Although among the world’s most widely consumed seafoods, farmed salmon until recently has primarily taken place in the ocean with little attention given to alternatives such as controlled land-based techniques. Now, U.S. land-based Atlantic salmon farming is rising to new heights, due to the increased demand for sustainably produced seafood and an interest in more locally grown food sources.  Aquaculture professionals with the University of Maryland are embracing this opportunity, helping to advance the science and potential of these systems right here in Maryland.

As part of a $10 million grant, University of Maryland Extension aquaculture agent associate Catherine Frederick is working with residents, county and state officials, industry developers, national and international collaborators, and nonprofits, to educate the public and identify challenges faced by the introduction of land-based Atlantic salmon farms, helping to pave the way for increased quantities of sustainable seafood production in Maryland and across the U.S.

Frederick is specifically working in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, or RAS – fish farms that can produce local seafood with significantly reduced importation and transportation costs, making seafood more available and cheaper to consumers. These land-based aquaculture systems will provide a fresh, local source of salmon, said Frederick, and RAS technology offers advantages for sustainable production including waste treatment, enhanced biosecurity, and environmental condition control to maximize fish health, growth, and performance.

“The vision is to facilitate the growth of an environmentally sustainable, economically feasible U.S. Atlantic salmon industry,” said Frederick. “It’s an emerging industry and is creating lots of interest, excitement and questions. We will provide more information and education on how the industry utilizes and operates recirculating aquaculture systems as well as gather feedback from critical stakeholders and community residents. This feedback will be used to ensure we are combining our scientific know-how with the concerns and opportunities it presents within our current social, economic and environmental infrastructure.”

Partnering with Maryland Sea Grant’s Jim LaChance, Frederick will survey and assess community concerns in Maryland and other parts of the country where newly proposed, sited or possible Atlantic salmon aquaculture facilities may be built pending approval of permitting requirements. “We’re engaging the local community. They want to know, is it safe? Is it economically viable? Will it help my community?” says Frederick. “I’m here to see what it is that concerns the public, assess those concerns and create programs that address those needs.”

Working locally is only one piece of a larger $10 million U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) grant focusing on sustainable Atlantic salmon production using RAS technology. The Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon project, known as SAS², led by aquaculture expert Yonathan Zohar from the University of Maryland Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, looks to foster sustainable practices and increase food security through salmon “farming” in land-based facilities not only in Maryland, but across the U.S.

Additionally, educators Jackie Takacs and Amy Lang are incorporating Maryland Sea Grant’s Aquaculture in Action program into 4-H programming, as well as the FFA/vocational agriculture classroom experiences. UME seafood safety specialist Cathy Liu will also be working to identify gaps in industry seafood safety procedures, quality inspection, and generating nutritional data for land-based Atlantic salmon, ensuring safe and healthy seafood products. Bill Hubbard, state Extension program leader for environmental, natural resources and Sea Grant programs, provides oversight and integration with other Extension and state agency programs. Hubbard is excited about the possibilities of increasing the supply of local seafood and believes that it will contribute to healthier diets, lower food costs, and local jobs in an environmentally sustainable fashion.

“There’s more demand than ever for seafood, and seafood that is sustainably produced, so it’s a promising and significant economic investment for the state,” said Frederick. “And it’s not just increasing investment into land-based aquaculture here in Maryland, it’s an emerging trend for the U.S. with Maryland in a leadership role.”

To learn more about the Extension SAS² objectives, go to https://go.umd.edu/qcN. To learn more about RAS-N, go to https://ras-n.org/.

Estate planning for farms is a difficult subject to navigate — families must create a plan of succession for the business, understand the legalities of property inheritance, all while dealing with the emotional toll of having difficult conversations with their loved ones.

University of Maryland Extension specialists have joined forces to create a workshop that not only helps farm families maneuver through the legal portions of estate planning, but also provides tools and techniques to break down the barriers of communication that make these conversations so difficult.

Developed jointly by Alexander Chan, family relations and mental health specialist, and Paul Goeringer, senior faculty specialist in agricultural law, the first Family Communications and Estate Planning workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2021 at the Eastern Shore Higher Education Center located at the Chesapeake College Wye Mills campus, with other upcoming opportunities both regionally and virtually.

“When it comes to these conversations, we all know we have to have them and make a plan, but what should be easy seems so difficult,” said Chan. “Our workshop gives farm families the communication tools they need to start these conversations without it devolving into doomsday scenarios, it helps them break down those emotional walls of communication so that they can develop a plan.”

The first part of the workshop will offer concrete skills that help participants practice seeing things from other people’s perspectives, allowing people to work past the fear of starting that conversation, said Chan.

“We offer techniques to open the door to conversations, allowing everyone to feel heard,” Chan said. “These strategies help people respond without anger, and prepares them to listen and validate one another’s emotions, fears, and needs.”

The second part of the workshop, run by Goeringer, focuses on the legal aspects of estate planning, and the actual steps farm families need to take to assure their succession plan is in place accordingly.

“Our partnership in the workshops will help families start these difficult discussions, allowing them to get to the details and legalities of estate planning,” Goeringer said. “We all know we have to make these plans, but it can be challenging to know where to start, or how to start.”

Future workshops are planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2022 which will be held virtually, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2022 at the Carroll County Extension office. To register, go to https://www.agrisk.umd.edu/events. For more information, contact Alex Chan at [email protected] or 301-405-4153.

University of Maryland Extension will host a Farm Wellness Fair at the 4-H Park in Denton on November 8, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The event will offer speakers, demos, vendors, and resources to support farmers’ and farm workers’ mental health and wellbeing. The event will also include the opportunity to earn two Maryland Pesticide Private Applicator credits. Lunch and snacks are included, and the event is free to attend.

The purpose of the Farm Wellness Fair is to connect the agriculture industry with tools and resources that support healthy, profitable farm operations. University of Maryland Extension has planned the event with the help of local experts, including Mid Shore Behavioral Health, Inc. “Farms are the backbone of our community, but our farmers are not always getting the support they need,” said Kathryn Dilley, executive director of Mid Shore Behavioral Health. “This event will help farmers learn about tools they can use to help their workers, family members, or even themselves with mental health and addiction issues.”

A 2020 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control identified suicide rates to be significantly higher in the agriculture industry than the general population. Opioid use has also had an outsized impact on rural, farming communities. A Morning Consult survey sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union found that 74% of farmers and farm workers have been directly impacted by opioid use, either by a family member or someone in their network who has struggled with opioids, or by taking or becoming addicted to opioids themselves.

Shannon Dill, principal agent for the University of Maryland Extension, said, “Healthy farms are successful farms. That doesn’t just mean having healthy soil, crops, and animals, but healthy people as well.” Dill noted that investing in farm workers’ wellbeing is an important part of running a successful ag operation. “We constantly monitor the health of our crops and animals and look for signs that they’re struggling. It’s important to do that for our people too.”

The Farm Wellness Fair is free to attend and open to anyone interested in the agricultural community, including farmers, farm workers, family members, suppliers, and supporters. Registration is available at bit.ly/farmwellness.

The Farm Wellness Fair is hosted by University of Maryland Extension with grant support from AmerisourceBergen Foundation, an independent not-for-profit charitable giving organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich that global community. Other project partners include Mid Shore Behavioral Health, Inc., Farming4Hunger, Caroline County Health Department, Maryland Rural Health Association, Eastern Shore Mobile Crisis Response Team, Maryland Coalition of Families, and the Jesse Klump Memorial Fund.