Gov. John Carney joined Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, Department of Agriculture Secretary Michael T. Scuse and volunteers April 11 to plant trees on farmland recently acquired by DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation for Killens Pond State Park. Pictured, from left to right, STRIVE program student Richard […]

Lilly Bartlett, a fifth-grader from Allen Frear Elementary School in Camden, is the overall winner of the Delaware Forest Service's annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest. This year's competition attracted almost 9,500 entries from more than 75 schools. The theme – "Trees Are Terrific…for Today and Tomorrow!" – highlights the long-lasting impact of planting a tree and the many benefits it provides for the future. Since 1872, Arbor Day has been observed as a special day to plant trees and celebrate their many benefits!  2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the first Arbor Day in Nebraska. The complete gallery of winners is at de.gov/arbordaypostercontest

To kick off Earth Week and National Volunteer Week, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) hosted its 2022 DNREC Volunteer Awards ceremony Monday in Brandywine Park, Wilmington, alongside a Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) planting by Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG) youth volunteers.

Beginning on April 29, 2022, the Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy will accept grant applications through the First State Food System Program for projects to enable local entities to address challenges, stabilize, strengthen, and build resilience in our food system.

Governor John C. Carney, Jr. celebrated the 150th Anniversary of Arbor Day at Rehoboth Elementary School by spotlighting his “Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative” in a ceremony attended by members of the General Assembly, state and local officials, schoolchildren, and their families. Governor Carney recognized two of Delaware’s 14 Tree City USA communities – the City of Rehoboth Beach for 31 years and Dover Air Force Base for 30 years – and also honored student winners in the annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest. The event culminated with the planting of 10 new native trees on the school campus. Photos at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzNDjt

Federal laboratory testing confirmed cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI) in samples taken from black vultures initially found sick and dead on April 22 in Harford County, Maryland. Considering the ongoing detections in the black vulture population, all poultry owners need to continue with increased vigilance in protecting their flocks from contracting avian influenza.

Governor Carney, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Nikko Brady, and state legislators honored four Delaware farm families for their commitment to keeping farmland within the family for 100 years.

Five years after the first confirmed spotted lanternfly was found in New Castle County in 2017, the spotted lanternfly has made its way to Sussex County, creating a statewide quarantine for this invasive pest.

During a stop at the Delaware Agriculture Education & Commodities Building at the Delaware State Fair, Governor John Carney announced an additional 3,827 acres on 54 farms are now permanently preserved for future generations.

TOWNSEND, Del. (September 7, 2022) – Volunteers are needed to plant 2,000 hardwood seedlings along the Cypress Branch at Blackbird State Forest on Saturday, September 17 to provide scenic beauty, enhance wildlife habitat, fight invasive species, and improve water quality in the critical Chesapeake Bay Watershed. State Forester Michael Valenti said, “Planting trees is a […]

DOVER, Del. (October 4, 2022) – The Delaware Forest Service has detected approximately 825 acres of defoliation around the Cypress Swamp, Gumboro, and the Nanticoke Wildlife Area due to gypsy moths, as compared to 2021 with only about 12 acres impacted by this invasive pest. Trees most threatened from defoliation by the gypsy moth, also […]

Members of the Delaware Nutrient Management Commission approved an emergency order during their October 4 meeting to allow for a 180-day extension for properly staged poultry litter in Delaware Crop fields beginning on November 1.

DOVER, Del. (November 4, 2022) – Delaware’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is now accepting applications for up to $5,000 in matching grants for tree planting and management projects on public land and community open space. Urban and community grants are open to all Delaware municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified nonprofits, including schools and churches. […]

The Delaware Forest Service is now seeking entries for its annual Arbor Day Poster Contest, open to all K-5 public, private, homeschool, after-school, and other organized youth groups.  Designed to increase student knowledge about trees and forest resources, the contest is a great way for students to learn about the role trees play in our communities and their direct impact on Delawareans' health and well-being.

