{"id":29663,"date":"2026-03-20T09:11:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/?p=29663"},"modified":"2026-03-20T09:11:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:11:38","slug":"maryland-department-of-agriculture-celebrates-proclamations-honoring-marylands-farming-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2026\/03\/20\/maryland-department-of-agriculture-celebrates-proclamations-honoring-marylands-farming-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland Department of Agriculture Celebrates Proclamations Honoring Maryland\u2019s Farming Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maryland Department of Agriculture Celebrates Proclamations Honoring Maryland\u2019s Farming Communities<\/strong><\/p>\n

ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 20, 2026) <\/strong>\u2014 The Maryland Department of Agriculture<\/strong> is proud to announce that Governor Wes Moore<\/strong> has officially issued three proclamations celebrating the essential contributions of the state\u2019s farming community: National Agriculture Week (March 15-21); National Poultry Day (March 19); and National Agriculture Day (March 24). The proclamations recognize the massive role that Maryland\u2019s farming and agricultural industries play in the state\u2019s economy, environment, heritage, and food security.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaryland\u2019s farmers, growers, and producers do work that is fundamental to this state,\u201d said Gov. Wes Moore. \u201cThey provide the food, fiber, and fuel our people rely on every day, and they power the largest commercial industry in Maryland. Our agricultural industry\u2019s work is helping build a stronger, more resilient future for our state and for the generations that will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the engine of Maryland\u2019s economy, agriculture generates more than $30 billion in annual activity and supports a massive workforce of 350,000 through its interconnected value chain. Beyond the field, farmers are bolstered by a sophisticated network of veterinarians, equipment dealers, agronomists, and researchers. The collaborative ecosystem ensures that Maryland\u2019s agricultural heritage is powered by cutting-edge technology and world-class animal care, sustaining both the land and the hardworking families who steward it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNational Agriculture Week gives us the chance to recognize the Maryland farmers and farm families who steward our land, protect the Chesapeake Bay, and supply food, fuel, and fiber to communities across the state,\u201d said Maryland Farm Bureau President Jamie Raley. \u201cAs Maryland\u2019s number one commercial industry, agriculture generates billions in economic activity, supports tens of thousands of jobs, and remains a cornerstone of both our rural and statewide economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agriculture\u2019s impact is felt in every corner of the state through the “four F\u2019s” of agriculture: food, feed, fiber, and fuel. Beyond the fresh produce and proteins that fill local grocery aisles, Maryland\u2019s timber, hemp, and nursery industries provide the fibers used in everything from home construction to textiles. The state\u2019s grain farmers are increasingly fueling the state by producing the corn and soybeans used for livestock feed ingredients and renewable biofuels that power Maryland\u2019s equipment and heat its homes. Together, these sectors help ensure that Maryland farms aren’t just feeding the community, but are providing the materials and energy needed to keep the state moving.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgriculture is a high-tech, high-impact industry that touches the lives of every Marylander every single day,\u201d said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. \u201cThese proclamations serve as a reminder to buy local and support the farm families who work tirelessly to protect our natural resources and feed our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The State\u2019s poultry sector is the undisputed cornerstone of Maryland\u2019s agricultural industry. With a network of more than 500 dedicated growers, the sector generates an impressive $5.4 billion in economic impact. In 2025 alone, Maryland produced 4.7 billion pounds of chicken and 750 million eggs, playing a vital role in providing families with high-quality, affordable protein. Across the state, poultry and livestock farmers alike treat animal husbandry as a core value, operating under the timeless principle that a healthy herd is a productive one.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe folks in Maryland\u2019s chicken community include more than 500 chicken growers and nearly 6,000 employees of chicken companies that have deep roots on the Eastern Shore,\u201d said Delmarva Chicken Association Executive Director Holly Porter. \u201cAbout half our state’s farm income is earned by the family farmers caring for their locally fed and harvested chickens. Our chicken community has been a source of pride for more than a century \u2014 and providing healthy, affordable, fresh food for Marylanders and the world is a calling we all cherish.\u201d<\/p>\n

The State is also recognizing farmers for their environmental leadership. Maryland leads the nation in land preservation and has made historic strides in cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay through sustainable farming and the growth of oyster aquaculture. Through best management practices and legislation like the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act<\/a>, Maryland farmers continue to lead efforts to improve water quality and streamline oyster aquaculture, providing new economic pathways for the industry. Maryland also surpassed its “30 by 30” goal six years early<\/a>, having already conserved 30% of its land (more than 1.85 million acres) by early 2024.<\/p>\n

From the Eastern Shore\u2019s broiler industry to the high-tech urban farms of Baltimore, Maryland\u2019s farmers remain the backbone of the state\u2019s heritage and a vital contributor to its resilient future. The Maryland Department of Agriculture encourages all residents to celebrate National Agriculture Week by purchasing local products and supporting the state\u2019s hardworking farm families.<\/p>\n

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Maryland Department of Agriculture Celebrates Proclamations Honoring Maryland\u2019s Farming Communities ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 20, 2026) \u2014 The Maryland Department of Agriculture is proud to announce that Governor Wes Moore has officially issued three proclamations celebrating the essential contributions of the state\u2019s farming community: National Agriculture Week (March 15-21); National Poultry Day (March 19); and National  Read the Rest…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":251,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[772,403,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-mda-newsroom","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/251"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29663"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29665,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29663\/revisions\/29665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}