As Delawareans stock up their firewood supplies, state officials remind buyers and sellers that firewood must be sold and advertised only by cords. Under Delaware Code, firewood and stove wood must be advertised, offered for sale, and sold only by a cord measure or fractions of a cord or cubic meter. Selling firewood by truckload, rack, face cord or pile is not permitted under state law.

Delaware farmers’ markets had a record $2.6 million sales season, double that of just five years ago, thanks to dramatically increasing interest in local food and farm-fresh products, the Delaware Department of Agriculture announced today. “This record-setting season is a reflection of Delaware’s thriving local food movement,” said Governor Jack Markell.

The Delaware Forest Service is holding its annual Arbor Day School Poster Contest, which is open to all Delaware students in grades K to 5. Public, private and home schools are encouraged to participate and posters are welcome from after-school groups and youth organizations. This year’s contest theme is “Trees are Terrific… Inside and Out.” To participate, teachers must register their classes by March 13 and submit posters by the deadline of March 27. Classes that participate can also request free pine seedlings on a first-come, first-served basis.

Agricultural entrepreneurs who want to produce certain foods in their on-farm kitchens can receive food safety training and become certified under Delaware law at an upcoming workshop. The eight-hour Food Safety for Entrepreneurs program will be Saturday, Feb. 28, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Department of Agriculture offices near Camden, 2320 South DuPont Highway.

Agricultural entrepreneurs who want to produce certain foods in their on-farm kitchens can receive food safety training and become certified under Delaware law at an upcoming workshop.

Delaware horse racing contributed more than $182 million to the state's economy in 2014, supporting the equivalent of more than 1,500 full-time jobs, according to an economic impact study released today.

Municipalities, community associations, and non-profits in Delaware can now apply for urban and community forestry grants up to $5,000 from the Delaware Forest Service for a tree planting or tree management project.

Delaware farmers' markets broke through another record last year, surpassing $3 million in sales, demonstrating the continued interest in local foods and farm-fresh products.

A Kent County farm founded before the First World War was recognized Thursday as Delaware's newest Century Farm. The Thompson family, which owns a 77-acre farm near Hartly, was honored with the Century Farm Award at a ceremony at Delaware Ag Week at the State Fairgrounds in Harrington.

Agricultural entrepreneurs who want to produce certain foods in their on-farm kitchens can receive food safety training and become certified under Delaware law at an upcoming workshop.

"Trees are Terrific...and Forests are Too!" That's the theme of the Delaware Forest Service's 2016 Arbor Day Poster Contest, which is open to all children in grades K to 5 in Delaware public, private, home, and charter schools. After-school programs and youth groups are also eligible. The deadline for poster submission is April 8, 2016. For more information, email contest coordinator Ashley Peebles at ashley.peebles@state.de.us or call 302-698-4551. Winners will receive a $25.00 gift card, a ceremonial tree planting held at the winner's school, and an invitation to the State Arbor Day Ceremony (attended by the Governor).

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

Rain Vasey, a 5th-grader at Water Girl Farm Academy in Lincoln, is the winner of the 2016 Arbor Day School Poster Contest. The Delaware Forest Service sponsors the contest for Delaware schoolchildren in grades K to 5 for all public, private, home, and charter schools. The winners receive a tree planting at their school, a gift card, a tree-themed book, and an invitation for them and their family to attend the State Arbor Day event with Governor Markell on May 12

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 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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Delaware Forest Service is seeking entries for its annual Arbor Day Poster Contest, open to students in grades K to 5 from all public, private, homeschool, afterschool, and other organized youth groups. Winning posters will be selected from each of the three counties in the following grade categories: Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3 and 4, and Grade 5. The twelve winners will be recognized at the annual Statewide Arbor Day Celebration hosted by Governor Carney in Dover. A tree planting ceremony will be scheduled at each winner’s school and the teacher receives a $50 gift card for classroom supplies. The deadline to register is March 15 with poster submissions due by March 31.

Agricultural entrepreneurs who want to produce certain foods in their on-farm kitchens can receive food safety training and become certified under Delaware law at an upcoming workshop jointly sponsored by the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and the Delaware Department of Agriculture. The eight-hour “Food Safety for Entrepreneurs” program presented by Dr. Sue Snider of the University of Delaware will take place Saturday, March 25, at the Delaware Department of Agriculture, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The spotted lanternfly - a destructive, invasive plant hopper - has been confirmed in New Castle County. This insect is a potential threat to several important agricultural crops including grapes, apples, peaches, and lumber. State plant health and forestry officials are providing information, fact sheets, photographs, and links to other resources at de.gov/hitchhikerbug. Early detection is vital for the protection of Delaware businesses and agriculture.

Six Delaware families which have owned their farms for at least 100 years were honored as 2017 Century Farms. “Today we are recognizing farm families that have made a commitment for 100 years or more to keep their land in agriculture for future generations,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “It’s in the true spirit of farm families who weather the ups and downs of farming that Delaware agriculture is able to remain strong.”

