Governor Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan Host 8th Annual Buy Local Cookout

Governor celebrates “Buy Local Challenge Week” with cookout featuring local products, recipes, chefs

ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 16, 2015) – Governor Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan hosted the 8^th annual Buy Local Cookout at Government House this evening and officially recognized Maryland’s “Buy Local Challenge Week,” which encourages Marylanders to incorporate at least one locally grown, produced or harvested product into their meals each day. Governor Hogan officially declared July 18-26 as “Buy Local Challenge Week” to raise awareness about the benefits of local farms and food so that Marylanders will become more familiar and more frequent consumers of fresh, local products.

“The Buy Local Cookout is a great opportunity to showcase the many businesses that support our farmers through buying local – from grocery store chains, to distributors, restaurants and institutions,” said Governor Hogan. “Buying local gives consumers fresher, more nutritious and better-tasting food, and it helps to keep Maryland’s agricultural industry strong, diverse and sustainable. I thank all of the talented chefs who submitted recipes this year.”

The Buy Local Challenge, created in 2006 by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, has grown into a statewide initiative that has continued to grow. In its 2010 Policy Choices Survey, the University of Baltimore Schaefer Center for Public Policy found that more than 78 percent of Marylanders said they want to buy produce grown by a Maryland farmer.

“Today, there are 145 farmers markets in Maryland and the demand for local products continues to grow,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “We are working hard to connect local producers with local consumers, and we invite everyone to check our searchable database at www.marylandsbest.net to find local products and markets near them.”

Earlier this year, Governor Hogan invited teams of chefs and producers to submit original recipes that highlight the diversity of local products. Some 37 recipes were submitted; and 15 were selected. First Lady Yumi Hogan and Government House chefs will provide an entrée, salad and dessert for the cookout.

All recipe submissions have been compiled and published in the 2015 Buy Local Cookout Recipes, which includes wine, beer or spirits pairing recommendations from the Maryland Wineries Association, Brewers Association of Maryland and the newly formed Maryland Distillers Guild. This year’s cookbook and all previous cookbooks are available free and online here.

Three of the eight dairy farms on Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail – Keyes Creamery, Kilby Cream, and South Mountain Creamery – donated ice cream. Also donating products to the cookout are: Firefly Farms, Hay Jay Acres, GreenStreet Gardens, Honest Tea and Milburn Farms.

Agriculture contributes $8.25 billion annually and 45,600 jobs to our state’s economy every year, according to a University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics 2013 report.

Attendance at the cookout was by invitation only. The guest list included agricultural leaders, producers, chefs, buyers from groceries, restaurants and institutions, and “buy local” advocates.

• See recipes featured at the cookout or see recipes by county.
• See brief biographies of each featured chef and producer
• For more information, including menu stats, benefits of buying local and more, visit the MDA website.

Find local Maryland products, locate a farmers market and more at: www.marylandsbest.net.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

###

Follow MDA on Twitter @MdAgDept and Facebook at www.facebook.com/MdAgDept