The Agriculture Working Group

With stakeholders including conventional and organic farmers, beekeepers, extension agents, conservationists, botanical producers, associations, and educators, the Agriculture working group collaborates with and educates  farmers about pesticide impacts on farmer family and worker health, Bay ecosystems and pollinators with the goal of promoting safer alternatives for addressing pest pressures.

Recent projects include:

• Updating the Project’s “Farmer Information Toolkit”
• Promoting healthy soil carbon sequestration and negative impacts of pesticides on soil microbiome
• Leased farmland and challenges it poses to healthy soil investment and state initiatives
• GIS mapping of farmland ownership in Somerset Co. using state data to understand challenges
• Promoting MPEN’s GoOrganicMd.org website to drive demand for organic products

The working group is co-facilitated by Erroll Mattox, (retired) extension agent and Cleo Braver, farmer, Cottingham Farm.

For more information, contact Bonnie Raindrop, Project Director at 410-404-3808 or raindrop@mdpestnet.org