Contact: Valerie Connelly or Kurt Fuchs
(410) 269-0656        (410) 269-0081 – fax

No. 3  2/2/06 – Happy Groundhog Day!

 Hearings and briefings next week include:

 H.B. 279 – Allegany County Agricultural Expo and Fairgrounds Loan of 1999 – Allegany Delegation
APPROPRIATIONS, 120 New House Office Building, Tuesday at 1:00pm
This bill repeals a provision in the Allegany County Agricultural Expo and Fairgrounds Loan of 1999 that required the County Commissioners to grant and convey an easement acceptable to the Maryland Historical Trust before the Loan could be carried out.  FOR INFORMATION ONLY

H.B. 239 – Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene– Agricultural Ombudsman Program – Del. Rudolph
HEALTH & GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, 240 New House Office Building, Tuesday at 1:00pm
This bill requires the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish and agricultural ombudsman program by appointing a staff person to assist farmers seeking permits or trying to comply with health regulations.  The bill specifically directs the ombudsman to assist farmers with on-farm food processing and preparation permits.  The ombudsman will also coordinate with county health departments to streamline state & county health rules. MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 239.

S.B. 174 – Environment – Bay Restoration Fund – Exemption – Senator Stoltzfus
ED., HEALTH & ENVIRON., AFFAIRS, 2 West Miller, Tuesday at 1:00pm
This bill repeals the fee imposed on users of on-site sewage disposal systems (septic tanks).  The current fee ($30 per year) is deposited into the Bay Restoration Fund.  40% of that fund is designated for the state cover crop program.  The cover crop program received $3 million in funding from the fee in FY06. FOR INFORMATION ONLY

S.B. 278 – Anne Arundel County – Deer Hunting on Private Lands – Sundays – AA Senators
ED., HEALTH & ENVIRON. AFFAIRS, 2 West Miller, Tuesday at 1:00pm
This bill would add Anne Arundel County to the list of counties that allow the hunting of deer on Sunday.  The following counties currently allow deer hunting on Sunday, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS S.B. 278 ON BEHALF OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY FARM BUREAU.

S.B. 167 – Electric Companies – Net Energy Metering – Accrual of Generated Electricity – Senator Teitelbaum
FINANCE, 3 East Miller, Tuesday at 1:00pm
This bill requires electricity companies to allow credits to be accrued for 12 months from biomass generator-customers.  Current law allows for net metering of electricity produced vs. electricity used on a monthly basis.  With the 12 month accrual, user-generators can save credits for peak use months. 
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS S.B. 167.

S.B. 175 – Community Energy & Econ. Development Grant Program – Senator Middleton
FINANCE, 3 East Miller, Tuesday at 1:00pm
This bill establishes the Community Energy and Economic Development Grant Program and coinciding Fund.  Its purpose is to provide grants to nonprofit organizations and local jurisdictions that operate community programs promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and increased market competition for electricity products.  The Fund is to receive $2 million of yearly funding from revenue generated by the environmental surcharge on retail electricity usage per kilowatt hour, future investment earnings of the Fund, and from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.  However, initial funding for the 2006 fiscal year will be a $1 million transfer from the Environmental Trust Fund.  The Program is to be administered by the Maryland Energy Administration who will develop regulations and procedures based on criteria set forth in the bill.  One such criterion would include grants or low-interest loans to farmers for installation on farms of generators that produce electricity from a renewable source (defined as Tier 1 and Tier 2).  Grants awarded under the Program may not exceed $1 million and may not be more than four times the matching contribution from the local jurisdiction 
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS S.B. 175.

H.B. 68 – Homeowner’s Property Tax Assessment Cap – Delegate McMillan
WAYS AND MEANS, 130 New House Office Building, Wednesday at 11:00am
This bill expands the homestead tax credit by decreasing the allowable annual property tax increase on homes.  Under current law, the property tax on a home and the 1 acre surrounding the home may only increase based on a maximum 10% assessment in value increase per year.  This applies to the primary home of a state resident – if the resident is residing in the home.  This bill sets the tax cap at 5% per year.
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 68.

H.B. 180 – Dept. of Agriculture – MD Agricultural Land Link Program – Delegate Jennings
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 150 New House Office Building, Wednesday at 1:00pm
This bill creates the Maryland Agricultural Land Link Program at MDA. The program is intended to assist older or retiring farmers in the lease or sale of their land to younger or beginning farmers.  The program is also intended to keep agland in active ag use and reduce the conversion to development.  The bill requires MDA to maintain an online data base with information on agland available for lease and sale and on business opportunities for farmers.  MDA estimates that funding in the amount of $30,000 to $100,000 per year is needed to start up and maintain the program.  MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS H.B. 180 WITH AN AMENDMENT TO CLARIFY THAT THE ONLINE DATABASE IS TO FUNCTION AS A VOLUNTARY “BULLETIN BOARD” TYPE SERVICE FOR LANDOWNERS & FARMERS AND IS SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS PROVIDED IN THE BUDGET.

