{"id":27474,"date":"2023-07-21T16:42:12","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T20:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/?p=27474"},"modified":"2023-07-24T09:35:39","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T13:35:39","slug":"governor-moore-and-the-maryland-department-of-agriculture-host-16th-annual-buy-local-cookout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/mda-blog\/2023\/07\/21\/governor-moore-and-the-maryland-department-of-agriculture-host-16th-annual-buy-local-cookout\/","title":{"rendered":"Governor Moore and the Maryland Department of Agriculture Host 16th Annual Buy Local Cookout"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Buy Local Picnic with Gov Wes Moore<\/p><\/div>\n

Event kicks off Maryland Buy Local Week, Buy Local Challenge\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/em>ANNAPOLIS, MD\u2014<\/strong>Governor Wes Moore hosted the 16th annual Buy Local Cookout at the Maryland Department of Agriculture in Annapolis last evening, sampling dishes prepared by local chefs with local ingredients, live music and exhibits featuring Maryland Department of Agriculture programs. Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, agricultural leaders, producers, chefs, and local and state officials joined the governor at the event to officially kick off\u00a0Maryland Buy Local Week<\/a>\u00a0and the Buy Local Challenge, which runs today through July 31.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuying local is good for our state\u2014it supports our small businesses and keeps our state\u2019s economy competitive,\u201d\u00a0said Gov. Moore.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWe encourage all Marylanders to buy local and enjoy the premium quality and broadly diverse offering that Maryland\u2019s growers, producers, farmers, and watermen have to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Maryland\u2019s agriculture and seafood industries contribute more than $16 billion to the state\u2019s economy and account for more than 68,000 jobs, according to a\u00a02018 study from BEACON at Salisbury University<\/a>. The Buy Local Challenge, created in 2006 by the\u00a0Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission<\/a>, encourages Marylanders to incorporate at least one locally grown, produced, or harvested product into their meals each day and has grown into a statewide initiative that has continued to expand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere in Maryland, we have world-class produce, seafood, and dairy products right in our own backyard,\u201d\u00a0said Lt. Gov. Miller.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cBuying locally gives Marylanders the unique opportunity to support our state\u2019s economy and local producers, and to see where their food comes from.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For the 2023 cookout, chefs submitted recipes featuring at least one local vegetable, fruit, or blue catfish, showcasing the ways the average Maryland family can prepare delicious, nutritious meals with locally produced food at home.\u00a0Chefs participating in the cookout created samples for attendees to taste and vote for the People\u2019s Choice Award. Miss Shirley\u2019s Cafe of Baltimore City took home the prize for their crabby grilled cheese.<\/p>\n

This year also marked the first time the event\u00a0was waste free. Working in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Environment and\u00a0Annapolis Green<\/a>, all disposables were compostable, with water provided by\u00a0Naptown Taps<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Marylanders are encouraged to participate in Buy Local Week and the Buy Local Challenge. Visit\u00a0marylandsbest.net<\/a>\u00a0to find local Maryland products, locate a farmers market, and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuying local has never been more important\u2014to our farmers, for our health, and for our economy,\u201d\u00a0said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks<\/strong>. \u201cFrom produce to fresh fish and oysters, from cheese to fine wine, let\u2019s celebrate our state\u2019s bounty by savoring all things local.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The press kit for the 2023 Buy Local Cookout is available on the Maryland Department of Agriculture\u2019s website. Information includes:<\/p>\n