MARYLAND AT A GLANCE

AGRICULTURE

[photo, Baltimore Farmers' Market, Holliday St. and Saratoga St., Baltimore, Maryland]
  • Crops
  • Dairy & Livestock
  • Farm Resources
  • Farm Revenue

    • Baltimore Farmers' Market, Holliday & Saratoga Sts., Baltimore, Maryland, September 2017. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Hog, Kinder Farm Park, Millersville, Maryland]

    Hog, Kinder Farm Park, Millersville, Maryland, April 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    Agriculture has played an important role in Maryland since its founding in 1634. While tobacco then was the main crop, wheat, corn, fruits and vegetables also were farmed. By steadily supplying flour to the Continental Army, Maryland's Eastern Shore earned the title, "Breadbasket of the Revolution" during the American Revolution. Later, grains became the primary crops in Maryland and were an important and valuable export for the State. By the late 19th century, as agriculture spread throughout the expanding United States, Maryland no longer was a primary supplier of grains for the nation. Today, agriculture in Maryland is diverse and includes not only crops, but also dairy and livestock, honey, horticulture and nurseries, poultry, and wineries and vineyards.

    [photo, Baltimore Farmers' Market, Holliday St. and Saratoga St., Baltimore, Maryland]

    Sassafras, Maryland's state soil, is one of the first and oldest soil series in the nation, having been established in 1901, and is designated as a Benchmark and Hall of Fame series. It is found across much of the State, nearly 500,000 acres, and is categorized as prime farmland soil due to its productive value. Aside from agriculture and forestry, Sassafras is also one of the best soils for use in construction and recreation.

    Baltimore Farmers' Market, Holliday & Saratoga Sts., Baltimore, Maryland, August 2012. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    The Department of Agriculture is responsible for marketing, animal industries, and consumer services; plant industries and pest management; and resource conservation. Data relating to the production and marketing of agricultural products, agriculture prices and income, and other statistics pertinent to agriculture and agribusiness is compiled and published by the Maryland Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    [photo, Cow Judging, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland]

    To teach the public about agriculture in Maryland, the Department of Agriculture has partnered with Maryland Public Television to create a weekly series, Maryland Farm & Harvest.

    Cow Judging, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland, August 2014. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    [photo, Barn and brick silo, Sabillasville (Frederick County), Maryland] Agriculture is the largest commercial industry in Maryland, employing some 350,000 people, including nearly 6,000 full-time farmers, and contributing over $8 billion annually to the economy. Agriculture also remains the largest single land use in the State, with around 2 million acres, or roughly 32 percent of total land area used for farming in 2024. While the majority of Maryland's farmland lies in the north central part of the State and the upper Eastern Shore, more than 20 urban farms thrive in Baltimore City. In 2025, some 12,600 Maryland farms averaged 159 acres each. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 81% of farms are family owned.

    Barn & brick silo, Sabillasville (Frederick County), Maryland, July 2007. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    In 2025, some 200 farms and 16,203 acres were certified organic in Maryland. Chickens, milk, and soybeans were the top sellers in organic products.

    Near the Chesapeake Bay and near Maryland farm lands, sea levels are rising at double the world's average rate. Along with climate change, farms on Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore increasingly are affected by saltwater intrusion, or the movement of saltwater towards land that occurs when too much freshwater is removed from aquifers, and the settling of the land itself. Saltwater, whether through aquifer intrusion or tides, has increasingly encroached into farm fields, leaving the soil's salt content too high to grow crops and causing more farmland acres to be left unplanted. The General Assembly ordered the Department of Planning, along with the Departments of Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources, to devise a plan to adapt to saltwater intrusion and update it every five years (Chapter 628, Acts of 2018). In July 2020, saltwater intrusion had affected 50,365 forest acres.

    [photo, Silos, Easton, Maryland] Created in 1977 within the Department of Agriculture, the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation is one of the first programs in the nation dedicated to the preservation of agricultural lands by purchasing easements that restrict any future development of farmlands or woodlands.

