YF&R Track

Youth Track

Presenter: Elizabeth Galbreath · 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Planted with Purpose: Grow a Career That Matters

Choosing a career can feel overwhelming, especially when so many voices are telling you what “success” should look like. But the most fulfilling careers are built with intention, rooted in your values, and aligned with the kind of life you want to live. In this interactive workshop, participants will be guided through hands-on activities, reflection questions, and real-life examples to help them explore what matters most when making career decisions. We will look beyond job titles and salaries to uncover deeper questions of purpose, impact, and alignment.

Your Golden Ticket: Writing a Winning Résumé

Your résumé may be the first or only impression a company or person may have of you, which means it has the potential to be the gateway or “ticket” to your next professional opportunity. This session will provide you with practical tips on how to describe the value you bring to a team on paper, guide you in self-reflection about your professional experiences so far, and provide you with a recruiter’s perspective on what’s most important in a candidate résumé.

Private Pesticide Applicator Workshop

Presenter: Emily Zobel, Agriculture Faculty Extension Assistant for Dorchester County

Advocacy

Presenter: Tom Donnelly, Senior Director, Advocacy & Grassroots Program Development, American Farm Bureau Federation

Eminent Domain and Farmland / Data Center Issues and Agricultural Preservation in Maryland

Presenters: Michelle Cable, Executive Director, Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, Maryland Department of Agriculture · TJ Creevy, JD, Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP

This session examines how Maryland counties are navigating the regulatory “Wild West” of data center siting while attempting to safeguard agricultural and environmental interests through local zoning and land-use policies. It further explores the intensifying legal battles over eminent domain as the state’s grid expands to meet the massive energy demands of the digital revolution alongside a statewide surge in residential electrification, from EVs to high-tech homes.

PFAS Regulation, Risk, and Reality in Maryland Agriculture

Presenters: Courtney Briggs, Managing Director, Government Affairs, American Farm Bureau Federation · Catherine Janasie, Senior Research Counsel, National Sea Grant Law Center

This panel will unpack the legal landscape surrounding our farms and “forever chemicals,” including current regulations, enforcement trends, and emerging litigation relevant to agricultural operations. Speakers will explain how these frameworks intersect in practice—from water standards to biosolids management—so farmers, researchers, attorneys, and policymakers can better understand potential compliance and liability considerations.

From Fields to Courtrooms: Ag Law Shifts in 2026 and Beyond

Presenter: Paul Goeringer, Principal Faculty Specialist and Extension Specialist, and Managing Director of ALEI – UMCP

A 2026 agricultural and environmental law update with a 2027 outlook, covering developments in right-to-repair, legal changes impacting environmental regulations on farms, and other developments that hit agriculture.

New Maryland Legislation Impacting Agriculture (including the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, LEEF, Aquaculture, and the Invasive Plant Prevention and Control Law)

Presenters: Samantha Capaldo, Senior Legal Specialist & ALEI Working Group Member – UMES · Nicole Cook, Environmental and Agricultural Faculty Legal Specialist & Managing Director of ALEI – UMES

This panel will provide an overview of recent Maryland legislation and regulatory developments affecting agriculture and aquaculture, including the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, which established the Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) program to incentivize and recognize conservation practices while supporting broader water quality goals. The panel will also address implementation of the Maryland Invasive Plant Prevention and Control Law, which restricts the sale and distribution of certain invasive plant species and establishes phased compliance requirements for the horticulture industry.

Nationwide Innovative Protection Solutions

Presented by Nationwide · Presenter: Vicente Rico, Senior Consultant in Product Development at Nationwide

Nationwide collaborates with industry-leading technology companies to provide cost-effective, cutting-edge solutions.