More than 120,000 acres of Delaware farmland are now permanently preserved for future generations, state officials announced today, marking the 20th anniversary of the state's preservation program. With 17 farms on 2,245 acres entering the latest round of the program, the new milestone means that 24 percent of First State farmland is now preserved for perpetuity.

Middletown’s FFA Chapter won the 2016 Forestry Career Development Event (CDE) – a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry knowledge, and math abilities – held this week at Brecknock Park in Camden. Middletown will go on to compete in the forestry event at the 89th National FFA Convention & Expo from Oct. 19 to 22, 2016 in Indianapolis, IN. The Milford FFA Chapter placed second and will go on to compete in the forestry competition at the Eastern States Exposition or “The Big E!,” scheduled to take place in Springfield, MA on September 17.

The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) has awarded $22,000 in grants to eight volunteer fire companies to purchase equipment to fight wildfires and improve their wildfire readiness and capabilities. In the past 10 years, the DFS has provided 122 grants totaling more than $288,000 to volunteer fire companies through its Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program, funded by the U.S. Forest Service.

Eleven Delaware urban farm and community garden projects are receiving support to grow and thrive through a new initiative designed to strengthen communities and improve nutrition.

The Delaware Forest Service is sending a 20-person team of wildland firefighters to the Rocky Mountain region for a scheduled two-week assignment to battle wildfires for the National Interagency Fire Center. The crew departed Blackbird State Forest this morning and is headed to Denver, Colorado to be “pre-positioned” for a specific assignment.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture has announced the winners of its 2016 Happy and Healthy Chickens Photo Contest, celebrating the best snapshots of Delaware backyard poultry flocks. The winner, chosen from a field of nearly 100 photographs, was Weston Williams, 11, of Felton, for his photo “Proud Stance.”

Delaware’s wildland fire crew is returning to the First State after successfully battling wildfires in Colorado and Wyoming. The Delaware Forest Service dispatched the firefighters to Colorado on July 25. Their first assignment was assisting Colorado’s Bureau of Land Management on the 492-acre Milk Fire near Craig, Colorado. Next, they were sent by the Rocky Mountain Geographic Area Coordination Center to the 1,287-acre Tokewanna Fire near Mountain View, Wyoming. Finally, on August 4, they were dispatched to the 12,276-acre Whit Fire, located east of Yellowstone National Park near Cody, Wyoming.

A destructive, invasive beetle that kills ash trees, the emerald ash borer (EAB), has been confirmed in Delaware, making it the 28th state to have found the insect. The statewide impact is expected to be minimal, as ash trees make up only around two percent of Delaware's tree stock and the state has been preparing for more than a decade. State forestry and plant health officials are providing advice to homeowners, municipalities and civic groups at de.gov/ashtrees.

Participants in Delaware's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program can now use special coupons to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at 11 Delaware farmers' markets under a pilot program beginning this week.

West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis both spread by mosquitoes DOVER – Delaware horse owners are being advised to make certain their equines’ vaccinations are current to protect against the threat of two potentially fatal diseases. Unvaccinated horses suffer most severely from both West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis, which are spread by […]

Delaware is sending its second wildfire crew of the summer to the Great Basin region. Responding to a spike in wildfire activity in the West that has increased the National Fire Preparedness Level to 4 on a 5-point scale, Delaware has joined forces with neighboring Mid-Atlantic states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio) to dispatch five crews, a total of 100 firefighters, to battle fires in the Great Basin. The crews departed Harrisburg, PA for Salt Lake City on August 25. Delaware is now assigned to the Henry's Creek Fire near Idaho Falls, Idaho.

After two weeks of battling wildfires in the rugged terrain of Idaho, a Delaware wildfire crew is returning to Blackbird State Forest on September 11 at approximately 8 a.m. The team was dispatched by the Delaware Forest Service on August 25 at a time when the National Fire Preparedness Level was 4 on a 5-point scale. Over the past 14 days, the team battled the 52,972-acre Henry’s Creek Fire near Idaho Falls and the 1260-acre Grape Creek Fire, located 6 miles southwest of Elba, Idaho.

The 6th Annual Delaware Arborist and Tree Care Seminar will be November 2 and 3, 2016 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Delaware State University, 1200 N. DuPont Highway, Dover. Sponsored by the Delaware Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program, the seminar includes classroom lectures, hands-on training, and vendor exhibits offering the latest knowledge and best management practices on tree care, health, and tree worker safety. Continuing education credits for International Society of Arboriculture certification, Tree Care Industry Association and its Certified Tree Care Professional program, Delaware pesticide licensing, and Maryland Licensed Tree Expert certification will be offered. Major sponsors for the 2016 event include Delaware State University, Delmarva Power and Rainbow Scientific. Cost is $95 with lunch included both days.

Smokey Bear will be back in Delaware schools starting this October, visiting first-graders throughout the First State to remind children that "only you can prevent wildfires." The second week of October is National Fire Prevention Week, observed annually in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Smokey Bear has become one of the Delaware Forest Service's most successful educational programs. In the past two years, the DFS provided an average of 90 Smokey Bear fire education programs to about 8,250 students per year — representing almost 75% of the first-graders in the entire state. Created in 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history.

