1 Spotted Lanternfly Permits

2 Cover Crop Sign-Up

3 Maryland Dairy Field Day

3 Maryland Beef Webinar Series

4 Urban Farmer Field Days

4 Herbicide Resistant Weeds

Field Day

4 Poultry Mortality Composting Short Course

4 LEAD MD Applications Now Open

4 2021 Maryland Commodity Classic

5 Monitoring and Managing SWD

5 Hemp Twilight Tour

6 Dates to Remember

Educating People To Help Themselves

Local Governments • U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation,

and gender identity or expression. The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by University of Maryland Extension is implied.

IN THIS ISSUE

University of

Maryland Extension

Baltimore County

1114 Shawan Rd.

Cockeysville, MD 21030

(410) 887-8090

M—F 8:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m.

July 2021

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) adults will be be-

coming more prevalent as we get into July

and through the summer. As a reminder, all

of Harford and Cecil County, as well as neigh-

boring counties in Pennsylvania, fall within

the spotted lanternfly quarantine zone. The

quarantine zone is in place to help minimize

human transport of spotted lanternfly. Spot-

ted lanternfly adults, nymphs (immatures),

and eggs can be easily transported on vehi-

cles, landscape materials, hardscape materi-

als, or any plant material. For this reason,

any business, municipality, or government

agency operating within or from the SLF

quarantine zone must obtain a permit.

To obtain a permit, you must receive training

and pass an online test. Presently, the Mary-

land Department of Agriculture (MDA) utiliz-

es the online SLF training offered through

Penn State found at: http://

extension.psu.edu/slf-permit-training-md.

After watching the training video, you can

take the test. Once you pass the test, Mary-

land Department of Agriculture will issue

your permit, which is valid for one year.

Once you pass the test and if you are a man-

ager, or supervisor of a business, you may

then train the other employees in your busi-

ness to identify SLF and how to take steps to

prevent spreading the pest on vehicles, prod-

ucts, and other materials. Recordkeeping of

training, inspections of vehicles, incoming

and outgoing shipments of regulated articles,

and control measures taken (such as vehicle

washes, destruction of living life stages of

spotted lanternfly, etc.) must be maintained

for a minimum of two years and may be re-

quested from the MDA. If you are subcon-

tracting any work for your business, the sub-

contractor is responsible for obtaining their

own SLF permits.

If you do not own or operate a business with-

in the quarantine zone, you should still be

aware of SLF and take actions to prevent its

spread! As a member of the general public,

you can very easily transport SLF on your car,

camper, garden materials, firewood, etc. Fa-

miliarize yourself with SLF, what to look for,

and what to do if you find SLF. A checklist is

available online: https://mda.maryland.gov/

plants-pests/Pages/spotted-lantern-fly.aspx.

For more information on SFL and what to

look for, refer to this University of Maryland

Fact Sheet: https://extension.umd.edu/

resource/spotted-lanternfly.

Additional permitting information is availa-

ble at https://mda.maryland.gov/plants-

pests/Documents/SLF-Quarantine-Fact-

Sheet.pdf or call (410) 841-5920.

Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine and Permitting

Andrew Kness, University of Maryland Extension

2

2021 Cover Crop Program– NOW OPEN!

Maryland Department of Agriculture, press release here.

GRANTS TO PLANT COVER CROPS Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to apply for grants to help offset seed, labor, and equipment costs to plant cover crops in your fields this fall to protect water quality and build your soil’s health. Our grants can make planting cover crops very affordable! WHY COVER CROPS? It’s easy to understand why cover crops are so popular. Cover crops recycle nitrogen, reduce erosion, add valuable organic matter to the soil, and can help protect fields from too much and too little rain. Isn't it time you put cover crops to work in your fields? MAIL-IN ENROLLMENT

Enrollment will be conducted entirely by mail.

Applications will be mailed to farmers who participated in last year’s cover crop program and can be downloaded here from July 1 through July 16, 2021.

Completed applications must be mailed to the local soil conser-vation district and postmarked between July 1, 2021 and Ju-ly 16, 2021. 2021-2022 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

The base payment for incorporated seed has been raised to $45/acre.

The base rate for aerial/aerial ground seeding is $50/ acre.

Incorporated seed qualifies for a $10/acre early planting incentive.

Farmers who aerial seed or aerial ground seed cover crops into standing corn on or before September 10, 2021 qualify for a $10/acre incentive payment.

Farmers who terminate cover crops after May 1, 2022 may be eligible for an Extended Season incentive payment of up to $10/acre.

