A Message from Grow & Fortify
Thanks for getting in touch with us. After a successful 9-year run, this chapter of Grow & Fortify has ended. But don't fear: the work is being continued by the team at Cultivate & Craft.
Thanks for getting in touch with us. After a successful 9-year run, this chapter of Grow & Fortify has ended. But don't fear: the work is being continued by the team at Cultivate & Craft.
Grow & Fortify has released the first economic study of Value-Added Agriculture in Maryland. This report directly incorporates results compiled from the Baltimore Metropolitan Council Value-Added Agriculture Report & Recommendations, data from the Business Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) of Salisbury University, Maryland, and the newly released 2017 USDA Agricultural Census.
BEACON found that Maryland’s Value-Added Agriculture industry supports close to 74,000 jobs and brings a total economic impact of over $20.6 billion annually to the state’s economy. This level of economic activity, in turn, adds nearly $875 million to the State’s fiscal resources.
The 124-page report studies various industry sectors, including grain, fruits and vegetables, spices, hemp, forestry, nursery, animals and dairy, poultry, small and large animals, compost and manure, equine, seafood and aquaculture, wineries, breweries, distilleries, marketing characterizations, labeling and agritourism.
Download the Full ReportA new guide is available from Grow & Fortify and the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, which explores the importance of forestry in Southern Maryland. The new guide is available now as a digital educational resource for residents, entrepreneurs, and commercial interests. Nearly 40% of Maryland is forested. As the single largest land use in the state, forests are vital to the health of the Chesapeake Bay and offer numerous environmental and economic benefits.
To promote and support this important industry, the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) and Grow & Fortify teamed up to develop ‘An Introduction to Southern Maryland’s Forestry Industry’ to highlight how responsible forest management benefits our state’s ecology and economy. Forestry grows food, creates hundreds of products and materials, supports the environment, and builds careers.
Download the Guide HereIn 2017, the statewide forestry industry directly contributed about $4.2 billion and supported 18,046 jobs in the Maryland economy. In Southern Maryland, forestry businesses contribute over $585 million to the state economy, supporting more than 3,000 jobs.
“Forests provide much-needed employment and economic sustainability for our rural communities,” commented Shelby Watson-Hampton, SMADC Director. “And here in Southern Maryland, we are very fortunate to have the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center, which offers students a wide variety of career-specific programs in natural resources, including forestry.”