Thirty Delaware farmers have fresh-cut and live Christmas trees available for First State families this holiday season, with local firs, spruces and pines in abundance - all easy to find at de.gov/christmastrees.

With winter’s official start today, the Delaware Department of Agriculture reminds poultry and livestock growers to take proper precautions to shelter and protect their animals.

The Delaware Forest Service is now accepting applications for up to $40,000 in urban forestry grants for tree planting or tree management projects on public lands or community open space. Requests can range from $500 to $5,000 and must be matched on a 50-50 basis with non-federal funds or in-kind services (volunteer or staff time, equipment rental, etc.). The program is open to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and non-profit groups within the State of Delaware. In the past 10 years, the program has awarded more than $1 million to fund a wide range of tree projects throughout the First State.

Poultry farmers Ted Layton and Scott Willey have been recognized for their efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2016 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Gov. Jack Markell has presented the Order of the First State to two noted Delaware agricultural leaders and public servants, Bob Garey of Felton and Bill Vanderwende of Bridgeville.

Brothers Keith and Richard Carlisle, who have been farming near Greenwood since the 1960s, were jointly honored for their service and contributions Thursday evening, presented with the Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service to Delaware Agriculture.

  DOVER – Delaware cat owners are being advised to make certain that their pets’ vaccinations are up to date to protect against disease after three cases of feline distemper, also called feline panleukopenia, were recently reported by a Dover-area veterinary clinic. The three reported cases occurred in two six-month-old kittens and one adult cat. […]

The Delaware Forest Service is closing a picnic pavilion and adjacent parking lot at Redden State Forest due to persistent criminal activity at the site, located on the Jester Tract at Camp Road and Redden Road north of Georgetown, Sussex County. Designed by Delaware’s first state forester William S. Taber and constructed by conservation work crews in 1936, the rustic pavilion has now become a magnet for lewd conduct, drugs, and other offenses that have occasionally startled and kept away other visitors. While agency officials have no specific timetable for reopening, they plan to use the closure period for renovations and security upgrades that could again allow for public access at the site.

The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) is offering up to $4,500 in grants to help fire companies in the First State improve their readiness and ability to fight wildfires. The deadline is May 1 and the form is available on-line. Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program has provided more than 120 grants worth almost $300,000 to Delaware volunteer fire companies over the past 10 years. All grants require a 50-50 cost-share match and priority will be given to applicants that have not received funding in the past three years.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the Delaware Forestry Association (DFA) will present its 2017 “Tree Farmer of the Year” award on Thursday, March 23 at its annual banquet and meeting at the Bridgeville Fire Hall, 311 Market Street, Bridgeville, Delaware 19933, (302) 337-7272. Tickets are $27 for adults and free for children under 12. Reservations are kindly requested by March 17. Forms are available at delawareforest.com

Nearly $300,000 in federal grant funding is now available for projects to help increase the competitiveness of Delaware-grown specialty crops. The Delaware Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through May 15, 2017.

U.S. Senator Thomas R. Carper joined public officials and schoolchildren to observe "Delaware Arbor Day" at Dover Air Force Base, which celebrated its 25th Year as a Tree City USA. The last Friday in April is commemorated as Arbor Day in the First State, an occasion to encourage tree planting and highlight the numerous benefits that trees provide: cleaner air and water, natural beauty, valuable wood products and food, reduced storm water runoff, and improved property values. The ceremony also honored the winners of the Delaware Forest Service's annual school poster contest and included a ceremonial tree planting of an American holly (Ilex opaca), Delaware's state tree.

The Delaware Forest Service's urban and community program has awarded $58,409 in grants to 22 municipalities, HOA's, and nonprofits to fund planting and management projects to improve tree canopy on public lands and open space in the First State. Over the past 10 years, the program has funded more than $1 million in community-based tree projects in Delaware. Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, Delaware's Urban and Community Grant Program is open to all municipalities, community associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations within the State of Delaware. Funds can only be utilized on public property owned by the municipality, HOA, or nonprofit organization. Grants can range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in one of two project categories: tree planting or tree management. All applications require a 50-50 cost-share match in either cash or in-kind services within program guidelines.