Incentives are available to plant rye or a multi-species cov-er crop.

Plant cover crops after corn, soybeans, sorghum tobacco, vegetables, hemp and millet.

There is a five acre minimum. Total enrolled acres may not

exceed acreage managed under the farm’s current Nutrient Management Plan.

Direct deposit of cost-share grants is available.

SEED REQUIREMENTS

All seed purchased must be tested and labeled following Maryland Seed Law and Regulations.

Purchased seed must be free of prohibited noxious weed seeds, have a minimum germination rate of 80%, and have no more than 16 restricted noxious weeds per pound.

Homegrown seed with a germination rate between 65% and 79% may be used. Certain rules apply.

Cost-share is available for seed testing.

ELIGIBLE COVER CROP SPECIES

Cereal Grains Wheat/spelt, rye, barley, triticale, oats, and ryegrass

Brassicas Forage radish and canola/rape

Legumes Clover, Austrian winter peas and hairy vetch (must be planted with a cereal grain as part of a mix

COVER CROP MIXES

Two-species cover crop mixes may be planted at a rate of 50 percent cereal grains and 50 percent brassicas or leg-umes.

Three-species mixes (50/25/25) must contain a minimum of 50 percent eligible cereal grains.

COVER CROP PLANTING/TERMINATION DATES

Plant cereal grains by November 5, 2021. Some species have earlier deadlines.

Mixes containing legumes, forage radish, canola/rape, or oats must be planted by October 1, 2021.

The aerial seeding deadline for cover crops is October 10, 2021. Some species have earlier deadlines.

Terminate cover crops between March 1 and June 1, 2022.

FALL MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Eligible cover crops may be grazed or chopped for on-farm livestock forage after becoming well established.

Manure may be applied in fall following Maryland's nutri-ent management regulations.

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT To receive payment, farmers must certify cover crops with their

soil conservation district within one week of planting and no later than November 12, 2021. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Participants must be in good standing with MACS and in compliance with Maryland's nutrient manage-ment regulations.

A current Nutrient Management Plan Certification is required and must be submitted with the applica-tion.

Additional restrictions may apply.

The Cover Crop Program is administered by the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program and funded by the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. See your soil conservation district representative or contract for details.

3

Maryland Dairy Field Day

July 13, 2021 · 10:30 am—1:00 pm

This event will showcase some of the ongoing dairy-related programs and research at the University of Maryland Dairy Facility at 4240 Folly Quarter Rd., Ellicott City, MD 21042. Timely, dairy-related topics will also be presented.

Agenda:

10:30 am – Welcome and Introductions

10:40 am – Dairy Economics, Dale Johnson, UME Farm Management Specialist

11:00 am – Effect of Soil Fertility on Triticale Quality and Yield: Preliminary Findings,

Dr. Amanda Grev, UME Forage and Pasture Specialist, and Jeff Semler, Washington

County Extension Educator

11:20 am – What, When, and How of Colostrum Management, Dr. Sarah Potts, UME

Dairy & Beef Specialist

11:40 am – Beef on Dairy Project and Insights, Racheal Slattery, Dairy & Beef Extension, Dept. of Animal and Avian Sciences

12:00 pm – Lunch and Networking

12:30 pm – Impact of Improved Pasture Management on Pregnant Holstein Heifers: Updates and Pasture Walk, Dr. Sarah Potts,

UME Dairy & Beef Specialist, and Dr. Amanda Grev, UME Forage and Pasture Specialist

1:45 pm – Overview of Research with Cannulated Cows, Jarvis Scott, Graduate Student, and Dr. Rick Kohn, Professor, UMD De-

partment of Animal and Avian Sciences

2:00 pm - Adjourn

Cost: The program is FREE, but w e ask that you please RSVP for planning purposes. Lunch is included.

Registration: https://w w w .eventbrite.com /e/2021-dairy-field-day-registration-155816299747 o r contact Sarah Potts at 301-432-2767 ext. 324 or sbpotts@umd.edu

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact Sarah Potts, Dairy and Beef Spe-

Urban Farmer Field School: High Tunnel Best Management Practices

High tunnels (or hoop houses) are a popular tool used on urban

farms to extend the growing season and grow specialty crops. In

2021, UMD Extension will hold hands-on Urban Farmer Field

Schools on farms across Baltimore to help urban growers learn

best management practices that will enable them to get the

most out of their high tunnels.

