Maryland Board of Public Works Approves 27 New Agricultural Preservation Easements

27 Working Farms, 3,713 Additional Acres of Farmland Permanently Preserved

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved 27 new Maryland Agricultural Preservation Foundation (MALPF) easements during a board meeting held on July 7. These easements will permanently preserve an additional 3,713 acres of prime farmland in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Caroline, Carroll, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Kent, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Washington, and Wicomico counties for an investment of $14.9 million in state and local funding.

“Agriculture is the top industry in Maryland and these approved easements reaffirm the state’s commitment to ensuring farming stays viable in the state,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “I am thrilled to see that 3,713 acres of farmland will forever stay committed to farming. These easements allow 27 farm families to carry on their legacy of providing food, feed, and fiber for generations to come.”

View a list of the MALPF easements broken down by county that were approved at the Board of Public Works meeting on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s website. These newly approved easements will help the state meet its goal of preserving over 1 million acres of productive agricultural land by 2030. 

MALPF was established in 1977 as part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture. MALPF purchases agricultural preservation easements from farmers that forever restrict development on prime farmland and woodland. For more information, please contact MALPF’s Executive Director Michelle Cable at (410) 841-5860 or michelle.cable@maryland.gov.

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