“I am proud to announce the largest round of Delaware farmland permanently preserved through the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Program in the last several years. This is a result of federal funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and funding from both New Castle County and Kent County,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse. More than 124,000 acres of Delaware farmland are now permanently preserved for future generations, with 3,039 acres of easements selected into the state’s preservation program.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture is urging farmers to participate in the two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey, conducted by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NASS will survey nearly 400 farmers across Delaware to determine crop production and supply levels in 2017. “As an $8 billion industry, agriculture plays a major role in Delaware’s economy,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse. “The information that our farmers provide is critical to helping everyone – from fellow farmers to lawmakers to extension professionals – make decisions that will impact our industry. It is critical that NASS has the most accurate data, so I urge Delaware farmers to participate in the June Surveys.”

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Friday released the following statement commending Delaware Forest Service’s wildfire crew prior to the mobilization of the 20-person team that will battle wildfires in the Rocky Mountain region. “Delaware’s wildfire crew is a group of well-trained volunteers and public servants who will leave the safety and comfort of […]

Governor John C. Carney, Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Delaware Forest Service and honored the wildfire crew that just returned from two weeks battling blazes in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The crew, which left the First State on July 8 and returned on July 23, first tackled the 700-acre Wilson Fire near Meeker, Colorado – started by lightning on July 7. The firefighters then moved on to the Grizzly Fire before finishing up on the Dragon Fire – located just south of Rangely, Colorado. Delaware’s team included 17 state and federal firefighters from Delaware and three from West Virginia. "The Forest Service has done unbelievable work over 90 years," Governor Carney told the audience. "As we celebrate 98 years of the Delaware State Fair, we've got a lot of other milestones that are happening, including the recognition of Delaware's state forestry service for 90 years of operation and their tremendous work."

Late summer coincides with peak mosquito season, which brings an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) for humans, but also for horses. “Owners are encouraged to talk to their veterinarian about having their horses vaccinated against these viruses,” said Delaware State Veterinarian Dr. Heather Hirst.

The Office of the State Veterinarian today announced the Delaware's first case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in a horse in 2017. This is the first confirmed case of WNV in a horse in Delaware since 2015.

Healthy Bees are essential to Delaware’s vegetable production and agricultural economy. Delaware's beekeeping laws aim to reduce the impact of stressors through specific requirements of all beekeepers in the state, such as hive registration, colony and equipment inspection for sale, trade or gifting of bees.

The Delaware Forest Service is seeking new recruits for its upcoming wildfire training classes at the Delaware State Fire School (1461 Chestnut Grove Road, Dover, DE 19904). No previous experience is needed. Candidates should be over 18, physically fit, motivated to learn, and willing to travel for at least two weeks (usually during the summer) for out-of-state fire assignments. This year’s training will take place over two separate weekend sessions: The first is on October 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day (lunch included). The second is on November 4 and 5 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day (lunch included). The cost for each session is $50. Register by October 16 by contacting the State Fire School at (302) 739-4773 or email: fire.school@state.de.us.

Delaware farmers, between 18 and 40 years old have the opportunity to apply for the Young Farmers Loan Program through November 30, 2017. The program provides long-term, no-interest loans to help eligible farmers purchase land, reducing the financial impact on farmers just starting out or looking to expand.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture announced today that seven projects received grant funding through USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program. Delaware received nearly $300,000 to enhance the competitiveness of Delaware grown specialty crops, defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).

Delaware timber harvests achieved a 93 percent rate of compliance with best management practices (BMPs) designed to protect water quality and limit soil erosion, according to a new report. Dr. Anne Hairston-Strang, a forest hydrologist with the Maryland DNR Forest Service, assessed the use and effectiveness of BMPs by surveying a total of 72 sites in Maryland and Delaware from 2014 to 2016. Selected sites were locations with waterway crossings and buffers with the greatest potential for water quality impacts. Effects were expected to be larger than normal because high rainfall during the 2014-2016 period represented an increase of 20 percent above the 30-year average. Final data indicated that the average sediment delivery across all locations was less than one cubic foot per site—indicating that proper use of BMPs was successful at protecting water quality during harvest operations.

Poultry farmers Randy and Jordan McCloskey were recognized during Delaware Ag Week for their efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2017 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Fifer Orchards recognized for their overall contribution to agriculture at the Delaware Agricultural Industry Dinner on Thursday evening were presented with the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service to Delaware Agriculture.

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released the final crop production numbers for 2017. Overall, Delaware farmers had a good year with some of the crops breaking records. According to Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse, “Yields such as we had in 2017 are good news for our farmers, and for poultry growers and processors who use much of the grain grown here for feed.”