    Silos, Easton, Maryland, May 2017. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    By June 30, 2025, the Foundation had preserved 2,881 farms, some 384,928 acres, using over $1.043 billion in public investment funds. 2021, to help with agricultural land preservation, the General Assembly authorized two more programs, the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) and the Next Generation Farmland Acquisition Program (Chapter 285, Acts of 2021).

    State law requires that 30% of Maryland land is conserved by 2030. That goal was surpassed six years early when State agencies and their partners conserved some 1.85 million acres of land by February 2024. The next goal is to conserve 40% of land by 2040, which would require the conservation of an additional 600,000 acres.

    [photo, Dairy cows, Long Green Road, Glen Arm, Maryland] In 2024, gross cash income from commodity (crop & animal) receipts and other farm-related work was approximately $3.5 billion, while net cash income was about $862 million, or $68,467 per farm. Total production expenses were approximately $2.8 billion, or $226,773 per farm, while net farm income exceeded $827 million, $65,664 per farm.

    Dairy cows, Long Green Road, Glen Arm, Maryland, August 2017. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    Along with raising crops and animals, Maryland farmers earn income from agricultural tourism, or agritourism. In 2022, some 354 farms supplemented their income through agritourism, including farmers markets or farm stands, farm visits, and county fairs. Throughout Maryland, agritourism events generate over $162 million for the economy and help support more than 1,000 jobs.

    In 2024, direct payments from federal farm programs were approximately $39.6 million, down from $43.8 million in 2023. General conservation programs saw a large increase, rising from $23 million in 2023 to $30.9 million in 2024. Other programs that benefited from the payments include Agriculture Risk Coverage, Dairy Margin Coverage, Supplemental and Ad Hoc Disaster Assistance, and other miscellaneous programs.

    The Department of Agriculture's Maryland's Best Program promotes products grown in the State, including fruits, vegetables, meats, and wine. Owing to the increased sales, each $1 spent on marketing the products has a return of $15 for the farmers and State.

    The Maryland's Best Seafood Program markets crabs, rockfish, blue catfish, and oysters to the public. As part of the Seafood Program, the True Blue Program certifies those restaurants that get at least 75% of their blue crabs from Maryland. Around 50 restaurants and retailers in Maryland are certified as "True Blue."

    [photo, Waverly Farmers' Market, 32nd St. and Barclay St., Baltimore, Maryland] CROPS
    In 2025, field crops were harvested from over 1.27 million acres, about 63.65% of all Maryland farmland. Field crops, including potatoes, were harvested from 1.3 million acres and were valued at $625.5 million in 2024.

    Waverly Farmers' Market, 32nd St., Baltimore, Maryland, August 2009. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    Barley. Barley production increased to 1.73 million bushels in 2025, averaging 96 bushels per acre with 18,000 acres harvested. In 2024, 1.56 million bushels of barley were harvested from 19,000 acres (82 bushels per acre) for a value of $4.6 million.

    Corn. In 2025, 70.1 million bushels of corn for grain were harvested from 410,000 acres, an average of 171 bushels per acre. Also in 2025, some 720,000 tons of silage corn were harvested from 40,000 acres for an average of 18 tons per acre. Grain corn was harvested from 380,000 acres in 2024, with a value of $245.4 million for 54.3 million bushels, or 143 bushels per acre. Some 40,000 acres, or 640,ooo tons, of silage corn were harvested in 2024, at 16 tons per acre.

    Hay. In 2025, from 35,000 acres, Maryland farmers harvested 140,000 tons of alfalfa hay. Overall hay production included 470,000 tons harvested from 185,000 acres, or 2.54 tons per acre. Some 176,000 tons of alfalfa hay was harvested from 40,000 acres (4.4 tons per acre) worth nearly $41 million in 2024. Over 579,000 tons of overall hay was harvested from 195,000 acres (2.97 tons per acre) for a production value of $104 million.

    Melons. Watermelons were harvested from some 3,400 acres for a production value of $26.4 million in 2025. In 2024, 2,900 acres of watermelons were harvested, valued at nearly $13.2 million.

    Mushrooms. The cash receipts for mushrooms in 2023 were over $19.1 million.

