3 Vin compo system. 14:29:07 We're all one group as the farm alliance of Baltimore, and we all have urban bombs, and we work together. 14:29:14 Yeah, this is, I mean it's the tough name one it has the lowest rates of employment, highest number of vacant homes. 14:29:23 These lots of all houses that had gotten raised in the nineties. 14:29:26 Both of these open open fields are just dumps there's all types of trash irs baptized everything. 14:29:32 So when the farm was here, all of this got cleaned up if you're turning a vacant lot into green space growing food or places for composting, and you're removing litter, and dumping from your community you're 14:29:48 getting that engagement from the community, and the interest in participating Baltimore showed just amazing leadership. 14:29:57 We have a network of cities around the Us. that are working on food was that are motivated to do this work. 14:30:03 You're not alone. There are so many other people that are excited about this, and you can count on them. 14:30:15 So you don't have to burn stop the accelerator, feed the soul, feed the community. 14:30:33 Right one other pro my friend, and colleague marvin Hayes often uses that wasn't in the video is a rind is a terrible thing to waste. 14:30:41 So. Oh, with that we'll get into the presentation thank you So much for having us here this afternoon, really excited to sharing some of the things that we're doing in Voucher City regarding wasted food my name is 14:30:53 Abra Richardson. I am the assistant ability director for the city, and 14:30:57 I have the real pleasure and honor of working with the Natural Resources Defense Council, or a 2 year period actually going on 3 years now to do a deep dive on food waste. and during that time we were able to really just think more 14:31:12 comprehensively about how we're addressing wasted food across the city, looking at prevention, looking at food rescue as well as food, scrap recycling, which which included considerations for upcycling 14:31:26 foods, but also traditional kind of like composting in anaerobic digestion. 14:31:30 We were able to launch several initiatives and projects, some of which are still continuing today, others which kind of E have been flowed during the pandemic. 14:31:39 And so we launched Scott collection in our farmers market, where farmers take 2 farmers. 14:31:45 All bright farms. in paul's farms They take those who scraps back to their farms and policies feeding it to their hogs. 14:31:53 There's a video in the baltimore sun about it check it out. 14:31:55 We really appreciate that partnership in the fact that she's using that food for higher use. 14:32:02 And was sells that product at the farmers market is really really great. 14:32:08 We also launched the Baltimore foodways reduction working group that currently meets quarterly to inform folks on some of the food waste initiatives and coordination that we're doing across the City We worked with the 14:32:19 Maryland Food Bank to enhance and expand food, rescue opportunities across the city, and learn quite a bit from that whole process. 14:32:29 Talk a little bit more about food, rescue, and kind of like some of the challenges there, and we also launched a host of educational materials. 14:32:38 Some of them are featured here. The the posters you see in the top. 14:32:44 I guess your top left are actually a series educational series related to food waste, and how we tried to really frame and connect food was to so many other issues. 14:32:57 We really viewed the issue of wasted food as a food systems challenge, not just a a challenge related to waste, not just a challenge related to greenhouse gas emissions, but looking at that interconnection between our soil health 14:33:11 needed to to sustain a healthy and resilient food system. 14:33:15 Thinking again about the equity implications of a waste management system that does not put people in planning first. 14:33:24 And then also i'm thinking about the the very clear environmental connections, as was mentioned in the video, we get the most return on investment for our food waste efforts when we prevent it from ever happening. 14:33:37 Right. So an example for that today would have been preparing fewer box lunches to ensure that food isn't put out that won't be consumed, based on whatever numbers of folks that you may have have we have confirmed 14:33:48 that is really hard to do, because you can't measure what you don't generate, and and so when I said, compost is sexy. 14:33:56 That's been kind of one of our biggest challenges because prevention waste is not nearly as interesting and intriguing and engaging in activities for for restaurants for consumers. 14:34:10 Well, we put together this food waste guide to educate folks in their homes about what it is that they can do in order to reduce wasted food. 14:34:18 Obviously date, labeling and understanding. our just kind of planning meals and things like that are great ways to root reduce waste of food in our homes. 14:34:28 And I think we what we really need is just like more people obsessed with wasted food or the elimination of it. 14:34:34 I work with some great people, but we might come off as a little crazy sometimes, because we're all just like, you know, really interested in driving down that organic waste material, and just thinking more comprehensively about how we 14:34:46 circularize different aspects of our waste stream in general. 