DOVER – The Delaware Supreme Court, by decision dated Dec. 7, 2017 in the matter of Bridgeville Rifle & Pistol Club, LTD, overturned a Superior Court ruling and ended a ban on visitors’ possessing firearms in Delaware’s state parks and state forests. Pursuant to the ruling, visitors may now possess firearms unless they are prohibited by law due to a past conviction for a violent crime, active Protection from Abuse Order, or mental health commitment. Following the Court’s decision to invalidate the existing regulations limiting firearms in state parks and forests, and some Division of Fish & Wildlife properties, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) anticipate issuing interim firearm regulations. The interim regulations would respect the State Constitutional provisions on firearms cited by the Court, by implementing the State’s interest in ensuring the safety of the public in a less restrictive manner.

The Delaware Urban and Community Forestry Program is offering up to $5,000 in grants for community-based tree projects throughout the First State.  The program is open to all Delaware municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified nonprofits. Applications are limited to one project in one category (tree planting or tree management), and all funds must be utilized on publicly owned land or community open space. Grant recipients must also provide a 50-50 cost-share match, which can be met through a combination of volunteer labor, donated materials and services, or cash from non-federal sources. This year's application deadline is March 2, 2018. Winners will be notified by April 2.

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.”

Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission Chairman, W. Duncan Patterson announced today that the Commission has promoted James A. Lages to the position of Chief State Steward.

The Delaware Forest Service is now accepting entries for its annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for grades K to 5—open to all public, private, and home school students. For the first time, this year's theme is “Trees are Terrific…and Perfect for Pollinators!” The contest can teach students about the important role of trees in the well-being of both people and pollinators, such as bees. In Delaware, Arbor Day is designated as the last Friday in April (April 27, 2018). Arbor Day was started in Nebraska in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton as an occasion to both celebrate and encourage the planting of trees. In addition to a chance to win prizes, all students that participate will receive free loblolly pine seedlings, delivered during the last week of April. Teachers must register for the contest by March 15 to reserve free seedlings, and all posters are due March 29, 2018.

Media: Photographs are available for use on Flickr. DOVER, Del. – Delaware celebrated the second highest farmers’ market season with more than $3 million dollars in sales in 2017. Both residents and visitors of the state continue to buy locally because of the fresh, high quality products that Delaware’s farm families grow. “These numbers are […]

Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission (DTRC) Chairman W. Duncan Patterson announced at the Commission meeting on March 8, 2018 that two candidates, Cynthia L. Smith and Robert E. Colton had been selected for the positions of Associate State Steward and Safety Steward respectively. "Both of these individuals have a deep respect for the racing industry and the people involved in racing," said DTRC Executive Director John F. Wayne. "They will fit in well, maintaining the high level of regulatory oversight that the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission expects and deserves.”

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.

Amelia Meyer, a fifth-grader at the Southern Delaware School of the Arts in Selbyville, is the overall winner of the Delaware Forest Service's 2018 Arbor Day School Poster Contest, beating out entries from more than 3,200 students in 43 classes from virtually every school district. This year's theme - “Trees Are Terrific…and Perfect for Pollinators!” - was chosen to highlight the important role of trees in the health of pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The annual contest is open to grades K to 5 in all Delaware private, public, charter, and home schools. Winners were selected from each county in the following grades: K, 1-2, 3-4, and 5. Posters were evaluated on originality, use of theme, neatness, and artistic expression.

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.

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.

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.

In late-June, Delaware’s forests get an annual “physical” or “check-up” – just after spring’s “leaf-out" blankets the state in a wave of green color. Just as people should visit the doctor to be screened for potential diseases, trees are examined with a variety of tools to hopefully spot minor issues before they turn into major ones. Armed with a digital camera, GPS technology, and a tablet equipped with specialized software and satellite data, forest health specialist Bill Seybold boards a small plane for a sky-high view of the First State. The annual aerial survey is specifically designed to detect potential threats that can only be seen from the air. Fortunately, early results from the 2018 aerial forest survey indicate no major outbreaks of tree diseases or insect pests.

The Delaware Forest Service is sending a 20-person wildfire crew to Colorado's Rocky Mountain region as more uncontained large fires in the West has increased the demand for trained firefighters. The National Fire Preparedness Level was increased to 3 on a 5-point scale on June 29, indicating that wildfire activity is occurring in multiple geographic areas and mobilization of resources through national agencies is moderate to heavy.  The crew mobilized on Tuesday, July 3 at Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna, Delaware and will travel to Denver from Philadelphia on July 4 for positioning in the Rocky Mountain Geographic Area, which has reported 5 new fires and currently has 6 uncontained large fires. Nationally, 66 fires are currently burning a total of 578,424 acres. As of July 3, a total of 277 wildfire crews  are currently deployed across all regions of the U.S. and wildfire activity is expected to increase.

Twenty wildland firefighters from Delaware are battling the Copper Mountain Fire, a 180-acre blaze located four miles east of Eastport, Idaho on the Canadian border that is 20% contained as of August 12. Delaware's crew comprises part of  the 137 personnel currently assigned to the incident.  Michael A. Valenti of Dover, Delaware's state forester and crew boss for the team, reports that firefighters are working in rough terrain and completing very long hikes to and from the fire each day. 

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.