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	<title>Press Releases &#8211; MDA News Room</title>
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		<title>MEDIA RELEASE: Deadline for Maryland Department of Agriculture Cover Crop Termination Extended to June 5</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/28/media-release-deadline-for-maryland-department-of-agriculture-cover-crop-termination-extended-to-june-5/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Felver]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 19:30:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29793</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 28, 2026)&#8212;-The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is extending the cover crop termination deadline until June 5, 2026, for farmers enrolled in the 2025-2026 Cover Crop Program due to multiple days of rainfall that have caused excessively wet field conditions across much of the state. The original deadline for terminating fall-planted cover<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/28/media-release-deadline-for-maryland-department-of-agriculture-cover-crop-termination-extended-to-june-5/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29793</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>MEDIA ADVISORY: Join Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks and Maryland’s Best in Kicking Off the 2026 Ice Cream Trail!</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/28/media-advisory-join-secretary-of-agriculture-kevin-atticks-and-marylands-best-in-kicking-off-the-2026-ice-cream-trail/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Felver]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 17:19:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29783</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 28, 2026)&#8212;Media are welcome to join Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks to kick off the 2026 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail at Prigel Family Creamery in Glen Arm, Maryland at 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 29, 2026. Now in its 14th year, the Ice Cream Trail is a beloved summer<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/28/media-advisory-join-secretary-of-agriculture-kevin-atticks-and-marylands-best-in-kicking-off-the-2026-ice-cream-trail/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29783</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>NEWS RELEASE: 2026 Maryland Horse Career Program Kicks Off June 1</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/27/news-release-2026-maryland-horse-career-program-kicks-off-june-1/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 19:34:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29779</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Program will connect emerging leaders with horse industry professionals ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 27, 2026)&#8212;The Maryland Horse Foundation, in partnership with the Maryland Horse Industry Board and University of Maryland Equine Studies, is proud to announce the six participants selected for the 2026 Maryland Horse Career Program (MHCP), taking place June 1-5, 2026. Launched in 2017 as the Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program,<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/27/news-release-2026-maryland-horse-career-program-kicks-off-june-1/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29779</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>NEWS RELEASE: Maryland’s Best Kicks-Off the 2026 Ice Cream Trail with New Locations!</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/21/marylands-best-kicks-off-the-2026-ice-cream-trail-with-new-locations/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Felver]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 17:15:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29770</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD&#8212;Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail is back for its 14th year with new locations! Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks and Maryland’s Best welcome residents and visitors alike to celebrate the state’s dairy industry by visiting participating locations from May 21–-September 7, 2026. Maryland’s Best is a statewide marketing program dedicated to connecting consumers with farmers,<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/21/marylands-best-kicks-off-the-2026-ice-cream-trail-with-new-locations/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29770</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>NEWS RELEASE: Maryland Chefs Encouraged to Submit Recipes for Governor Moore’s ‘Buy Local’ Cookout</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/20/29765/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Felver]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 18:25:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29765</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 12, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture is excited to announce the 2026 Governor’s Buy Local Cookout will take place on Friday, July 17, 2026 in Annapolis, Maryland. This annual cookout celebrates Maryland agriculture by featuring Maryland restaurants partnering with Maryland farmers and watermen to showcase products like wild-caught Chesapeake blue<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/20/29765/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29765</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>PUBLIC NOTICE: Maryland Department of Agriculture Monitoring Frost Damage and Caterpillar Outbreaks in Western Maryland Hardwood Trees</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/18/public-notice-maryland-department-of-agriculture-monitoring-frost-damage-and-caterpillar-outbreaks-in-western-maryland-hardwood-trees/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 15:33:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29762</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 18, 2026)&#8212;-The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is monitoring hardwood trees in western Maryland following an early spring frost that damaged emerging leaves in Allegany County, along with outbreaks of defoliating, or leaf-eating, caterpillars in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties. Because of these spring stressors, large areas of trees across all three<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/18/public-notice-maryland-department-of-agriculture-monitoring-frost-damage-and-caterpillar-outbreaks-in-western-maryland-hardwood-trees/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29762</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>NEWS RELEASE: Maryland Department of Agriculture Announces $1.6 Million Postharvest Infrastructure Grant Program to Empower Rural Communities</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/15/news-release-maryland-department-of-agriculture-announces-1-6-million-postharvest-infrastructure-grant-program-to-empower-rural-communities/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Felver]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 18:38:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[&#160; ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 15, 2026)—The Maryland Department of Agriculture today announced the launch of the Postharvest Infrastructure Grant Program (PHI), making $1.6 million available to establish new and improve existing cold storage and delivery networks in rural communities throughout Maryland.  