Day 8 – Senator Bailey has secured state grant for the Regional Agricultural Center

Senator Jack Bailey, Senate Chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus, with (from left) Delegate Ned Carey, House Chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus; Senator Katie Fry Hester, Senate Co-Chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus, Colonel Baker, Superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, Bill Miles, Lobbyist for the Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Senate President Bill Ferguson

Senator Jack Bailey, Senate Chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus, with (from left), Paul Peditto, Director of Wildlife for DNR; Delegate Ned Carey, House Chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus; Senator Johnny Ray Salling, Senator Kathy Klausmeier, Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs George Owings; Senator Katie Fry Hester, Senate Co-Chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Bill Miles, Lobbyist for the Sportsmen’s Caucus

*Senator Jack Bailey, Senate Chair of the Sportsmen’s Caucus, with Secretary of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio and Bill Miles, Lobbyist for the Sportsmen’s Caucus*

There is more good news to announce for District 29 in the Governor’s budget that was released this week. Senator Bailey has secured a $200,000 state grant for the Regional Agricultural Center that will be built in St. Mary’s County. The Regional Agricultural Center is a collaboration between the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) and St. Mary’s County. The facility will be located in Northern St. Mary’s County and will be open for all five Southern Maryland counties to utilize. It will serve as a public/private partnership providing a set of complementary services with the capability of adding value and profitability to products from Southern Maryland farmers. Prior to this session, Senator Bailey met with representatives of the Hogan Administration to demonstrate the need for this grant. This state funding will be a significant contribution to this project, which is critical to the future of agriculture in Southern Maryland.

Yesterday, the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted the Forestry and Sportsmen and Women Legislative Luncheon. Senator Bailey serves as the Senate Chair of the bi-partisan Sportsmen’s Caucus, which includes members from both the Senate and the House of Delegates and works to support legislation in Annapolis that promotes the ability of all Marylanders to hunt and fish in our state. This luncheon, which was one of the most popular receptions of the legislative session so far, brought together sportsmen and women as well as a number of legislators and other state government officials to discuss policies that they plan to support in Annapolis this year.

Today, Senator Bailey attended the first meeting of the year for the Southern Maryland Delegation. They will continue to meet and discuss issues of importance to Southern Maryland throughout the legislative session.