As of January 1, 2019 the Anne Arundel Soil Conservation District will accept a professional engineer, professional land surveyor or a licensed landscape architect signature on the consultant’s certification on sediment and erosion control plans in the Severn River Watershed. Background A consultant’s certification on a sediment and erosion control plan verifies that the sediment and erosion control measures on the plan are adequate to contain the silt and erosion. For plans within the Severn Watershed, this was required to be signed by a Professional Engineer, even though a professional land surveyor and or licensed landscape architect could develop the plan. House Bill 766 changed this process so that a professional land surveyor and or licensed landscape architect could sign the certification. The AASCD Board of Supervisors consulted with the Severn River Watershed Commission and all parties agreed to the change. It received a favorable vote at the AASCD Board of Supervisors December meeting and will take effect on January 1, 2019. New Consultant Certification Form

2019 Official Topic

“Agriculture: Food for Life. How Does Our Nation Lead the Way?” ​Sponsored by: CHS Inc., Farm Progress & the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Entry Deadline: January 31, 2019 Prizes:

• National Video Essay Winner – $1,000
• National Written Essay Winner – $1,000 and trip to Washington, D.C., to be recognized at the National Press Club Event on March 14, 2019.

About the Contest

Students across the country are invited to enter the National Ag Day essay and video contest, sponsored by the Agriculture Council of America. This year’s theme is “Agriculture: Food for Life. How Does Our Nation Lead the Way?” The ACA encourages students to describe how agriculture impacts their daily life and how it will feed the world with the growing population. ​ We encourage all entrants to support their position with facts. As you prepare your entry, consider how you might draw on, or examine, some of the following trends:

• Global population is projected to reach 9 billion people by 2050
• Increasing global consumer interest in how food is produced and processed
• Popularity and growth of high protein diets featuring plant-based protein
• Health and fitness driving consumer food buying habits
• Influence of technology and biotechnology on food production, such as precision agriculture, drones and GMOs (genetically-modified organisms)
• There’s a shortfall of students entering agriculture, versus the number of job openings.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 20,000 agriculture jobs are left unfilled annually.
• Each American farmer feeds more than 165 people; a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s.
• Average age of today’s farmer is 58 years old, who will take over?

U.S. farmers are among the most productive in the world. They proudly raise crops and livestock because they want to help feed hungry people. You can show your support for them, and all of agriculture, by submitting your entry by January 31, 2019. Visit agday.org for official contest rules. ​

Demonstration of an Animal Waste Management Technology

A Grant-Funded Project through the Maryland Department of Agriculture

Anne Arundel Soil Conservation District is pleased to help promote an on-farm composting workshop, offered on Friday, January 25th and repeated on Saturday, January 26th, 2019. Both workshops begin at 10:00am and end at 4:00pm and held at the Deale Community Library. The event is free for Maryland residents and $35 for out of state residents. Online Registration

About the On-Farm Composting Workshop

The workshop will include a series of presentations by nationally recognized experts in on-farm composting, habitat preservation, and farm planning. There will be hands-on demonstrations and ample time for open discussion among the participants. Following the presentations, the group will travel in their personal vehicles to the Veteran Compost demonstration site which features aerated compost systems for all scales of operation. Light refreshments and lunch will be provided.

About the Organizers: Peter Moon And Justen Garrity

Peter Moon is the President and Principal Engineer at O2Compost, which has been in operation since 1996. He has designed more than 1,250 aerated compost systems throughout the U.S., Canada and 18 other foreign countries. O2Compost’s mission is to teach the art and science of aerated composting, and to empower individuals and organizations to become advocates for sustainable agriculture and stewards of our land, air and water resources. www.o2compost.com Justen Garrity is the Owner and Founder of Veteran Compost, which is operated primarily by veterans and their families in Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia. In addition to the wide array of compost and waste-management related services his company offers, Justen happily shares his knowledge as a Compost Consultant. His goal is to continue growing his business, hire more veterans, and save the planet. www.veterancompost.com