Former MD Ag Secretary Joseph Bartenfelder, on farmers' concerns

Spring is in the air. Most folks in our listening area are enjoying plenty of sunshine today, and perhaps thinking ahead to what they’ll plant in their gardens. We thought today would be a good day to talk about issues in agriculture, as farmers begin planting their fields and urban gardeners start populating their pots. Tom's guest is Joe Bartenfelder, who has managed his family produce business — Bartenfelder Farms — in Preston, Maryland, for 45 years. (Here in Baltimore, you can find fresh produce from Bartenfelder Farms at the Waverly and downtown farmer’s markets every weekend.) Bartenfelder has also had a long career in politics. He served on the Baltimore County Council. He was a member of the House of Delegates, and from 2015-2023, during the administration of Gov. Larry Hogan, he served as Maryland's Secretary of Agriculture. Joe Bartenfelder joins us on Zoom from his farm in Preston, in Caroline County…Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.