14:34:49 Knowing that organic material, particularly food, is a huge portion of that. 14:34:54 We also have the opportunity to work with our health department to train health inspectors on how they can be informing restaurants or what they can do to reduce wasted food when they're going out and doing the inspection 14:35:09 that is an initiative that so was supported and happened in several different different cities. 14:35:15 As was mentioned in the video in our Dc. supported a national collaborative amongst different cities that were focused on food was reduction. 14:35:23 And again, we have these different educational materials that we created to raise awareness about the issue. 14:35:30 Amongst our residents. So I I mentioned some of our goals and our plan, and we also work really closely with our Department of Public Works. 14:35:39 And they have some specific goals about addressing wasted food or food, based diversion in their less waste, Better Baltimore plan. 14:35:47 But this particular initiative really depended heavily on cross agency collaboration within city government, working with, as I mentioned, works, our our office of Promotion and Arts. 14:36:03 In addition to some of our other agencies, such as our department of Parks and wreck as well as other agencies, and in partners across the city that really helped us to keep to launch and keep some of this 14:36:17 programming going So we're the program stands we're in terms of 14:36:27 The program it had initially launched in kind of like 2,018, and then in 2020. 14:36:33 We more, we we, we institutionalize the So launch within our office of sustainability. 14:36:40 In a 2020 we transitioned it over to our Department of Public Works. 14:36:43 That is a common practice for the office of sustainability in the city. 14:36:48 We pilot a lot of initiatives in our office and then give them over 2 to agencies to to Stewart and manage them. 14:36:56 Cause we're a small team that doesn't have the resources to do it. 14:37:00 So right now the Department of Public Works is leading this effort, leading this initiative, managing food, scrap collection sites across the city, including our farmers market based sites. 14:37:13 And also we work really closely with them to support education, outreach, and engagement to raise, to continue to raise awareness about the issues. 14:37:21 This data just reflects kind of where we were in 2,020 or i'm sorry 2021 when it came to food scrap collection at our 5 citizen drop off locations across the city the really tall line 14:37:32 That, you see, is just one location that's that has more foot traffic. 14:37:38 But it lets us know that we have to have like drop off locations that are essential. 14:37:41 This is a location that's in a residential community. It's the one that's easiest to access. And so we have to look at some of the other locations. We really think about how we more strategically place them 14:37:53 in easily. well, in places that are much more easy to access. 14:37:58 But we see an increase year over year for most of these sites across the city and overall. 14:38:04 We've collected. 75,000 people food scraps but we know that's only a fraction of what's actually being produced in the city. 14:38:10 We've also been hosting our dpw our Department of Public Works. 14:38:16 They've been hosting a composting workshops across the city. Also different demonstrations with partners like Marvin, Hayes and other community composters in the city to ensure that people can kind of have 14:38:30 a more connection and closer relationship and understanding with what it is that we're trying to do in in the value of generating compost in that soil amendment. 14:38:40 I think so much of what we are trying to do. hinges on behavior, change it. 14:38:47 Hence it hinges on millions. of behaviors that millions of Marylanders make every day across the State in Baltimore city residents as well. 14:38:55 And so we're really trying to get down to some of this icon of why it is that we waste food. 14:39:01 Why it is that that is culturally okay. it culturally acceptable. 14:39:06 And what that means for how we try to address address that particularly in our schools in in K. 14:39:12 Through 12 schools as as kids are coming up but that's that's another issue. 14:39:17 Oh, so some of our successes again we've really enhanced just how we work with our agencies across the city, and how well we collaborate together on different in issues of sharing resources our public works folks we are able 14:39:35 to put in joint prance with them in whenever problems come up. 14:39:41 We're communicating and working strategically to address them so much kind of much more collaboration that's taking place now. 14:39:52 And we've really unsideled uns siloed so much of this work, and so it's been a really worthwhile process to engage in that work. 14:40:06 And then we also have different other agencies that are getting more and more involved and more and more interested. 14:40:10 The city does have 11 urban farms that it manages, which are community garden plots that different people manage, do they? 14:40:17 They can pay to manage those plots during a season and We're trying to figure out how we more strategically support those size with community composting, since they already have like a very dedicated following of folks and when we think about 14:40:29 like, who's the low hanging fruit right so when we think about the folks who are dropping off there scraps at the farmers market or at the resident drop off centers. 14:40:38 Now those are really good people to to get them to think of a like a moving up the hierarchy. 