Issues

Priority 1: Solar Energy

Goal: Safeguard farmland while meeting energy needs; keep solar off prime soils and out of “agricultural use” classifications.

Supporting policy lines (ready to cite):

• Oppose commercial and community solar energy facilities being considered as an agricultural activity.
• Oppose use of the word “farm” when referring to alternative energy generation facilities.
• Oppose community or commercial solar on Class 1 and Class 2 agricultural soils; steer projects to public lands, brownfields, rooftops, parking lots, urban areas instead of farmland.
• Support reducing the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (RECA) cap on utility‑scale solar in county Priority Preservation Areas from 5% to 2%.
• Oppose State preemption of local land‑use policy for renewable energy projects; preserve local control.
• Protect soils at solar sites (e.g., no topsoil removal or stockpiling).
• Clarify agrivoltaics: oppose agrivoltaics as justification for defining solar as an agricultural use; oppose solar battery storage/fields/agrivoltaics being defined as agricultural use unless for on‑farm point‑of‑use.
• If a solar developer includes pollinator habitat, require MDE to verify installation and maintenance to NRCS standards for the life of the site.

Priority 2: Private Property Rights

Goal: Protect landowners from uncompensated takings and unwanted access; keep agriculture viable.

Supporting policy lines:

• Oppose public access to or through private property without owner permission; oppose deed restrictions/covenants that prohibit ag production.
• Oppose mandatory buffers/setbacks that retire land; require due process and just compensation for any government action that diminishes property value or use.
• Support legislation to protect private property rights; place burden of survey disputes on the disputing party; require neighbor notification before survey/plat recording.
• Oppose the Open Fields Doctrine.
• Eminent domain: compensate for business losses, not just land value; oppose eminent domain on preserved/conserved property; if unused for the taken purpose, offer back to the original owner first.
• Rights‑of‑way: use least‑desirable land, compensate for crop loss/compaction/business loss, avoid new utility easements through prime or preserved farmland; allow leasing of transmission line easements.

Priority 3: Wildlife Management

Goal: Reduce crop losses and safety risks by aligning DNR policies with on‑farm realities.

Supporting policy lines:

• Make deer management to minimize crop losses a DNR priority; lower deer per‑square‑mile ratios; add seasons/extend gun seasons where needed; enhance hunting on public lands adjacent to farms.
• Improve tools: automatic deer management permits tied to forest plans; simplified harvest reporting; allow spotlighting under DMPs for nighttime use; remove DMP harvest limits; no DMP fees.
• Support tax credits per donated deer and funding (or cost‑share) to deter crop damage; fund Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry.
• Address bird depredation (blackbirds/grackles/starlings), streamline control of black‑headed vultures; maintain tools to repel wildlife from crops.
• Black bear: develop innovative control practices; create depredation permits; broaden landowner access to the hunt.
• Waterfowl crop damage: reimburse farmers; adjust seasons/bag limits and Sunday waterfowl hunting (policy allows county differences noted).

Priority 4: Right‑to‑Farm

Goal: Strengthen RTF protections and shield normal practices and agritourism from nuisance suits.

Supporting policy lines:

• Strengthen Maryland’s Right‑to‑Farm law and extend protections to ag‑supported industries and the supply chain.
• Support a constitutional amendment affirming the right to engage in farming practices as foundational to Maryland’s economy.
• Require nuisance claims to go first to a county reconciliation board; treat board decisions as judgments; dismiss suits for failure to follow the process and allow full recovery of legal fees.
• Funding: allow private, voluntary commodity check‑offs for defending environmental suits.
• Oppose local or state rules that regulate ag machinery based on nuisance or emissions (noise, gas/diesel) beyond current standards.

Priority 5: Agricultural Education

Goal: Expand high‑quality, MSDE‑approved ag programs statewide; fully fund FFA and MAEF.

Supporting policy lines:

• Advance the Blueprint for Agricultural Education aligned with Maryland’s Blueprint; ensure personnel and funding to expand ag education in middle and high schools, including urban community schools.
• Establish an Office of Agricultural Education; recognize Maryland FFA State Degree + SAE + instruction as an Industry‑Recognized Credential; become an FFA‑affiliated state.
• Expand Career & Technology Education ag pathways with all three rings (classroom/lab, FFA, SAE); fund extra‑duty contracts for ag educators.
• Fund MAEF via special appropriations and Ag Tag revenues; maintain public on‑farm field trips; review environmental & ag literacy graduation requirements with MAEF.
• Support teacher training (mini‑courses and in‑service on ag careers); expand ag programs to middle schools; fully fund Maryland FFA administration.

Priority 6: Digital Infrastructure / Data Centers

Goal: Keep data centers off ag land; require transparency, recycled water, and energy self‑sufficiency.

Supporting policy lines:

• Critical Digital Infrastructure: require recycled water for cooling; transparency by local authorities in siting; oppose construction on agricultural/forestry land and any mandate tying new utility‑scale solar to such facilities.
• Data Centers: retain local zoning control; require dense, energy‑independent sources (e.g., self‑supplied power); oppose siting on prime ag soils or rural lands that degrade property value, environment, water/electric capacity; study grid impacts and costs; ensure infrastructure in place before approval.