Celebrate Labor Day Weekend With Maryland’s Best Seafood and Produce

Blue crabs, sweet corn, melons and tomatoes are in peak season

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture—in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources—is encouraging Marylanders to celebrate Labor Day weekend with the best seafood and produce Maryland has to offer. September marks peak season for Maryland sweet corn, melons, and tomatoes, while peak season for blue crabs extends from now through October.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend a long holiday weekend than sitting down with family and friends to enjoy some steamed Maryland blue crabs with fresh sweet corn,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “This is also the best time of year for cantaloupes, watermelons and tomatoes. I hope all Marylanders will join us in celebrating Labor Day with some of the best food our state has to offer.”

“For many Marylanders, crabs are much more than food,” said Natural Resource Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. “Crabs evoke fond memories of special occasions and time spent with family and friends – which is one of the many reasons our department works so closely with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and other stakeholders to promote Maryland blue crabs as an iconic and sustainable choice.”

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program recommends blue crabs caught in Maryland with a trotline as the “Best Choice” for sustainably harvested crabs nationwide—Maryland crabs caught in crab pots are considered the next best option.

Maryland’s Best is a marketing program within the Department of Agriculture that promotes the state’s agricultural and seafood products. In addition to playing a major role in the state’s heritage, these industries are an important part of Maryland’s economy. The dockside value of blue crabs totaled $53 million in 2018. The state’s sweet corn and melon crops combined for more than $26 million in production, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture.

To locate your nearest farmers markets and produce stands, visit MarylandsBest.net. More information on the state’s seafood industry is available at seafood.maryland.gov.

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