    Soybeans. The soybean yield averaged 44 bushels per acre in 2025, with a total production of 20.2 million bushels harvested from 460,000 acre. In 2024, 485,000 acres of soybeans were harvested, or 21.3 million bushels (44 bushels per acre), with a production value of nearly $203 million.

    [photo, Pumpkin vines with flowers, Baltimore, Maryland] Wheat. In 2025, from 160,000 acres of winter wheat, 12.6 million bushels, or 79 bushels per acre were harvested. Wheat was harvested from 180,000 acres, or 13.5 million bushels (75 bushels per acre), in 2024 with a production value of nearly $69 million.


    Pumpkin vines with flowers, Baltimore, Maryland, September 2016. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    [photo, Tractor exhibition, Cecil County Fair, Fair Hill, Maryland] Fruits, Tree Nuts, & Berries. According to the     2022 Census of Agriculture, some 653 farms harvested nearly $33 million of fruits and tree nuts from 4,693 acres and berries from 519 acres.

    Vegetables. Selected fresh market vegetables had a production value of at $26.4 million in 2025.

    Tractor pull event, Cecil County Fair, Fair Hill, Maryland, July 2000. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Thresher, south of Hughesville, Maryland] In the fall after summer crops have been harvested, cover crops, including rye, barley, and other cereal grains, are planted. Cover crops control soil erosion and run-off, and improve the health of soil for later crops.

    Thresher, south of Hughesville, Maryland, November 2017. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    To help with expenses associated with cover crops, the Cover Crop Program offers grants to farmers. The Department has allocated $22 million for the 2025-2026 Program, about $35 to $65 per acre. Another program, the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program, did not receive funding for Fiscal Year 2026, but has $8 million available from Fiscal Year 2025. The Program is projected to receive $8 million annually from Fiscal Year 2027 to 2030.

    [photo, Cow, Kinder Farm Park, Millersville, Maryland] DAIRY & LIVESTOCK
    Dairy. Maryland milk production from the 39,000 dairy cows in 2024 totaled 819 million pounds and the average milk production per cow was 21,000 pounds. Cash receipts for milk in 2024 was nearly $195 million.

    Cow, Kinder Farm Park, Millersville, Maryland, January 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Silos on Kilby Cream Farm, 129 Strohmaier Lane, Rising Sun, Maryland] To showcase the dairy industry and its contributions, and educate the public about farming, the     Department of Agriculture each summer promotes the Ice Cream Trail, a tour of Maryland dairy farms. In 2026, the Trail features thirteen dairy farms across more than 145 miles from Washington County in western Maryland to Worcester County on the Eastern Shore. These dairies include Prigel Family Creamery in Baltimore County; Happy Cow Creamery in Carroll County; Moo Cow Creamery at Walnut Ridge Farm, Rocky Point Creamery, and South Mountain Creamery in Frederick County; Broom’s Bloom Dairy and Keyes Creamery in Harford County; Lockbriar Farms in Kent County; Brown Cow Creamery and Deere Valley Farms in Montgomery County; Miller Farms in Prince George's County; Deliteful Dairy and Misty Meadow Farm Creamery in Washington County; Chesapeake Bay Farms in Worcester County.

    Silos on Kilby Cream Farm, 129 Strohmaier Lane, Rising Sun, Maryland, July 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    [photo, Goat mountain, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland] Several non-farm locations that serve locally-sourced ice cream joined the Ice Cream Trail in 2026, including Port House Creamery in Cecil County; Lakeside Creamery in Garrett County; Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream (Rockville) and Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream in Montgomery County; and Scottish Highland Creamery in Talbot County.

    Goat mountain, September 2015, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    Alpacas & Llamas. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, there were 1,778 alpacas and 103 llamas on 177 and 44 farms, respectively.

    Bison. In 2022, there were 159 bison on 12 farms in Maryland.

    Cattle. As of January 1, 2026, the total number of cattle in Maryland was 155,000. In 2024, cattle had a production value of $109.6 million and cash receipts for cattle and calves was $123.7 million. As of January 1, 2024, there were 45,000 beef cows in Maryland.