14:40:44 The food waste hierarchy, and thinking about prevention thinking about how they're preventing wasted food in other ways. 14:40:50 And then folks who are supporting other efforts like again thinking about what are some of the other? 14:40:58 What? what some of the other work that they can be doing. 14:41:01 I will say that initially, we didn't have like a lot of racial diversity. 14:41:06 When it came to who was dropping off from spats. 14:41:09 And that has really changed over time. we're very much challenging the narrative around like who's interested in cares about the environment, and making sure that the narrative of like a lower income populations of color not caring 14:41:21 as much is not something that we tolerate at all because especially when we think of from an environmental justice perspective. 14:41:29 Who's bearing the environmental burden of our waste management system, as we have an incinerator and a landfill in South Baltimore, and predominantly African American low income community in some in terms of some 14:41:42 of our lessons learned I think, during the pandemic. 14:41:46 It. for all of us highlighted a lot of vulnerabilities in in the lack of resilience in certain systems, especially our food system. 14:41:55 A lot of our community composting efforts just fell short, as especially given the need to social distance. 14:42:03 And we really haven't been able to to get a lot of sites back on track after that, and so we're realizing that we have to have more dedicated staff to support some of those efforts 14:42:17 we've had some challenges with our farmers market drop off programs. 14:42:21 More so. just the staffing needed to be there we sometimes that just ensuring that we have dedicated staff. 14:42:27 That that's kind of one of the biggest less lessons learned So much of this work was Grant funded. 14:42:33 We were really fortunate to have around $500,000 of support from the natural, from Nrdc. 14:42:40 And again institutionalizing this and ensuring that we continue to support these efforts across the city. 14:42:46 That means having a budget for it that means having a line item, and that's been a reason we're we're working on finding grants, and in other ways to support it. 14:42:58 But it's. it's whenever there's a limited number of resources, or dedicated personnel will continue to run into those challenges. 14:43:09 And then also as I mentioned I think there's this kind of like cultural challenge when it comes to that behavior change that we need to see both at the residential level. 14:43:18 But also within different industries within grocery stores and among food systems. 14:43:24 Workers. and I think it it should be acknowledged that for many of the the labor force that's expected to implement these changes are often in low low ways, jobs and oftentimes aren't treated well and so when it 14:43:39 comes to what what that means, and what it looks like to implement these changes on the ground. 14:43:44 What does it mean to ensure that we're providing jobs with dignity for people who are supporting food, scrap collection people who are supporting composting, and so much of that work as we've seen it so far 14:43:56 has either been underpaid or volunteered, and we need to have more high paid positions to support people in that way. 14:44:03 And so how it's going so I actually was, had I had the pleasure of testifying for the for a different. 14:44:16 You know the Organic Residuals bill the year prior to it passing but we are happy to have contributed to some of that progress. 14:44:27 The city. the city's department of public works will actually be hiring. 14:44:31 Is there a waste manager will be supporting and stewarding a lot of the work that has happened so far, and really helping us to again further institutionalize some of the work that we started under the food matters, program within city 14:44:43 government. We are working really closely with the State, and just Wanna appreciate and thank my State partners for answering questions and being there really appreciate them. 14:44:55 But to ensure that we understand that what businesses need to do in order to be in compliance. and understand the expectations for local governments as well, and making sure that I health department is well aware of that 14:45:09 we've incorporated composting and other foodways, education opportunities. 14:45:15 Of distribution and and things of that nature into various other events that happen across the city. we're at our farmers markets on the weekend, and one of them is year round. 14:45:28 So we're able to do a lot of education and engagement not just on wasted food, but again on other topics across the office of sustainability and that impact climate change and russell working with some 14:45:42 communities in South Baltimore to explore what it looks like to expand food, scrap, recycling, or food waste infrastructure. 14:45:51 A lot of that kind of hinges on or focuses on a composting facility. 14:45:56 We don't know what the future of that will be just yet, but we are exploring what the possibilities are. 14:46:03 And just last year. a large 50 million dollar research. 14:46:09 Grant was funded by the National, by the the National, it by Nss. 14:46:15 In Sf: National Science Foundation to support food systems, research focused on food waste that was funded. 14:46:25 American University received that grant, and it was really an exciting project. 14:46:31 It's called multi-scale recipes It includes 40 different researchers from 11 institutions. 