Grant goes to Garrett for culinary event, guide

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — The Garrett County Department of Economic Development received more than $20,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill.

The $20,120 grant will be used to increase public awareness of the culinary heritage of the area, to develop a local foods guide and to host a culinary heritage event similar to the Cast Iron Cook-Off at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., according to Cheryl DeBerry, natural resources business specialist.

“I’m very excited to highlight the crops that grow very well in Garrett County. We have a high quality of crops and plenty to harvest,” said DeBerry. “We have a wonderful berry produce that has been here for generations. There are a few benefits to living in the mountains.”

The grant must be used on noncommodity foods and can’t be spent on wild foods like ramps, DeBerry said during a county commission meeting on Tuesday. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, according to a news release from the USDA.

Nicole Christian, president and CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, indicated that there may be Heritage Area money available to help support the local foods guide.

During the commission meeting, DeBerry said that she hoped the grant would help local farmers, increase farm sales and get people interested in farming.

“There was a study out last year that said Appalachia was the most diverse foodshed in the whole U.S.,” said DeBerry during the commission meeting. “There are over 15,000 indigenous plants that include edible fruits and vegetables. I think we need to celebrate that.”

This is the first time that the Department of Economic Development has gotten this grant, said DeBerry, who noted she requested $22,500 when applying for the grant. The Maryland Department of Agriculture announced that $354,466 in grants were funded in the state.

This will likely be the last of the Specialty Crop grant program, pending the U.S. Congress passage of a new Farm Bill, according to a news release.

“The 2008 Farm Bill provided significant grant funding dedicated to specialty crops to become available,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “These funds are a great opportunity to help farmers and value-added producers advance and promote local specialty crops in the marketplace, spark new markets, job creation and help keep Maryland smart, green and growing.”

Of the USDA’s $101 million in Specialty Crop grants, approximately $55 million will be invested in 56 specialty grants to states that fund 748 initiatives across the country to strengthen markets and expand economic opportunities for local and regional producers, according to the news release.

An additional $46 million will go to support new and continuing research and extension activities to address challenges and opportunities for growers and businesses that rely on a sustainable, profitable specialty crops industry.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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MDA Officials Present Update Report On Gypsy Moth Suppression Program

courtesy Republican News


Oct. 2, 2008

Representatives from the Maryland Department of Agriculture and University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Service gave an update report to the Garrett County commissioners on this year's gypsy moth suppression program. More than 43,000 acres were sprayed in Garrett County in late May and early June through the MDA and a local cost-share program.
County and state officials indicated that the gypsy moth infestation problem appears to be improving somewhat.

"It's nice to have good news," said Biff Thompson, MDA agriculture inspector.

He gave a PowerPoint presentation on the results of the MDA's program. Statewide, about 99,000 acres were sprayed with insecticide, either dimilin or Bt. A full one-third of those acres were in Garrett County alone.

"Compared to the rest of the state, Garrett County got treated pretty well," Thompson said.

Of the 32,000 acres sprayed locally in the MDA program, about 26,000 acres were state owned and about 6,000 were privately owned. The spray blocks were primarily in the northeastern part of the county, between Big Savage Mountain and Meadow Mountain, along Backbone Mountain, and at Deep Creek Lake.

Thompson said the local operation went well. He noted there were only two spray blocks, about 1,800 acres, that sustained leaf defoliation this year from gypsy moth caterpillars.

"We're not sure why, maybe because of weather conditions," he said.

About .7 percent of the local spray blocks had defoliation. Statewide, that percentage was 2.8, for a 97 percent success rate.

"We're very lucky with our defoliation figures," Thompson said.

He indicated that surrounding states were not as fortunate. Their figures have increased rather than decreased. For example, Pennsylvania had 800,000 acres defoliated last year, compared to more than 1 million this year. West Virginia had 78,000 acres defoliated last year and 82,000 this year.

In contrast, Maryland had 68,000 acres last year, compared to 19,000 this year. The inspector said if the state had relied solely on a virus and fungus, natural enemies of gypsy moth caterpillars, rather than sprayed, there would have been a severe defoliation problem this year.

Thompson noted that about 6,000 acres of designated wildlands were treated in Maryland this year.

"In the past, we have not sprayed wildlands because of pressure put on the DNR," Thompson said.

There are about 44,000 acres of wildlands in Maryland, of which 11,000 are in Garrett County.

Local Extension educator Willie Lantz reported on the Garrett County cost-share program, which worked in conjunction with the MDA's.

Lantz said 168 private land owners had contracts with his office this spring, with more than 11,400 acres being sprayed. The land owners paid 60 percent of the cost, with the county contributing 40 percent. Land owners paid a total of $265,777; the Garrett County commissioners contributed $150,000; and the Deep Creek Property Owners Association added $22,500 to fund the spray operation.

In addition to negotiating the contracts for the local program, the GC Extension Office also completed egg mass surveys on more than 20,000 acres of forest land, creating GIS maps, and collected payments.

Lantz added that his office sent out surveys to the 2008 cost-share participants, asking them to evaluate the effectiveness of the operation, survey their property for potential problems in 2009, and indicate their satisfaction with this year's spray program.

The result of that survey is not yet known, Lantz said, as only 75 of the 168 participants have returned the forms so far.

Thompson recommended that the commissioners continue to fund egg mass surveys on private lands.

"It's not that much money; it's sort of like an insurance policy," he said. The inspector noted that the MDA only surveys state land and could miss potential problems on private properties.

"I would think that we would continue doing that, as long as it's affordable," said Commissioner Fred Holliday, noting current economic conditions.

The commissioner added, however, that he did not want the county to return to the bad shape it was in two or three years ago with the gypsy moth infestation problem.

"What's the prediction on the next parasite outbreak?" Commissioner Ernie Gregg asked, meaning the emerald ash borer.

Thompson said no adult emerald ash borers had been found in recently set traps in Garrett County and surrounding areas. Officially, he said, there are no borers in Garrett County, but some people disagree.

The emerald ash borer came from China at least four years ago via a boat in the Great Lakes area. It has already been found in Fayette County, Pa., northern Virginia, West Virginia, and Prince George's County.

"It's coming our way from three different directions," the inspector said.

The insect only attacks ash trees, but its impact is devastating. It will move quickly through an area and kill all the ash. Thompson noted that there are several areas of Garrett County that have significant numbers of ash trees.

He indicated that officials are working on ways to try to control the insect, but currently, there are no cost-effective ways to do so.

Commissioner Denny Glotfelty asked if people should start timbering ash.

"I've told people, 'If you have ash and it's a good size and you're doing a timber job, make sure you take all your ash,'" Thompson said.


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