    [photo, Sheep, Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, Maryland] Goats & Sheep. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, approximately 3,041 milk goats, 9,329 goats for meat and other purposes, and 18,912 sheep and lambs were in Maryland.

    In 2022, milk from sheep and goats was valued at $272,000.

    Sheep, Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, Maryland, May 2008. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Hogs at Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland] In 2023, wool brought in $91,000 in cash receipts.

    Hogs. As of December 1, 2023, the total number of hogs in Maryland was 21,000. In 2024, cash receipts from hogs totaled over $21.7 million.

    Hogs, August 2014, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    HEMP
    The Maryland Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program was launched in 2019 to encourage research of     industrial hemp and its growth, harvest, production, and sale for agricultural objectives. Under the Program, farmers must partner with the Department of Agriculture or a university to grow the hemp for research purposes only. In 2021, some 36 farmers partnered with six universities on hemp research. Started in 2021, the Maryland Hemp Farming Program is for those interested in growing hemp commercially. In 2023, 47 farmers registered under the Program.

    According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Hemp Report, 265 acres of industrial hemp grown in the open were harvested in 2023. Some 14 acres of industrial floral hemp grown in the open were harvested, estimated at around 6,000 pounds, or 410 pounds per acre, with a value of $138,000, $138 per pound. In 2024, hemp that was grown under protection was approximately 12,227 square feet.

    [photo, Honey bees in a honeycomb, Crownsville, Maryland] HONEY
    In 2025, some 18,700 honey bee colonies in Maryland were maintained at more than 2,300 apiaries. These colonies produce upwards of 222,384 pounds of honey per year. In 2023, honey brought in nearly $1.7 million in cash receipts.

    Honey bees in a honeycomb, Crownsville, Maryland, September 2014. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    Honey bees not only produce honey and beeswax, but also pollinate nearly 40% of the food that we eat, including some $40 million of Maryland's crops. Due to the shortage of bees, Maryland farmers rent 5,000 colonies each year and beekeepers send their colonies to out-of-state growers.

    In recent years, Maryland's bee colonies have suffered dramatic losses. These colonies are vital to Maryland's agriculture since nearly all of the State's wild bees have died. The Department of Agriculture's Apiary Inspection Program offers help and inspections to keep Maryland's bees and their hives healthy. In an effort to curb bee deaths in Maryland, the General Assembly passed the Pollinator Protection Act of 2016 (Chapter 662, Acts of 2016). Since 2018, retail establishments are prohibited from selling neonicotinoid pesticides to consumers, making Maryland the first state in the nation to protect bees by banning these pesticides.

    Along with honeybees, which are actually native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, there are over 430 species of native bees in Maryland, including mason bees and bumblebees. Some of those native species, such as the Rusty Patched Bumblebee, are endangered.

    [photo, Clydesdale, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland] HORSE INDUSTRY
    Maryland has 10.5 horses per square mile, more than any other state in the nation. Some 94,000 horses live on 705,000 acres, or one quarter of the State's agricultural land, of which 88,000 acres are preserved through conservation programs. Over 16,000 equine facilities and 800     licensed stables (including those for boarding, lessons, rental, & rescue) operate in Maryland. Annually, the horse industry adds nearly $3 billion to the State's economy and supports over 28,000 jobs.

    Clydesdale, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, Maryland, September 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    Horse racing, the largest of the industry's sectors, has a significant impact on the Maryland economy. Racing, which includes thoroughbred and harness racing, adds some $365 million in value to the economy as well as supports over 5,200 jobs. There are more than 260 live racing days held at Maryland's five racetracks each year, which have more than a $500 million economic impact on the State. At Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, the Preakness Stakes brings in more than $30 million each May.

    Other areas of the horse industry include competition, recreation, and therapy. There are also over a dozen organizations that rescue and rehouse horses, including retired racehorses.

    The Maryland Horse Industry Board oversees and supports Maryland's horse owners and industry. The Board publishes a Guide to Maryland Horse Trails as well as Saddle Up Maryland, a directory of trail-riding stables and guided rides. The Board also provides information on horse parks, history trails, and horse discovery centers.

    The Thoroughbred is Maryland's State Horse.