14:46:37 Who are those people obsessed with flute waste and looking at it from all different levels in researching it across the city. 14:46:44 And I think that particular research project is going to provide a lot of insights to inform state, local and federal governments on some of the most the most the The practices, or the approaches that are going to give Us. 14:46:59 The most return on investment, as it relates to wasted food, and that is it. 14:47:03 I look forward to any questions that anyone has 14:47:14 That was great. So I have one question for all of you before we open up and for the Internet and the audience to ask some questions. 14:47:25 My question is the last one that I prepared to the end. 14:47:30 We talked about the potential for the State program to create a sort of food scrap or residuals, exchange or marketplace, similar to what food banks have in place oftentimes what are all of your thoughts on setting 14:47:43 up something like that to help facilitate the implementation of the State law, and who should be in charge of setting that kind of thing up would be the State, or to be the local governments 14:48:00 So one of the things that we've been looking at the state as we've been meeting with all the stakeholders that are generally involved. 14:48:08 So that is not just the good producers but again the composters and talking with with of different research programs and the food recovery programs to figure out what's the best opportunity to shifting the food So whether it's 14:48:23 recovery or for and donation the marketplace on that end, and one of the the most valuable assets We think that we'll keep progressing with this 14:48:37 The food diversion. Law is the opportunity for small and Arabic digestion. 14:48:40 Facilities staggered around the State. so we can capitalize on. 14:48:48 The capital is on the increased methane production when it integrates with manure, because it's a short from what we've learned from the a variety of research that is a shorter return on investment 14:49:02 and production of methane when food is integrated with manure, and when you do that at a small scale, staggered around the State with agricultural land and and then also in communities where coal production, is down and we 14:49:17 have restoration facilities whether it's mining or you know no longer in use. 14:49:24 Brown fields. there are opportunities for Google to mitigate where our waste is going and producing materials that are renewable and long-term resources. 14:49:39 Yes, and we're by infrared people at 14:49:45 So I I think we need that. We need the markets and agree with everything shen and said. 14:49:48 But I I think we we need those markets and something facilitating driving those businesses in addition to a 100 other different programs. 14:49:59 Looking at ways to reduce will prevent reduce and divert our organic waste. 14:50:05 And so I think there's so many options for solutions here, and many of them are market-based. 14:50:10 Others, again, are gonna be based on what we do again in our homes every day, even thinking like before you go to the grocery store. 14:50:20 That's kind of when the when you prevent the food waste right making your list planning out a meal I'm not cooking more than you need. 14:50:28 So I think definitely, we need those market-based solutions. 14:50:31 We have to develop that market. And I think what that really does is kind of helps levels. 14:50:37 That like this is very valuable material. that we want people to compete for, because we want to put those nutrients back in our soil, and we want those nutrients to support a sustainable and resilient 14:50:49 food system. So, yes, and so many other things 14:50:57 We also talked to food banks and other food pantries about food donation, because we think that's a big part of the program as well. 14:51:07 We are hoping that with this law in place that don't hesitate to food banks and food pantries will go up, and that will help with food insecurity. 14:51:23 One of the issues. we're doing now is we're trying to coordinate with the Maryland Food Bank and the capital Area Food Bank, and using them as sort of a conduit to see if we can find a distribution that works out 14:51:36 to local pantries and local churches and things like that. 14:51:42 So there there's there's a lot more involved than you would think in that. 14:51:46 But that is one of the main areas of our our work right now is trying to set up those connections. 14:51:53 So if you are a business that even if you don't have to divert under law. 14:52:00 But you have excess food. that is still good, still edible. 14:52:06 That it can be used instead of discard and so That's a big part now is is trying to connect all of these resources to generators who generators that will have food available for them. 14:52:25 So this laws in place for these large foodways generators right like that's that's the cat like the top of this divert that. 14:52:32 But this touches upon so many different programs. as aba mentioned it's the community based opportunities. 14:52:40 If we have a composting facility that's large scale, that municipal can divert from, or if we have urban locations where a community could bring their materials to for a small urban 14:52:51 agricultural facility. Those are there's so many different hub and spoke options that can happen from food diversion. 