Maryland Agriculture Then and Now

Larger farms with advanced equipment and greater capital took advantage of economies of scale, reducing the number of smaller farms. Larger more efficient machinery allowed larger operations and fewer workers.

The expansion of urban areas, particularly around Baltimore-Washington, contributed to the reduction of farmland.

Government policies such as price supports and subsidies often benefited larger farms, while smaller farms struggled to compete. Other programs encouraged landowners to sell their land for development leading to a reduction in the number of farms.

The Chesapeake Bay was protected by stricter environment regulations aimed at controlling runoff and managing waste products.

Some commodities saw a decrease in profit like tobacco as the number of farms continues to decline.

Maryland continued to invest in land preservation through programs like the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF). The federal 2002 Farm Bill included provisions for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which provided financial assistance for farmers to maintain their operations in an environmentally friendly way.

An increased want for organic food options led to more organic farms while the demand for biofuels emphasized the need for corn. The number of farms slightly increased.

Drought reduced yields of corn and soybean crops, also affecting livestock which led some farms to close. This contributed to an overall decline, specialty crops, poultry production, and direct-to-consumer sales experienced growth or remained stable.

Farms experienced high input costs, an aging farm populations, and low commodity prices for wheat, corn, and soybeans.