Frederick News-Post Editorial: Showing up

September 10, 2007

Agriculture Day has been celebrated at the Maryland State Fair for more than three decades, ever since the Maryland Department of Agriculture became a full-fledged part of state operations.

Gov. Marvin Mandel was the first Maryland governor who would have had the opportunity to make an appearance at the event. But he didn't.

The four governors who came after him: Harry Hughes, William Donald Schaefer, Parris Glendening and Robert Ehrlich, also took a pass.

Then came Gov. Martin O'Malley. He showed up, earning the distinction of being the first governor to drop by the fair on the day dedicated to Maryland's No. 1 industry -- agriculture. There's something to be said for that, and about what it contributes to the emerging picture of Martin-O'Malley-the-governor.

One of the platforms on which O'Malley ran for office was strengthening Maryland's farming families and rural communities. He asserted from the get-go that farming communities are the foundation of the state's economy, values and traditions and pledged to "work with, not against farmers," in creating "safe, sustainable agricultural policies."

He appears to be true to his word.

In May, O'Malley closed out the legislative session by signing into law four agriculture-related bills that demonstrated support for young farmers, made it easier for landowners to preserve their farmland, and encouraged the use of alternative renewable fuels.

Additional ag-related bills churned out by the governor and the General Assembly allowed milk haulers to carry more weight, permitted cheese production on local farms, gave family farm partnerships homestead tax credit protection for property tax purposes, and expanded hunting in some areas of the state to help reduce deer-inflicted crop damage.

He's also a governor who worked with the General Assembly to provide $8.6 million for cover crop programs which have proven to be the most cost-effective way for farmers to prevent soil erosion and absorb nutrients before they can get to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

When this summer's drought dried up the prospects for viable crop production, O'Malley petitioned the government for Disaster Designation to provide some relief to local farmers.

Speaking at the Agricultural Council annual dinner one month after taking office, O'Malley talked about "our farmland, our farming community and our rural business," not, "the farmland, the farming community and the rural business" -- a word choice that may have hinted at things to come.

Ten months into his administration, it appears that O'Malley gets it: He understands the importance of our agricultural foundation and of elevating the status and sustainability of agriculture in the state.

If he didn't, it's doubtful his administration would have produced such a positive legislative session for the farm community; and likely that he'd have been just another gubernatorial Ag Day no-show at the Maryland State Fair.