14:53:00 And really, now that we've got the large food generators doing this, how many people work at these facilities, how many of them are going to be impacted by this that will now take this home with them. 14:53:11 One of the pieces of our outreach is going to be is with the public schools, because they're kind of called out with this law. 14:53:19 Universities are called out with this law so now we're hitting that younger Democratic as we move our way up. 14:53:23 So It's going to be pushed down from both ends and we're hoping that it just spreads out through the entire the seat. 14:53:29 I also want to call out There were the first state in our like environmental region that has a food law, so the Northeast has them on the books. 14:53:38 Already the West Coast has on the books where the only ones in Epa region. 3 that has this long books, and it comes into effect. your new first. So we're gonna see a big shift change in this region. 14:53:49 Thank you. So the question we have nice nice 14:53:58 Alright. Well, i'll start with the first one you only got a few minutes left here. So the first question that came in was about, How do we know how much food waste going to Landfill is actually from households versus large 14:54:09 generators, and the person's question is really concerned is you know, do we have an idea of whether or not there's going to be a significant amount of waste going with the regulations. 14:54:22 Is there still going to be a significant amount of waste going to landfills from households versus our generators? 14:54:26 Yeah, the the bill just addresses businesses and institutions So it doesn't address any residential households. 14:54:35 So there's you know possibility that they're still be waste going to landfills from residentials. 14:54:43 But right now the the focus is on large generators and education and outreach. 14:54:50 Also to try to educate the public about food waste so that they can exercise strategies houses to try to reduce the amount of food waste they produce. 14:55:03 I have a backyard compost ben for instance that's where I put all my food waste right now. 14:55:09 So. if That's practical if some some communities do have curbside pickup of food waste. But that's not covered by Maryland's law right now, marin's law right now, just deals with businesses and 14:55:22 institutions. But there is opportunities. Yeah. And so Yeah. 14:55:29 Naturally, nationally, roughly, 40% of food wasted is produced at the consumer pacing level. 14:55:35 So roughly, half of that isn't on the commercial side in terms of restaurants and grocery stores. 14:55:43 In the other half is generally residential. This can vary depending on your particular littleity. 14:55:48 The you know the density, the population density, and the number of restaurants or grocery stores, for that matter. 14:55:53 So it probably fluctuates, depending on your jurisdiction in Maryland. 14:55:58 But we know it's it's it's a good amount it's it's a lot in terms of what would still be coming from the residential level I think jurisdictions are working to expand some 14:56:11 of the options for their residents. but the reality is that every local got every jurisdiction or county level government. 14:56:20 They do. They do things a little bit differently and So I think, until there is maybe something that's more comprehensive, such as inorganic span online fields. 14:56:30 We, the the additional step to really decrease or drive down organic ways at the at the consumer basing levels, including both residential and commercial. 14:56:44 It will require wire. more effort more work, I Do believe this bill is still gonna encourage more of that activity, especially with the new 14:56:51 If there's new composting sites and new infrastructure to manage organic or waste or food ways. so so. yes, it will. 14:57:00 I believe it will have an impact. but we'll have to wait and see what the data say. 14:57:06 But generally these laws actually lead to a lot of a lot more activity and a lot more diversion. 14:57:10 So thank you. I see we have questions from the audience, and unfortunately we are at time. 14:57:17 I think think our speakers will be available after if we need approach. 14:57:21 But thank you, Ava. Thank you, Shan, and thank you, Tim, for your time, and thank you. 14:57:24 Everyone in the audience for sticking around with us this week. 14:57:26 First. 14:57:53 So we're not done yet. yup it'll be big. 14:57:58 Don't worry. i'll let them. last panel get off this stage before we can move on. 14:58:03 But I thought it's not folks thank you Tom 14:58:15 Okay, so both Oh, yeah, don't forget 14:58:25 So before I introduce our last speaker i'm gonna make Ryan start paying attention while we do this. 14:58:32 So we've had ryan zimmerman who is the Coordinator, and he has been making sure that train runs on time all day, and he's done a pretty good job at it today. 14:58:40 I think for the most part everything has worked out fine, so we ought to get Ryan a round of applause for all this hard work. 14:58:46 One of my we did that. The other thing is, you will be getting a conference evaluation after this. 14:58:54 In the email, probably on Monday or Tuesday. 14:58:56 Once we get the final list of who all showed up from event planning services. 14:58:59 So please take that that helps with next year's conference and then our final speaker of the day is Dr. 14:59:06 Kim normally. in this spot we have Dean Bay, Rudy. 14:59:09 Come in and give the closing, and we picked this day, knowing all the Deans would be available, and then Dean Bay really had to go off out of the country for a few days. 14:59:17 So he has missing this. So Dr. kim is our new associate Dean of Extension and associate director of extension, and we're going to let her give out the closing remarks for the day so i'll turn it over to 14:59:27 you 14:59:34 Thank you, Thank you, Paul. So good afternoon. everyone my name is Jenny Kim. 14:59:40 I'm. a professor, and also 15 and assistive director for University of Male and extension. 