The Delaware Invasive Species Council (DISC), a non-profit organization dedicated to limiting the introduction and spread of non-native and invasive plant and animal species, has adopted an election year theme for its annual meeting and conference on Oct. 19 at the Delaware Agricultural Museum in Dover (866 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901). This year's conference agenda will explore the ways that land and natural resource managers, conservationists, and others that want their voices heard are keeping up with the fight on invasive species by voting them out! Registration opens at 8:30 am and the conference will kick off at 9:00 am. Lunch and an annual membership are included in the registration fee of $40.00.

Eight educational and research projects supporting Delaware crops will receive more than $300,000 in federal funding.

DOVER — Three Delaware families which have owned their farms for at least 100 years were honored as Century Farms on Tuesday. With the inductions Tuesday, there are now 133 Century Farms in Delaware, said Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “Our children and grandchildren depend upon farm families such as these to ensure that we […]

Organizations wanting to launch or expand an urban agriculture or community garden project to benefit their neighborhood can apply for micro-grants from the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

Tickets and sponsorships for the 46th Annual Delaware Agricultural Industry Dinner on Jan. 19 are now available.

Delaware's new pollinator protection plan outlines strategies, best practices, techniques and resources that beekeepers, farmers, landowners and pesticide applicators can use to help protect and enhance bees and other pollinators.

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.

Delaware farmers, lawn care companies, golf courses and other nutrient handlers should not apply nutrients to the ground during the winter months, the Delaware Department of Agriculture reminds applicators.

Dover-area poultry farmer Georgie Cartanza is the first American to receive a Nuffield International Scholarship, one of 90 farmers from around the world to participate in the global agricultural scholarship program.

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.

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 (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.

Delawareans still value local foods and farm-fresh products as demonstrated by a strong 2016 farmers' market season with over $2.9 million dollars in direct sales, the Delaware Department of Agriculture announced today.

Fruit and vegetable growers who want to learn about produce safety, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), developing food safety plans and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule are encouraged to attend several upcoming workshops. On March 16 and 17, the “Delaware FSMA Produce Safety Alliance Training, Produce Food Safety Updates, and Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop” will be held at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington. The workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. Lunch will be provided and registration is free, courtesy of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant and the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

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

Eighteen Delaware urban agriculture and community garden projects are receiving support through a second round of funding designed to strengthen communities and improve nutrition. The partnerships that have developed at the local and state around urban agriculture and community gardening have really helped to transform Delaware communities. The grants awarded this year totaled $27,671.74, with $17,671.74 from Delaware Department of Agriculture. New Castle Conservation District pledged the additional $10,000 match for New Castle County sites.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture announced today that they have hired a new State Apiarist, Meghan McConnell, a native of Millville, NJ. In her position, Meghan will be inspecting bee colonies, conducting surveys for the presence of honey bee parasites, and is responsible for securing samples of suspect colonies to determine suitable measures to control and/or eradicate disease.

Leslie Merriken received Delaware's 2017 "Tree Farmer of the Year" award for her extensive work in forestry conservation and education at the Delaware Forestry Association's annual meeting in Bridgeville. The honor recognizes landowners who practice exceptional management and promote sustainable forestry. The American Tree Farm System was established in 1941 and is one of the oldest forest landowner organizations. Delaware's first Tree Farm was certified in 1959; today there are more than 200 Tree Farms covering over 20,000 acres.

The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) has unveiled a new online tool that uses geographic information systems (GIS) software to help cities, towns, and neighborhoods to measure and increase their community tree canopy percentage. The link is: de.gov/treecanopy Developed by the Delaware Department of Agriculture's GIS specialist Jimmy Kroon, the tool covers the entire First State: municipalities as well as homeowner associations and neighborhoods can assess their current level of tree cover as a starting point to explore opportunities to plant new trees and maintain their existing ones.

To protect our State, we are asking Delawareans to join us in the battle against invasive plant pest and diseases. If you suspect an invasive pest or disease, contact our Plant Industries section at (302) 698-4500. Get acquainted with the hungry pests that would like to dine in Delaware by visiting www.hungrypests.com. This April—Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month—we urge you to help stop the spread of these harmful pests.

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 […]

A wildfire crew from the Delaware Forest Service is now working on the 300-acre Wilson Fire, located 9 miles north of Meeker, Colorado in Rio Blanco County. Started by lightning on July 7, the blaze is currently 15 percent contained and is threatening oil and gas production equipment. Delaware’s crew is comprised of 17 firefighters from Delaware and three from West Virginia. The crew flew from Harrisburg, PA on Sunday to the Rocky Mountain region along with teams from Maryland, New Hampshire, and two crews from Pennsylvania.

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."

Delaware fruit and vegetable growers can now receive financial support in obtaining a third party audit to verify they are following effective food safety practices. The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) is extending its Food Safety Audit Cost-Share Program for growers to include any third party food safety audit, not just USDA Harmonized GAP audits.

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.

In the scam, the homeowner is told that they must leave their house for a period of twelve hours while the individual sprays crops in the nearby vicinity. There are some indicators that these visits are a scam in an attempt to get the homeowner to leave their house unattended. There are currently no agricultural pesticide spraying practices in Delaware that would require one to leave their home.

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.

Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse is reminding farmers to complete the small grain production survey that has been sent out to nearly 300 producers by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The agency is taking a comprehensive look into the 2017 production and supply of small grains, which include wheat, oats, barley, and rye. 

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.