The urban forestry grant program helps communities harness the numerous natural benefits of trees: cleaner air and water, energy savings, increased property values, civic pride, and reduced storm water runoff and flooding. Funding is provided by the U.S. Forest Service and state funds.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is accepting proposals for the 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The federal Farm Bill is allotting approximately $340,000 through a competitive grant process to fund innovative projects supporting specialty crops and creating new and better markets for the Delaware specialty crop industry. DDA will accept applications through March 24, 2023.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Department of Agriculture (DDA) Forest Service are to celebrate World Wetlands Day today, Thursday, Feb. 2, by signing a cooperative agreement to manage and protect unique wetland communities that occur on state-owned forest, park and wildlife lands.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is accepting applications through May 1, 2023, for a new Poultry House Demolition Assistance Program announced today. The program provides cost-share assistance to remove old poultry houses past their useful life.

Lyla Jones, a second-grader from Brandywine Springs Elementary School in Wilmington, is the overall winner of the Delaware Forest Service's annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest. This year's competition attracted almost 7,600 entries from more than 70 schools. The theme – "Trees Are Terrific…In All Shapes and Sizes!" – highlights how a diverse community forest is a healthier forest that attracts a variety of wildlife and is more visually stimulating.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) announced that beginning on April 19, 2023, the Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy (Council) will accept grant applications for the second cycle of the First State Food System Program. Through this program, funding is available to Delaware farmers and a diverse range of food supply chain entities. Awarded funds will aid local entities to expand capacity, coordinate with partners in their communities, and do their part to build resilience in Delaware’s food system.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture has partnered with Pasa Sustainable Agriculture to assist frontline farm and meatpacking workers who live or work in Delaware in receiving a one-time $600 relief payment through the Farm and Food Workers Relief Program (FFWR).

DOVER, Del. (May 2, 2023) – On the morning of Saturday, April 29, the Delaware Forest Service celebrated Arbor Day with an extensive tree planting surrounding the Peters Scout Camp/Peters Tract at Blackbird State Forest, along with our 2023 Arbor Day Poster Contest winners and their families. With support from the Forest Initiative Fund (FIF), […]

DOVER, Del. (June 28, 2023) – Odessa High School in Townsend placed first among six Delaware high school FFA chapters that squared off at Brecknock County Park in Camden last week, at the annual “Forestry Career Development Event (CDE),” a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry tools and knowledge, and math-related abilities. Each team […]

On June 1, a new regulation was published in the Delaware Register of Regulations (Volume 26, Issue 12) listing potbellied pigs and feral swine of any kind as invasive. The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is providing a 30-day grace period for potbellied pig owners to apply for an Invasive Animal Permit. Owners have until August 12 to submit an application and comply with 3 DE Admin. Code 906 Possession, Sale, or Exhibition of Non-Native and Invasive Animal Species.

Whether you are headed to the state fair from the city, suburbs, or our rural communities, the Delaware State Fair is a perfect opportunity to learn about agriculture, the state’s top industry.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) today announced it is awarding $665,872 in funding to 12 projects through the First State Food System Program. The program, managed by the Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy, strengthens the local food system by supporting the broad food supply chain spectrum.

Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse presented Katherine “Kitty” Holtz with the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture during the State Fair Awards presentation on Governor’s Day for her contributions.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is reminding senior Delawareans who registered to participate in the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program to visit local farmers markets and on-farm markets to use their benefits before they expire on October 31.

With the announcement of the 27th round of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation, Delaware has reached a new milestone, permanently preserving 151,257 acres of farmland.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) announced they will be distributing $199,600 in relief funds through the Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety (SPRS) Block Grant Program to eligible Delaware seafood processors, dealers, and processing vessels who were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture is urging all poultry owners, including commercial producers and backyard flock owners, to take precautions to protect their flocks from disease after a commercial broiler flock in Caroline County, Maryland, was preliminarily confirmed to have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Further confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory is pending.

The challenge is geared towards children ages 4 through 10, but all ages are welcome to join. The Smokey Bear Reading Challenge aims to engage youth in reading about wildfire prevention, forests, and natural resource careers while they explore their local environment.

PHOTO: Lyla Jones of Brandywine Springs Elementary (at right) was the State winner for the 2023 poster contest. Contact: Ashley Melvin, Delaware Forest Service (302) 698-4551  ashley.melvin@delaware.gov DOVER, Del. (February 1, 2024) – The Delaware Forest Service is now seeking entries for its annual Arbor Day Poster Contest, open to all K-5 public, private, homeschool, […]

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is working with the Delaware Department of Agriculture to execute a controlled burn at Brandywine Creek State Park in February or March. This prescribed burn will help manage nearly 30 acres of meadowland near the park’s nature center.

Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), more than $1.7 million in competitive grant funding is available for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of Delaware’s food supply chain. The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) announced they are accepting applications for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) through April 30, 2024.

The Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy (Council) is accepting grant applications for Cycle 3 of the First State Food System Program. Through this program, funding is available to Delaware farmers and a diverse range of food supply chain entities. Awarded funds will aid local entities in expanding capacity, coordinating with partners in their communities, and doing their part to build resilience in Delaware’s food system.

Governor Carney, Secretary of Agriculture Scuse, and state legislators inducted three Delaware farm families into the Century Farm Program, honoring them for their commitment to keeping farmland within the family for 100 years. Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse also took the opportunity to announce a new program related to long-term ownership of family farms.

DOVER, Del. (April 22, 2024) – The Delaware Forest Service hosted the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Col. John Haslet Chapter in Dover, and other volunteers to establish a memorial plot dedicated to former State Forester Walter F. Gabel, who served in this role from 1974 to 1991. “We are excited about this DAR […]

Surrounded by family members, teachers, legislators, and cabinet officials, a dozen school-aged children from across Delaware were honored during the Delaware Forest Service’s annual Arbor Day celebration held on April 26 at Abbott’s Mill Nature Center for their artistic abilities, depicting this year’s theme of “Trees are Terrific…For Outdoor Adventures!”

Friday, May 15 is Peace Officers Memorial Day. On this day we pay tribute to peace officers across our country who have died, or who have been disabled in the line of duty. In accordance with federal law (36 U.S.C. 175) and a proclamation issued by President Trump, Governor Carney requests that the Delaware and […]

On Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those fallen heroes who have died while protecting our country. To honor the dedication and service of all of our service members Governor Carney requests that the proper protocol for the U.S. Flag Code be followed this Memorial Day. Flags are to be lowered to half-staff on Monday […]

With the passing of former State Representative Donald Clark on June 24, 2020 Governor Carney has ordered the United States and Delaware flags at state buildings and facilities be flown at half-staff Friday, July 10 as a mark of respect for Mr. Clark and his service to Delaware. Mr. Clark was first elected to the […]

Governor John Carney has ordered the Delaware state flag at State facilities be lowered to half staff on Monday, August 31 in observance of Overdose Awareness Day. The Governor’s order only applies to State facilities, however local governments, businesses and Delawareans flying the Delaware state flag are encouraged to participate as well. The Delaware state […]

Governor Carney has ordered the Delaware flag to be lowered September 9, 2020 to honor the many years of public service of former Milford mayor Joseph Ronald “Ronnie” Rogers who passed away on Sunday, August 30, 2020. Mr. Rogers began his political career in Milford by running for city council representing the 1st ward in […]

By a joint resolution approved by Congress on 12/18/2001, (Public Law 107-89) September 11th of each year has been designated as “Patriot Day”. This law also directs flags be lowered to half-staff on September 11th. In concurrence with this joint resolution, Governor Carney has ordered the U. S. and Delaware flags be flown at half-staff […]

Everyday across Delaware, thousands of firefighters serve their communities and protect the public by responding to not only fires but almost any emergency situation. Sunday, October 4 has been recognized by Congress as the day US and State flags are to be flown at half-staff in recognition of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Day. Governor […]

In accordance with 29 Del. C. §6332, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will hold virtual public hearings from November 9, 2020 through November 20, 2020 to review and take public comment on each state agency’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget request. A complete calendar of these virtual public hearings can be found here Notification […]

In accordance with 29 Del. C. §6332, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will hold virtual public hearings from November 9, 2020 through November 20, 2020 to review and take public comment on each state agency’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget request. A complete calendar of these virtual public hearings can be found here Notification […]

Monday, December 7, 2020 marks National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Each year, on December 7 we honor the over 2,400 men and women who lost their lives for our country on this day in 1941. Public Law 103-308 requests the President to issue a proclamation requesting flags be lowered to half staff each December 7. […]

Fourth annual report highlights State accomplishments WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Thursday released the fourth annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board. Governor Carney established GEAR by Executive Order in February of 2017 in order to identify ways for state government to operate more efficiently, improve the delivery of state services, and provide […]