Maryland Agricultural Commission, meet the Agricultural Stewardship Commission.
One group answers to the governor, the other to the Senate president and House speaker. Both plan to make recommendations for the 2006 legislative session on how to best preserve farming in Maryland, and not necessarily the same ones.
Not that the agriculture community is complaining.
"We're just delighted that we've got that much interest in farming now," said Lewis R. Riley, secretary of the state Department of Agriculture.
The Maryland Agricultural Commission is a 24-member group appointed by the governor as an advisory body to the secretary of agriculture. Its members include representatives from all major farming industries in Maryland, as well as the dean of the University of Maryland's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The commission presented its preliminary recommendations Tuesday at the Maryland Farm Bureau's annual convention in Ocean City.
The Agricultural Stewardship Commission was created in April, charged with coming up with draft legislation relating to farming practices and their results, particularly farm wastes, and the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Its focus has since broadened to include farm preservation, as well.
Its members, who were appointed by the Senate president and the House speaker, include Kim L. Coble, Maryland executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and Earl "Buddy" Hance, president of the Maryland Farm Bureau, as well as state delegates and senators. The group held its final working meeting Wednesday in Annapolis, and it plans to offer draft legislation in the General Assembly's next session.
"I think the work of the two groups is going to complement each other," said Del. J.B. Jennings, a Republican representing Baltimore and Harford counties and member of the Stewardship Commission. "The governor definitely spearheaded the issue, but both branches are willing to approach the issue and work hard to resolve these issues."
Both groups seem to agree on the importance of land-use issues. The Agricultural Commission's report will probably recommend that lawmakers put money into MARBIDCO, a program to help young farmers buy land. The program was created this year but has not been funded. The Stewardship Commission also included backing for the program, to the tune of at least $5 million in its first year, among its draft policy recommendations released at Wednesday's meeting.
