Former MD Ag Secretary Joseph Bartenfelder, on farmers' concerns

By Tom Hall,

Teria Rogers, Rob Sivak, Malarie Pinkard-Pierre

Published April 13, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

View west along U.S. Route 40 Alternate (National Pike) from Interstate 68 and U.S. Route 40 (National Freeway) just west of Exit 29 in Avilton, Garrett County, Maryland. (photo by Famartin_via Wikimedia CC BY-SA 4.0)

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.

Joseph Bartenfelder is the former Maryland Agriculture Secretary. A Democrat, he served an 8-year term (2015-2023) under Republican Governor Larry Hogan. Bartenfelder was succeeded in the post in January by Gov. Wes Moore's nominee, Kevin Atticks. Since 1978, Bartenfelder has managed his family's fruit and vegetable operations — Bartenfelder Farms — in Fullerton and Preston, MD. (photo credit MD Dept of Agriculture archives)

Tom's guest isJoe Bartenfelder, who has managed his family produce business — Bartenfelder Farms — in Fullerton and 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…