H.B. 205 – Anne Arundel County – Deer Hunting on Private Lands – Sunday – Delegate Costa
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 150 New House Office Building, Wednesday at 1:00pm
see explanation under S.B. 278 on Tuesday). 
MARYLAND FARM BUREAU SUPPORTS S.B. 278 ON BEHALF OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY FARM BUREAU.

H.B. 222 – Agriculture – Commercial Fertilizer – Required Signage at Retail Outlets – Del. Sossi
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 150 New House Office Building, Wednesday at 1:00pm
The bill requires retail outlets that distribute fertilizer in bags weighing 50 lbs or more to post signs warning consumers about the adverse impact on the Bay of over applying fertilizer to their lawns.  The sign will be developed and distributed by MDA at no charge. 
MARYLAND FARM BUREAUS SUPPORTS H.B. 222.

H.B. 235 – Bay Restoration Program – On-Site Sewage Disposal Fee – County Option – Del.Rudolph
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 150 New House Office Building, Wednesday at 1:00pm
This bill allows a county to opt out of the Bay Restoration Fund septic fee.  If a county opts out and does not collect the fee from residents with septic tanks, it may not receive funds allocated for grants or loans to repair failing septic systems.  FOR INFORMATION ONLY

H.B. 276 – Environment – Bay Restoration Fund – Exemption – Delegate Edwards, et al
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 150 New House Office Building, Wednesday at 1:00pm
This bill repeals the septic fee established as part of the Flush Tax bill intended to finance the upgrading of municipal waste treatment plants.  The bill also deletes the Fund that distributed 40% of the septic fees collected to the state cover crop program. In 2005, the septic fee generated more than $3 million for the cover crop program.  FOR INFORMATION ONLY

 H.B. 268 – Local Government – Tri-County Council for Western Maryland – Membership – Garrett, Allegany & Washington Co. Delegations
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, 150 New House Office Building, Thursday at 1:00pm
This bill alters the make up of the Tri-County Council for Western Maryland.  It reduces the membership from 27 to 23 by removing the non-voting members who were the General Assembly members who reside in Allegany, Garrett and Washington Counties.  FOR INFORMATION ONLY

S.B. 359 – Real Property – Recordation of Deeds – Conservation Easements – Senator Dyson
JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS, 2 East Miller, Thursday at 1:00pm
This bill requires that a deed transferring ownership of property that is encumbered by a conservation easement or an agland preservation easement granted to a state or local government or land trust to so note the easement and contact information for the easement holder and grantor. FOR INFORMATION ONLY

USDA ANNOUNCES CSP SIGN-UP PERIOD

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns has announced the sign-up schedule for the Conservation Security Program (CSP).  The sign-up will be held Feb. 13, 2006, through March 31, 2006, in 60 watersheds throughout the country.  This year marks the third CSP sign-up.  Privately-owned land currently enrolled in CSP covers nearly 11 million acres in the 220 eligible watersheds in all 50 states and the Caribbean Area.

Farms in the Maryland Choptank Watershed and the Delaware Nanticoke Watersheds are eligible for CSP sign up this round.  There are eligible farms in Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Dorchester and Wicomico Counties. NRCS estimates that there are 781 farms and 225,531 acres of farmland in the Choptank region. Maryland’s NRCS office is planning farmer workshops early in the sign up period. 

First established under the 2002 Farm Bill, the CSP program provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands.  Working lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture and rangeland, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation.  To be eligible for CSP, most of a producer's agricultural operation must fall within the boundaries of a selected watershed. Applications which meet CSP's minimum requirements as set forth in the amendment to the Interim Final Rule published in the Federal Register March 25, 2005, will be placed in enrollment categories.  Categories will be funded in alphabetical order until funds are exhausted. The CSP amendment to the Interim Final Rule is available for viewing at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/.

Producers who wish to sign up for CSP should begin the application process by filling out a self-assessment to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for CSP.  Self-assessment workbooks are available in hard copy at USDA Service Centers within the watersheds, and electronically at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/.  After completing the self-assessment, producers should schedule an appointment to discuss their application with the NRCS local staff to determine if they meet specific CSP eligibility requirements.  Additional information about the program and affected watersheds can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/.

The Hotline will be posted on the MFB website at the end of each week.  Our website address is www.mdfarmbureau.com.  The Maryland General Assembly’s website can also serve as a valuable tool for legislative information.  The Home Page offers the proceedings and agendas of the House and Senate, hearing schedules, bill information and status, and other data about the Maryland General Assembly.  Plus, there are links available to other related websites.  The website is updated nightly, and may be accessed at www.mlis.state.md.us .