Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI)

Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI)

Mission: To educate and serve Maryland family farmers through expert information and training that helps navigate complex legal issues such as estates and trusts, regulatory compliance farm food safety, and other aspects of agricultural law.

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ALEI provides legal education and resources to Maryland’s farm community to explain agricultural law as it evolves to keep pace with the changing realities of farmers and the agricultural industry in the 21^st century.

Outreach

ALEI reaches the state’s agricultural community through publications, social media, trainings, and formal classroom education. ALEI leverages its MPower funding by pursuing grants to support additional programming and expansion.

Education

Undergraduate students at UMCP and law school students at UMB benefit from classes taught by legal specialists on agriculture and law. Farmer education and student involvement are key elements of the program, which through relevant law classes prepares students to become critical thinkers and utilize analysis to inspire innovation in farming, food safety, public policy, and community engagement.

MPower supports funding for the Brinsfield Internship Program, a collaboration between the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology and ALEI.

Annual Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference

Each year, ALEI hosts an agricultural and environmental law conference that brings together farmers, attorneys, educators, environmentalists, producers, policymakers, and students to discuss the complex intersection of environmental regulation and agriculture in Maryland.

Initiatives