    [photo, Bumblebees and honeybee on sunflower, Baltimore, Maryland] HORTICULTURE & NURSERIES
    The horticultural industry is the second biggest agricultural commodity in Maryland after broiler chickens. It includes the retail and wholesale production, sales, installation, and maintenance of plants. Those plants include trees (including Christmas trees), annuals, perennials, shrubs, seasonals, aquatics, and cut flowers. Every year, the Maryland Nursery Inspection Program licenses over 300 nurseries and more than 1,500 plant sellers, and certifies stock acres and greenhouse space.

    Bumblebees & honeybee on sunflower, Baltimore, Maryland, July 2014. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    The Maryland Ginseng Management Program works to protect American ginseng from overharvesting and to ensure its viability. Ginseng can be wild, wild-simulated, woods-grown, or cultivated. The Program monitors the ginseng harvest as well as licenses its diggers and dealers.

    POULTRY
    Broiler chickens, or chickens raised for their meat, are the top agricultural commodity in Maryland. In 2024, the number of broilers was 311 million, or 1.96 billion pounds with cash receipts of nearly $1.5 billion. Cash receipts for turkeys totaled nearly $20 million in 2023. Perdue Farms, on the Eastern Shore, is one of the nation's largest poultry producers.

    [photo, Rooster, Annapolis, Maryland] Some 2.42 million chickens laid some 767 million eggs in 2024, for an average of 317 eggs per chicken, worth $121.6 million. Most chicken operations have fewer than 3,000 birds and produce about 9.6 million eggs each year, while larger operations produce the rest.

    Rooster, Annapolis, Maryland, August 2003. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Baltimore Farmers' Market, Holliday St. and Saratoga St., Baltimore, Maryland]     FARM RESOURCES
    For farmers and others involved in agriculture, the     University of Maryland Extension offers scientific expertise and resources through its network of county extension offices. The Extension is a statewide education system of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources within the University of Maryland, College Park.

    Baltimore Farmers' Market, Holliday St. & Saratoga St., Baltimore, Maryland, August 2013. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    [photo, Boordy Vineyards, Long Green Pike, Hydes, Baltimore County, Maryland] WINERIES, BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES
    During Prohibition from 1920 to 1933, Maryland saw the     18th Amendment as a violation of states' rights and was the only state that refused to enforce the federal law banning the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol. Following Prohibition's repeal, the industry prospered for some years, but eventually businesses ceased operations. More recently, however, Maryland has seen a rapid increase in the number of its wineries, breweries, and distilleries.

    Boordy Vineyards, Long Green Pike, Baltimore County, Maryland, August 2014. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.

    In July 2022, the Advisory Commission on Maryland Alcohol Manufacturing was formed within the Department of Commerce to nurture the industry.

    Wineries. Each Maryland county has at least one vineyard and most have a winery as well. Between 2021 and 2024, Maryland wines received more than 300 medals and awards at local, regional, national and international competitions. Eleven wine trails across the State offer regional wines with distinctive flavors.

    As of 2025, Maryland commercial growers harvest more than 1,088 acres of grapes, apples, and other fruits for wine and cider as well as honey for mead. Together, some 110 wineries throughout the State produce over 500 wines.

    Formerly, the Governor's Advisory Commission on Maryland Wine and Grape Growing had sought to support Maryland's wineries and vineyards. In July 2022, the Commission was replaced by the Advisory Commission on Maryland Alcohol Manufacturing within the Department of Commerce (Chapter 462, Acts of 2022).

    Breweries. In 2024, some 143 licensed craft breweries operated throughout Maryland. Also as of 2024, the breweries produced 187,080 barrels of craft beer per year with an economic impact of $925 million. In August 2018, Guinness opened a brewery and taproom in Halethorpe (Baltimore County), its first brewery in the United States in 64 years. The University of Maryland Extension, in partnership with Flying Dog Brewery, produced the "Maryland Hop Growers Guide: A Progress Report on the 2016-2017 Growing Season and Summary of Best Practices for Growing Hops in Maryland."

    Distilleries. Maryland has more than 30 distilleries which produce bourbon, gin, and rye, as well as other spirits, with many businesses using local ingredients.

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