July 13, 9:00 am—Whitelock Community Farm, 930

Whitelock St., Baltimore, MD 21217. Register at https://

go.umd.edu/uffs2

July 24, 10:00 am—Plantation Park Heights, 3811 Park

Heights Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215. Register at https://

go.umd.edu/uffs3

This workshop series is funded by a cooperative agreement with the

Maryland USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

2021 Maryland Commodity Classic

The annual Maryland Commodity Classic is taking place on July 22nd starting at 9:00 AM.

Come by the Queen Anne's County 4-H Park to hear the latest research, interact with friends, discover the most recent Dr. Miller Awardee and scholarship recipients, and enjoy Bob Farmer, a comedian!

Please register online prior to our event, here!

Tickets are $10 before 2:30 PM or $20 after 2:30 PM. There will be no entry after 3:30 PM. Please pre-purchase tickets if possible.

4

Herbicide Resistant Weeds Field Day

July 12, 2021 · 8:30 am—10:30 am

Powell Farm, 5499 Scotty Rd., Snow Hill, MD 21863

Come out to discuss identification and management of com-mon ragweed, marestail, and palmer amaranth with Extension Specialist, Dr. Kurt Vollmer, and Ag Agents, Dr. Haley Stater and Dr. Sarah Hirsh.

This event will have approved pesticide credits for Maryland and Delaware certified private and commercial pesticide appli-cators license.

The event is free, but registration is required. Register by contacting Dr. Sarah Hirsh at 410-651-1330.

Poultry Mortality Composting Short Course

July 13, 2021 · 8:30 am—3:00 pm

Online via Zoom

This will be a one-day course sponsored by the Environmental Science and Technology Department, University of Maryland Extension on Poultry Mortality Composting with a demonstra-tion.

We will define the composting process and how to have a suc-cessful compost; what whole animal composting systems re-quire - set-up, biosecurity, legal, and environmental issues.

We will also cover channel composters; composting problems; mass mortality composting; in-house and outside composting of large numbers of dead birds.

We'll discuss freezers, compost uses, practical aspects, etc.

The course is free, but registration is required by July 7th. Please contact Tina Scites at 301-405-1198 or tscites@umd.edu to register.

LEAD Maryland Now Accepting Applications

Beginning June 1, interested candidates are encouraged to apply for participa-tion in LEAD Maryland Class XII (2022-23). Class XII will participate in 2022-23. The application will remain open until October 1.

The LEAD Program seeks appli-cants with career, service, or interest in: production agriculture, natural re-sources, the environment and conserva-tion, food (processing, sourcing, distribution, marketing, safe-ty), rural communities and development, business, communi-cations, education, government, science and technology, fi-nance, and much more.

The LEAD MD fellowships provides: Public Issues Education, leadership development opportunities, communications and problem-solving skills training, resources to help emerging leaders succeed in serving agricultural, natural resources, and rural community sectors, and opportunities to learn more about Maryland.

All application materials can be found on the homepage of the LEAD Maryland website. In addition to completing the online application, applicant must contact 3 references. Each reference must complete and return the Reference Form directly to the LEAD Maryland office. Forms may be sub-mitted electronically via email to: leadmd@umd.edu, or by mail to: LEAD Maryland Foundation, 124 Wye Narrows Drive, Queenstown, MD 21658.

Reminders for Monitoring and Managing Spotted– Wing Drosophila (SWD)

Kelly Hamby, University Of Maryland

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is a small fly that lays its eggs into ripening and ripe soft-skinned fruit. Although they prefer fully colored ripe fruit, they are capable of infesting fruit that is just starting to turn color. Populations in non-crop habitats (wild fruits, compost, manure, nectar, fungi) can move into fruit crops, causing near continual pressure during the season in addition to pressure building on farm, especially when multi-ple susceptible fruit crops are grown. Caneberries (raspberries and blackberries) experience heavy pressure because they are preferred hosts and fruit during the mid-summer when SWD populations rapidly grow. Cold winters reduce overwintering populations, helping earlier season fruit such as strawberries, cherries, and earlier blueberry varieties escape damage. Howev-er, when we have warm winters with fewer days below freezing and warmer low temperatures, such as 2020 and 2021 (Table 1), populations build faster and more damage will occur, espe-cially in cherries and blueberries.

Monitoring

Monitoring can be used to de-termine if SWD is active on farm, and man-agement deci-sions that com-bine SWD activ-ity and fruit susceptibility

(the riper the more susceptible) can help avoid unnecessary applications. There is no treatment threshold for SWD and ac-ceptable damage varies by market and operation.

