Buy Local During Stay at Home Order

New Resources Connect Consumers with Farmers, Producers, and Restaurants 

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Food and agriculture businesses remain essential under Governor Larry Hogan’s Stay at Home order; including grocery stores, farmers markets, farm stands, and restaurants offering carry-out and delivery service. In compliance with the governor’s order, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s marketing program, Maryland’s Best, is working to  connect Marylanders with farmers and seafood producers providing fresh, local food products. The program is also working with state and industry partners to promote restaurants offering carry-out and delivery services.

“Our administration is working hard to keep the food supply chain intact and identify new ways to connect Marylanders with restaurants and small businesses,” said Secretary of Agriculture Joe Bartenfelder. “Buying directly from producers and ordering from restaurants that offer carry-out and delivery services are great ways to support industry workers who continue to provide food during these unprecedented times.”

Maryland’s Best has released an interactive map feature based on information gathered directly from local agricultural and seafood producers. Each business has included information on product availability, how to order, and options for pick-up and/or delivery. Producers who would like to be added to the map should contact Karen Fedor at karen.fedor@maryland.gov. 

The map  includes farmers markets across the state. As a primary source of nutrition in some communities, many farmers markets remain open across the state with protocols in place to promote social distancing, environmental cleaning and sanitization. Please check with individual markets for the most current information on their hours and operations.

“It’s important to support Maryland businesses and Maryland workers during these difficult times,” said Secretary of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. “If we ‘Keep Calm and Carry Out,’ we can do our part to support people in our own communities, including local commercial fishermen, farmers, and restaurant workers. Be sure to ask for Maryland seafood and other locally sourced products!”

“The Maryland Department of Commerce’s Office of Tourism has been working to keep our citizens engaged with supporting restaurants and other food and beverage-related businesses that are essential and remain open,” said Secretary of Commerce Kelly M. Schulz. “We are pleased to partner with our sister state agencies to encourage support of our local food chain, from farmers and seafood producers to restaurants and ultimately to someone’s dining table.”

The “Keep Calm and Carry Out” social media campaign is a partnership between MDA, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland Office of Tourism and the Maryland Restaurant Association to promote the many restaurants across the state that continue to offer carry-out and delivery services. For a full list of these restaurants, please visit: visitmaryland.org/article/restaurants-offering-carry-out.

More information on Maryland’s agriculture and seafood producers is available at MarylandsBest.net.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the Maryland Department of Health’s website. The latest information on the state’s ongoing pandemic response is available at governor.maryland.gov/coronavirus

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Follow Maryland’s Best on Twitter @MDsBest @MDsBestSeafood