鈥淚f there is one takeaway from this morning鈥檚 panels,鈥 said Donald Tobin, JD, dean of the while addressing a room full of farmers, lawyers, environmentalists, and students, 鈥渋t鈥檚 that Maryland鈥檚 farmers face an array of legal challenges.鈥
ALEI Managing Director Sarah Everhart, JD, in a panel entitled "Phase III of the Watershed Implementation Plan for Bay Restoration - What Does it Mean for Farmers?"
Tobin was speaking at the 2018 Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference on Nov. 8, 2018, in Annapolis. The conference, now in its fourth year, is coordinated by the (ALEI), a collaboration of the Carey School of Law at the 爆料公社, Baltimore (UMB); theat the (UMCP); and the School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences at the .
The dynamic 2018 ALEI Conference covered a wide array of topics, ranging from Maryland鈥檚 aquaculture industry to the legalization of hemp farming.
A panel entitled 鈥淧hase III of the Watershed Implementation Plan for Bay Restoration 鈥 What Does it Mean for Farmers?鈥 featured Sarah Everhart, JD, managing director of ALEI, as a speaker. Surveying the crowded hotel ballroom, Everhart said the goal of the conference is to bring diverse groups of people together. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 accomplished that,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e have a wide array of folks here from regulatory agencies, academia, farming, and law. It鈥檚 wonderful.鈥
Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Joseph Bartenfelder agreed. 鈥淚t gives farmers, producers, and the agriculture community a better understanding of where they stand as far as what the law and what their rights are. It鈥檚 also good because it works in a cooperative spirit with the university and the agriculture community,鈥 Bartenfelder said.
Maryland Sen. Thomas 鈥淢ac鈥 Middleton was the keynote speaker at this year鈥檚 event. As the only full-time farmer in the state legislature, he offered his unique perspective on how agricultural and environmental laws impact Maryland鈥檚 farmers. Middleton, who will be closing out 24 years of public service in January, said respect and compromise are the keys to success in Annapolis. 鈥淲hen you have the respect of your colleagues and you stand up as a farmer, they listen,鈥 he said.
Elizabeth Thiliany, a sophomore at UMCP, is studying agricultural and resource economics. She attended the ALEI conference at the recommendation of her professor, Paul Goeringer, JD, LLM, MS, an extension legal specialist with the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UMCP and ALEI. Thiliany was particularly interested in the panel discussing hemp legalization, which ties into her study of the economics of industrial hemp at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.
鈥淭his was a good opportunity to see what is happening in the state of Maryland around industrial hemp and to get the research rolling for next semester,鈥 Thiliany said. 鈥淚 think I have a way better understanding of the legal ramifications of growing industrial hemp and the impact of the farm bill on the industry.鈥
Other panels included: Chlorpyrifos and the Legal Landscape of Pesticide Regulation, and Developing Topics in Agricultural and Environmental Law. Dean Tobin from Maryland Carey Law reminded attendees that the 爆料公社 is ready to assist farmers facing legal obstacles.
鈥淎lthough complying with these laws can be daunting for Maryland farmers,鈥 he said, 鈥淚 hope that the spirit of this event and the body of work created by ALEI over the last five years communicates a clear message that the 爆料公社 is here to help farmers succeed and thrive.鈥
ALEI is an initiative of the , a collaboration between UMB and UMCP that leverages the complementary missions of both institutions to strengthen Maryland鈥檚 economy and advance interdisciplinary research. A critical component of ALEI鈥檚 mission is to advance the understanding of laws and policies aimed at protecting Maryland鈥檚 natural resources.