The Delaware Forestry Association (DFA) will present its 2018 “Tree Farmer of the Year” award on Thursday, March 22, at its annual banquet and meeting at the Bridgeville Fire Hall, 311 Market Street, Bridgeville, Delaware 19933, (302) 337-7272. Tickets are $27 for adults, $13.50 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children 6 and under. Reservations are kindly requested by March 16. The Delaware Forestry Association is also offering its annual $1000 scholarship to a student who chooses forestry or a related major at a two-year or four-year accredited college or university. Applications are due by April 1 and the winner will be notified by May 1.

Volunteers of all ages are needed this month to help plant 8,800 hardwood seedlings along the Cypress Branch at Blackbird State Forest to enhance the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The planting will take place on Saturday, March 17, and Sunday, March 18, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at Blackbird State Forest’s Naudain Tract, 2076 Harvey Straughn Road, Townsend, Delaware 19734. The weekend tree planting is a “rain or shine” event. Equipment, including shovels, will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather and wear boots or other work shoes. Snacks will be provided and commemorative T-shirts and patches will be given to both youth and adult volunteers on a first-come, first-served basis. The project is a cooperative partnership between the Delaware Forest Service, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Watershed Stewardship, and the Girl Scouts of the USA.

DNREC and Department of Agriculture will conduct a joint public hearing Monday, March 12 on proposed regulations for possessing firearms in Delaware’s state parks and wildlife areas and state forests.

More than $20,000 in grants is now available to help volunteer fire companies fight wildfires in their communities. The Delaware Forest Service's Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants are designed to help fire companies purchase the specialized equipment needed to meet the unpredictable threat of wildfires in fields, forests, open spaces, and marshes. Applicants can request up to $4500 per year. Funds can be used to acquire items such as ¾-inch to 1-½ inch forestry hose, safety gear, brush unit pumps/skids, and hand tools. All grants require a 50-50 cost-share match in cash or in-kind services and priority will be given to applicants that have not received funding in the past three years. Last year, seven volunteer fire companies received $23,020 through the VFA grant program to purchase wildfire suppression equipment.

Douglas R. Simpson of Bridgeville has been named the 2018 Delaware Tree Farmer of the Year for his longtime dedication to forest conservation and landowner education. The award recognizes landowners who practice exceptional management and promote sustainable forestry. Simpson is a Delaware native who owns tree farms on approximately 700 acres in Sussex County, which were first certified in 1995. The award was given at the annual meeting and banquet of the Delaware Forestry Association at the Bridgeville Fire Hall.

The Delaware Forest Service has awarded $58,244 to fund 16 tree planting projects throughout the First State. Since 2007, the agency has given more than $1.7 million to cities, towns and homeowner groups to support community tree efforts that take place on public lands.

Governor John C. Carney, Jr. presided over the Delaware Forest Service's 2018 Arbor Day Celebration at DNERR St. Jones Reserve in Dover on Friday, May 4. Joined by Rep. Harvey Kenton, Rep. David Wilson, Agriculture Secretary Michael T. Scuse, and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, Governor Carney honored the winners of the Delaware Forest Service's Arbor Day School Poster Contest, including Statewide Winner Amelia Meyer of Southern Delaware School of the Arts in Selbyville. The 2018 poster contest theme was "Trees are Terrific... and Perfect for Pollinators!" The Governor also recognized representatives from some of Delaware's 17 Tree City USA communities, including Dover Air Force Base and Arden. The event culminated with the planting of two new hawthorn trees, part of a new "science garden" at the reserve, in keeping the 2018 poster contest theme and its focus on pollinators.

When a new shellfish grower recently placed his first shipment of tiny oysters in growing cages in Rehoboth Bay, it marked the physical start of Delaware’s shellfish aquaculture program administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish & Wildlife.

During the next several weeks, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey. The agency will contact around 350 producers across Delaware to determine crop acreage and stock levels as of June 1, 2018.

More than 127,000 acres of Delaware farmland are now permanently preserved for future generations, with the purchase of the development rights of 41 farms totaling 3,534 acres. This is the 22nd consecutive year of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation.

