ANNAPOLIS, MD. (Jan. 31, 2023) — Last week, Maryland Farm Bureau directors and members spoke on behalf of MDFB and other state agriculture groups to prepare Maryland’s House Environment and Transportation (E&T) Committee for the General Assembly. Kevin Atticks, MDFB member and Grow & Fortify founder, gave a Department of Agriculture update as the incoming Secretary of Agriculture for the Moore-Miller Administration. Jamie Tiralla, of Prince Frederick, Maryland, represented Maryland Farm Bureau’s district 3, and spoke on the significance of wildlife damage, ag preservation and agricultural education.

“Most Marylanders didn’t grow up on farms — myself included — so there is a great need to get even basic information in the schools about where our food comes from and how it’s grown,” said Tiralla. “Ag is the number one commercial industry in our state, and most Marylanders would be surprised by that. We need to support proper programs and compensation for teachers who lead this charge, such as FFA leaders who make extracurricular ag activities possible.”

In addition to Tiralla and Atticks, the following MDFB members represented these respective groups as organization leaders in the State of Agriculture briefing:

●      Justin Brendel – Maryland Grain Producers Association

●      Steve Black – Maryland Nursery, Landscape & Greenhouse Association

●      Far Nasir – Delmarva Chicken Association

●      Richard Francis (aka “Farmer Chippy”) – urban agriculture

To see the entire 2023 State of Agriculture E&T committee discussion, visit

https://bit.ly/StateofAgBriefing.

# # #

MARYLAND FARM BUREAU®, INC. is a 501(c)(5) federation that serves as the united voice of Maryland farm families. Our organizational strength comes from the active participation of over 9,500 individual and family members who belong to the state’s 23 local county Farm Bureau organizations. Since 1915, Maryland Farm Bureau has been committed to protecting and growing agriculture and preserving rural life. Maryland Farm Bureau is a proud member of the American Farm Bureau^® Federation. For more information, visit MarylandFB.org.

Media Contact:

Amber Pearson | Maryland Farm Bureau, Inc. (TSN Communications)

573.268.6853 | amber@tsncommunications.com