The PHI program is part of the federally funded Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/15/news-release-maryland-department-of-agriculture-announces-1-6-million-postharvest-infrastructure-grant-program-to-empower-rural-communities/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29758</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>NEWS RELEASE: Nicole Sherry Joins Maryland Department of Agriculture as Assistant Secretary of Plant Industries and Pest Management</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/13/news-release-nicole-sherry-joins-maryland-department-of-agriculture-as-assistant-secretary-of-plant-industries-and-pest-management/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 12:34:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29752</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 13, 2026)&#8212;Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks announced today that Nicole Sherry has joined the Maryland Department of Agriculture as assistant secretary for Plant Industries and Pest Management. Sherry brings extensive turf management experience to MDA after spending 23 years with the Baltimore Orioles, most recently serving as senior director of field<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/13/news-release-nicole-sherry-joins-maryland-department-of-agriculture-as-assistant-secretary-of-plant-industries-and-pest-management/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29752</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>PUBLIC NOTICE: Maryland Agencies to Treat Potomac River for Black Fly Control on May 1</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/11/public-notice-maryland-agencies-to-treat-potomac-river-for-black-fly-control-on-may-1/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 16:29:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29744</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 11, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, will treat a targeted area of the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia to control black fly populations in the area. Treatment is scheduled to occur on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 between 9:00 a.m. –<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/11/public-notice-maryland-agencies-to-treat-potomac-river-for-black-fly-control-on-may-1/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29744</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>PRESS RELEASE: Maryland Permanently Preserves Five Working Farms</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/07/press-release-maryland-permanently-preserves-five-working-farms/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Felver]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 15:01:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29733</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 07, 2026) – On May 6, 2026, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved five new easements through the Maryland Agricultural Preservation Foundation, protecting 534.569 acres of prime farmland in Caroline, Charles and Dorchester counties for future generations and agricultural endeavors. In Maryland, agricultural easements preserve productive farmland and woodland to ensure<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/07/press-release-maryland-permanently-preserves-five-working-farms/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29733</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>PRESS RELEASE: Celebrate the Annual Preakness Stakes With the Maryland Horse Farm Tour</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/04/celebrate-the-annual-preakness-stakes-with-the-maryland-horse-farm-tour/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2026 15:20:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29728</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 4, 2026)&#8212;In honor of the annual Preakness Stakes, Marylanders and visitors alike are invited to experience one of our state’s most cherished traditions up close on Sunday, May 10, 2026. As part of the annual Preakness Festival, select horse farms across the state are providing a behind-the-scenes look at where some of Maryland’s<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/05/04/celebrate-the-annual-preakness-stakes-with-the-maryland-horse-farm-tour/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29728</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>PRESS RELEASE: Governor Moore Secures the Future of Maryland’s Horse Industry Board Through 2036</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/27/news-release-governor-moore-secures-the-future-of-marylands-horse-industry-board-through-2036/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:38:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29714</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 27, 2026) —On April 14, Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks and Executive Director of Maryland’s Horse Industry Board, Anne Litz, joined Governor Wes Moore as he signed House Bill (HB) 225, extending the authorization of the Maryland Horse Industry Board through July 1, 2036. This action ensures the continued operation of the Board<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/27/news-release-governor-moore-secures-the-future-of-marylands-horse-industry-board-through-2036/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29714</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>STATEMENT: Maryland Department of Agriculture Statement on the Impact of Late Spring Frost on Crops</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/22/news-to-know-maryland-department-of-agriculture-statement-loss-of-2026-grape-crop-due-to-late-spring-frost/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:17:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Hot Topics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[In The News]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29708</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Early the morning of Tuesday, April 21, farmers across Maryland experienced one the most significant crop losses in recent memory due to a late spring frost. Since the onset of the frost, the Maryland Department of Agriculture has been in touch with those vineyards and fruit growers across the state that have been hit the<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/22/news-to-know-maryland-department-of-agriculture-statement-loss-of-2026-grape-crop-due-to-late-spring-frost/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29708</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>PRESS RELEASE: Maryland’s Best Celebrates Native Plant Month</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/22/news-release-marylands-best-celebrates-native-plant-month/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:44:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29706</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 22, 2026) –  In celebration of Earth Day, the Maryland Department of Agriculture and Maryland&#8217;s Best is proud to join other states across the country in declaring May Native Plant Month. This designation celebrates the essential role that native plants play in supporting healthy ecosystems, resilient landscapes and vibrant local biodiversity. Maryland’s Native<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/22/news-release-marylands-best-celebrates-native-plant-month/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29706</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>PRESS RELEASE: USDA Designates Nine Maryland Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas Following Severe Drought</title>
		<link>https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/17/usda-designates-nine-maryland-counties-as-primary-natural-disaster-areas-following-severe-drought/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[lmoses]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:20:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Newsroom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press Releases]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.maryland.gov/mda/?p=29701</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[USDA Designates Nine Maryland Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas Following Severe Drought ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 17, 2026) – Due to ongoing dry conditions during the growing season, nine counties in Maryland have received drought disaster designations from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Farmers in the primary designated counties of Allegany, Carroll, Charles,<a href="https://news.maryland.gov/mda/press-release/2026/04/17/usda-designates-nine-maryland-counties-as-primary-natural-disaster-areas-following-severe-drought/">&#160;&#160;Read the Rest...</a>]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">29701</post-id>	</item>
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