To determine when adults are active in cherries and blueber-ries, commercial adult traps and lures can be purchased and/or home-made traps and baits can be used. Traps have to be checked weekly and will capture non-target insects that have to be sorted through to find the adult flies. (see Michigan State’s fact sheet: https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/uploads/files/MI%20SWD%20Guide%20Cherry%20June_2020.pdf.

Checking fruit for SWD damage, eggs, and larvae can be used to determine SWD pressure and the effectiveness of management programs. Visual inspection of fruit looking for soft and leaky fruit can work to find infestation, and sampling fruit from the interior part of the plant where the habitat is more favorable and insecticide deposition is often poorer can help with early detection.

To monitor fruit infestation use salt or sugar water solutions to float eggs and larvae out of fruit. If you want to know if your management program is working, collect market ripe fruit. If you want to evaluate SWD pressure, collect interior soft and overripe fruit. Lightly crush fruit in a plastic bag or container. Add salt (1 cup salt to 1 gallon water) or sugar (1/4 cup granu-lated white sugar to 4 ¼ cup water) water and let the fruit soak below the surface for 15 – 60 minutes (the longer the more like-ly the larvae will leave the fruit). Pour the fruit and water solu-tion through a coarse filter (to remove the fruit) stacked over a reusable basket style coffee filter. Rinse the soaking bag/container and pour the rinse liquid through the coffee filter too. The coffee filter will collect the eggs and larvae as well as small-er plant parts and fruit flesh if the fruit were crushed a bit too much. Carefully inspect the filter for SWD eggs and larvae with a magnifier (Figure 1).

Management

Due to their broad host range and quick reproduction, SWD are difficult to manage. In most cases, espe-cially in preferred hosts such as caneberries and later season varieties, a 7-day spray interval is required to maintain near 0 infestation levels, with tighter intervals when rain events occur. Accurate calibration of sprayers, appropriate spray volumes and tractor speeds, and other best practices to ensure good spray coverage are important. There are multi ple effective in-secticide modes of action for SWD, with group 1A carbamates (e.g., Lannate®) and group 1B organophosphates (e.g., dia-zinon, malathion), group 3A pyrethroids (e.g., Mustang-Maxx®, Danitol®), group 5 spinosyns (e.g., Delegate®, En-trust®), group 28 diamides (e.g., Exirel®, Verdepryn®) and the premix Cormoran® (group 4A neonicotinoid + group 15 benzoylurea) all ranking good to excellent. For organic produc-tion, there are a few OMRI approved materials, with Entrust® being the most effective option. Rotating modes of action (at a minimum alter-nate) helps avoid insecticide resistance. The label is the law, make sure the product is regis-tered in your state and crop(s) and follow all restrictions.

Removing and destroying cull fruit and shortening harvest intervals to every 2-days can help reduce on-farm population. For some operations, mesh netting (1.0 x 0.6 mm or smaller) has proven very effective for delaying or reducing SWD, though sprays may be needed later in the season if populations build under the netting and supplemental pollination should be considered for some crops. Netting must be installed before SWD are active and cannot have any holes or be left open (e.g., worker or picker entry), so structures with entryways work best. Fruit yields and quality tend to be better when using netting which also protects from bird and other damage. Cooling fruit (32-36˚F) and holding it cold throughout the supply chain increases shelf life and reduces the likelihood that infestation will result in damaged or unmarketable fruit.

5

Figure 1. SWD egg and larvae.

Register: https://

go.umd.edu/

hemp_twilight

University of Maryland Extension

Baltimore County Office

1114 Shawan Rd., Suite 2

Cockeysville, MD 21030

DATES TO REMEMBER

July 1 Maryland Beef Webinar Series. 7:30—

8:30 pm. Free. Register online.

July 12 Herbicide Resistant Weeds Field Day.

8:30am– 10:30 am. Free. Register by

calling 410-651-1330

July 13 Poultry Mortality Composting Short

Course. 8:30 am– 3:00 pm. Free. Regis-

ter by calling 301-405-1198.

July 13 Urban Farmer Field Day, Whitelock

Farm. 9:00 am. Free. Register online.

July 22 Maryland Commodity Classic. 9:00 am.

$10. Register online.

July 24 Urban Farmer Field Day, Plantation

Park Heights. 10:00 am. Free. Register

online.

Agriculture Agent

Erika Crowl

Extension Agent, Agriculture

ecrowl@umd.edu

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