14:59:45 So i've been with the University maryland extension 2,000 since 2,000. 14:59:50 So it's been a while, but my research and program area has been financial management and some of the family and also public health. 14:59:59 So the last panel panel was very relevant to applicable for it to some of my work, and I have been serving. 15:00:07 I have served as a family and consumer for sciences program. 15:00:11 Later since 2,018 before I took this position in on October the tenth. 15:00:17 This month. So it's been probably 2 weeks so please alright any questions to Paul. 15:00:23 But just wanted to introduce myself, and then also, extension has been very fortunate to work in this exciting project with the various partners and collaborators. 15:00:35 University Marin extension is the largest informal education provider in the State of Maryland, and then extension and system is around the nation. 15:00:46 So each State has a uniquely serving in their constituencies. 15:00:52 In their state. So extension has, found, agriculture and food systems, as well as environment and natural resources and se grant and family and consumer sciences, and therefore each and new development. programs. 15:01:04 So today I want to start with recognizing people. So Ryan was roasted or recognized already. 15:01:12 But thank you for your work. and then Paul, Elizabeth, and and then also for Megan and Sarah, from University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Nicole from University, Maryland Eastern Shore, and the many students who are 15:01:26 attending here, as well as I want to recognize Laura Rin Lynch. and then Darren Jargo, who are supervising Paul closely make sure that he's doing his work. so anyways. 15:01:38 I want to say thank you and recognition to all of them to make this great event possible. 15:01:44 So, for from the beginning of this a law initiative. 15:01:51 I think this is a truly collaborative in nature, in far partnerships between umes, unb school of law, and as well as university mail and college park, college and agriculture and natural resources. 15:02:04 So thank you for attending the conference. 8 conference in person. 15:02:09 After a few years of the virtual, the zoom in from Zoom conferences. but at the same time I will not. 15:02:16 I want to recognize some of the highlights of this initiative has done in 2,022 for these collaborated partnerships and great work, and then in 2,022, I think they were very successful to 15:02:30 share these account, their their knowledge and expertise. If, beyond this state of Maryland, so University of Maryland really worked really hard, and they were. 15:02:44 They had a partnerships with the West Virginia University to start the first. 15:02:48 A multi-state research committee within the language system on agricultural and Natural Resources law to increase the collaborations in research on issues, on something that you all of your interested in at labor aggregator tourism, environmental 15:03:07 regulations and airs property, so that's great effort that we are launching, and also Umd team made it to Denmark. 15:03:17 I was worried that if Paul was going to ever come back, but he came back. 15:03:23 But in the summer for the International Farm Management Congress, and they presented this very work that we have done on the legal needs of the Maryland agriculture and the impacts on farmland from solar development in the State So also the 15:03:40 team made the connections with the Scandinavian farms, and how they work in agriculture and Scandinavian country, and also University Maryland used to collaborate regionally with the southern so there is 15:03:59 a certain extension economist on Southern app. So act today. 15:04:03 There is a daily block highlighted at marketing, farm finance, farm management, policy, trade, and legal issues. 15:04:13 So also they have a successful partnership with the universe. 15:04:16 Rip Delaware, and providing extension, outreach assistance for a Delaware producers. 15:04:22 So extension collaborators a collaboration spin with this group from the beginning. also. 15:04:30 Recently they launched the work with the farm stress. So you have done some work, and the flyers and brochure the outreach related to the stress and mental health issues in agriculture. 15:04:43 So, for the legal legislative concerns the finance concerns. 15:04:48 They always are top of the concerns as trustors of the producers in agriculture, so that they are. 15:04:56 Our team has been really working hard with others in university mailing extension, to work on this very important topic to alleviate the stress, and then help them prosper in their work, as well as for the for the mail so having 15:05:14 all of those questions. I would like to thank all of you, and Dr. Bay. 15:05:20 Rudy sends the regrets, and also the for the 15:05:25 But praise for the teams are complement accomplishments, and then successful event today for the conference. 15:05:32 So. thank you so much for joining us today, and then hope to see you soon next year. 15:05:37 Thank you. 15:05:45 Thank you, everyone, and that completes the day for our eighth annual Ag and Environmental Conference. 15:05:51 Please have a safe trip home and don't forget to take that pre survey that we sent out also be sure to scan the Qr. 15:05:59 Code that's out in the main hallway and also we'll be sending a follow up survey, and we'll be sharing this slide everyone next week. 15:06:08 Thank you, and have a wonderful day. 15:06:59 Process