Online tool helps Delawareans understand, visualize farmland preserved in all three counties DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney and the Delaware Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday a new, interactive dashboard to help Delawareans better understand farmland preservation. Delaware’s statewide program made its first round of easement purchases in 1996, and has since preserved 22 […]

The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, new to Delaware, will provide fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey at no cost to low-income Sussex County senior citizens at four farmers’ markets in the Rehoboth Beach/Lewes area. Funding for the program is provided by the Delaware Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Woodbridge High School's FFA took the top spot at the 2018 Forestry Career Development Event (CDE) held in Camden, Delaware this week.  Woodbridge was followed by Middletown, Smyrna, and Sussex Central. Woodbridge will now go on to represent Delaware at the 91st Annual FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis from October 24 to 27, 2018. For the first time, the 2018 challenge included a total of eight middle and high school teams competing in separate events at the same location. Smyrna Middle School's FFA took first place in their event, beating out teams from Walters Middle School (Appoquinimink), Meredith Middle School (Appoquinimink) and Millsboro Middle School.

A partnership with the Delaware State Police and the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police is helping the Delaware Forest Service reopen its historic picnic pavilion at Redden State Forest that was closed in early 2017 due to persistent illegal activity. The parking lot and rest area – popular with hikers and horseback riders – now features bright lighting, 24-hour video surveillance, and regular patrols by both marked and undercover law enforcement personnel. Along with these enhanced security measures, new signage reminds visitors that the site is closed from dusk to dawn.

Following a starting gate incident related to the fifth race on June 14, 2018, the Delaware Department of Agriculture opened a full animal cruelty investigation into the treatment of the horse, “Accolade.” Based upon a thorough investigation at both the state and track levels, the assistant starter was cleared of any wrong doing.

For the first time, the Delaware Forest Service (DFS) will issue turkey hunting permits through a separate lottery for the 2019 spring season. Previously, statewide permits were available only through DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. The 2019 Delaware turkey hunting season runs for four consecutive weeks from Saturday, April 13 to Saturday, May 11, with a special youth and non-ambulatory disabled hunter day scheduled for Saturday, April 6.  State forest turkey permits will be issued for one of four season segments: A (4/13-4/19), B (4/20-4/26), C (4/27-5/3), or D (5/4-5/11).

Ashley Melvin, the Delaware Forest Service's education specialist who directs its successful Smokey Bear fire prevention program, received a Gold Smokey Award in Ohio recently at an annual meeting of state foresters. The award was presented to the Mid-Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact's education committee, of which Delaware is a member. The compact is comprised of seven states including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. In the world of wildfire prevention, there is no greater honor than to receive a Smokey Bear award, especially the national Gold Smokey award. These special awards are reserved for people or organizations that provide sustained, outstanding service, with significant program impact, in the wildfire prevention arena. Honorees demonstrate innovation, creativity, commitment and passion for wildfire prevention.

The Delaware Forest Service is sending a crew of 20 wildland firefighters to the Northern Rockies to help battle wildfires in the West as the National Fire Preparedness Level is now at the maximum of 5 on a 5-point scale. The team is flying from Harrisburg to Missoula, Montana (MSO) on Sunday, August 5. Delaware also sent a crew to the Rocky Mountains on July 3.

After a year-long community planning process led by the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA), the newly formed Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy will facilitate access to resources that will allow all Delawareans to circumvent challenges associated with securing nutritious and local food options, minimizing deficiency and vulnerability within communities, and achieving healthy lifestyles. The Council will advise Delaware’s Secretary of Agriculture on policy, project development, resource priorities, and implementation strategies to achieve its goal.

The Office of the State Veterinarian announced today Delaware’s first and second cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) found in horses in 2018. The first infected horse is a 3-year-old Standardbred mare and the second horse is a 2-year-old Thoroughbred mare, both residing in Kent County.

The Office of the State Veterinarian announced today Delaware’s third case of West Nile Virus (WNV) found in horses in 2018. The infected equine is a 10-year-old pony gelding that was purchased from a Pennsylvania livestock auction and transported to a premises in New Castle County, DE on August 27. On August 30, the pony was observed to have a fever, was leaning and walking sideways. He progressed to show signs of wobbling and staggering, decreased tail tone, and facial nerve deficits. Samples were submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, which confirmed the diagnosis of WNV on September 7. The vaccination history for this pony is unknown.

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Forest Service is looking to increase its wildfire crews for the upcoming season through training for new recruits. During the 2018 wildfire season, Delaware sent two full crews out to Colorado, Idaho, and Montana to be first responders. Interested recruits should be over 18 years old, physically fit, motivated, and […]

The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation voted to extended district enrollment until December 31, 2018 to any agricultural landowners who want to preserve their farms and still have the opportunity to submit an application for the upcoming round. Farms must be enrolled in a preservation district before the landowner can sell an easement.