Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI)
Mission: To educate and serve Maryland family farmers through expert information training that helps navigate complex legal issues such as estates and trusts, regulatory compliance farm food safety, and other aspects of agriculture law.
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.
Undergraduate students at UMCP and law school students at UMB benefit from classes taught by legal specialists on agriculture and law.
At the onset of COVID-19, ALEI quickly mobilized to provide answers to farmers grappling with rapidly changing regulations and the effects on agricultural operations. Subjects included labor issues and managing contracts canceled due to COVID-19.
For the past eight years, ALEI has hosted a popular conference on the intricacies between agriculture and environmental law and legal issues impacting Delmarva communities.
In response to COVID-19, the conference moved online, but it returned in person in October 2022 with a large audience and added an online option to reach even more participants.
To learn more: Agriculture Law Education Initiative
