The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced a presumptive positive case of H5 avian influenza in a commercial broiler farm in Caroline County. This is the first case of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza (HPAI) on a commercial poultry farm in Caroline County this year and the first case in Maryland in 2026.

In Annapolis testimony, Harford County farmer Kimmi Lyons warns that current pressures threaten the future of Maryland food production.

USDA has announced $12 billion to provide one-time economic aid to farmers facing financial losses during the 2025 crop year. Of that total, $11 billion is directed to row crop producers in the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program. The remaining $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops and sugar assistance, though USDA has indicated that additional data collection and analysis are needed to determine how these payments will be structured and distributed.

This annual event united Maryland's farming community, offering opportunities for professional development, direct collaboration with Federal and State officials, and shaping the organization’s grassroots policy agenda for the upcoming year.

The filing argues that the PSEG’s own admission that it cannot meet the project’s critical June 2027 deadline is sufficient reason to immediately halt the case, saving Maryland taxpayers and hundreds of farmers from months of needless legal and financial burdens.

Marks a 21% New-Member Growth Over Previous Year

Kathy Wojcik, an agricultural teacher from Howard County, was named Maryland’s grand prize winner and 2024-2025 Ag Educator of the Year.