{"id":13450,"date":"2015-03-12T13:41:31","date_gmt":"2015-03-12T17:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/?p=13450"},"modified":"2015-03-12T13:49:04","modified_gmt":"2015-03-12T17:49:04","slug":"maryland-celebrates-national-agriculture-week-10-ways-you-can-get-involved-with-maryland-agriculture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2015\/03\/12\/maryland-celebrates-national-agriculture-week-10-ways-you-can-get-involved-with-maryland-agriculture\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland Celebrates National Agriculture Week; 10 Ways You Can Get Involved With Maryland Agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"ANNAPOLIS, MD \u2013 <\/strong>Did you know that most of life’s necessities \u2013 food, fiber, clothing and shelter \u2013 start with agriculture? National Agriculture Week (March 15-21) recognizes and celebrates the contributions of agriculture to American society. In recognition of Maryland agriculture as one of the state\u2019s most important industries, Governor Larry Hogan has declared \u201cMaryland Agriculture Week,\u201d which coincides with the national celebration. From the mountains of Western Maryland with its dairy farms and hay to Central Maryland with its greenhouse and livestock industries to the Eastern Shore\u2019s acres of corn and poultry \u2013 Maryland truly grows something for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaryland\u2019s agriculture industry is vital to the long-term health of the state\u2019s economy, environment and quality of life,\u201d said Governor Hogan. \u201cMaryland farmers are doing everything they can to balance protecting our Bay with building strong, durable businesses. And we\u2019re going to do everything we can to keep Maryland\u2019s agricultural industry strong, diverse and sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are 2.1 million farms in the United States, a country with nearly 319 million people. Agriculture products remain the nations\u2019 top export. Each American farmer today feeds more than 144 people – a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. American agriculture is doing more – and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgriculture Week is a great time to recognize the hard work of our farm families and the important role they play in providing a safe and abundant food supply and protecting the environment,\u201d said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder.<\/p>\n

In Maryland, one-third of the land mass \u2013 over 2 million acres \u2013 is farmland. In 2013, the top commodity sectors were poultry (broilers), greenhouse and nursery, corn, and dairy. In addition, Maryland farmers produced 33 million pounds of apples, 673 million eggs, 3.9 million tons of peaches, and 68 million pounds of watermelons just to name a few of the many products that are grown here. For more interesting facts about Maryland agriculture, see the AgBrief<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Maryland Department of Agriculture shares 10 suggestions to help citizens recognize National and Maryland Agriculture Week:<\/p>\n

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  1. Watch Maryland Farm and Harvest<\/a><\/strong> on Maryland Public Television<\/a> or online<\/a><\/strong> at mpt.org\/farm<\/a>. The hit series, now in production for a third season, puts a human face on farming by showcasing personal stories about farmers, their work with the land and resources, production of food and fiber for our society, challenges, hopes and dreams, and their future.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    1. \u201cTake It from Maryland Farmers: Backyard Actions for a Cleaner Chesapeake Bay\u201d<\/strong> is an education campaign that provides homeowners with information and tips from farmers that they can use to do their part to help improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The initiative offers a series of fact sheets that can be helpful. Some to consider are:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n