Thank a farmer

Most of life’s necessities — food, clothing and shelter — start with agriculture. March 21 was National Agriculture Day, which recognizes and celebrates the contributions of agriculture to American society. To coincide with this national celebration, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) declared last week, March 19-25, as “Maryland Agriculture Week.”

From the mountains of western Maryland with its dairy farms and hay to central Maryland with its greenhouses and livestock industries, to the Eastern Shore’s acres of corn, grain, soybeans, vegetables and poultry — and to the wide variety of produce and livestock grown right here at home in Southern Maryland — this state truly grows something for ever yone.

“Maryland’s vibrant agricultural industry is a critical component of our state’s economy, and our farmers go above and beyond to provide fresh, quality food that is accessible, affordable, and safe for our citizens,” Hogan said. “I encourage all Marylanders to take a moment to recognize and celebrate our farmers and the essential role they have in our daily lives.”

There are 2.1 million farms in the United States, a country with nearly 319 million people. Agriculture products remain the nation’s top export. Each American farmer today feeds more than 155 people — a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. American agriculture is doing more — and doing it better.

“For the average person, it is sometimes easy to forget just how important agriculture is to their daily life,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “Maryland Agriculture Week is the perfect occasion for all Marylanders to reflect on the important work that our farmers do each day.”

In Maryland, one-third of the land mass — over 2 million acres — is farmland. In 2015, the top commodity sectors were poultry (broilers), greenhouse and nursery, corn and dairy.

In Charles County, 382 farms, encompassing 46,659 acres, yielded products with a market value of $11.9 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 Census of Agriculture. The majority of that market value was from crop sales, with $1.2 million from livestock sales.

While the number of farms in Charles has decreased slightly since the 2007 census, the amount of farmland is up by a few thousand acres, and the market value of Charles’ agricultural products is up by $3.05 million, according to the report.

We know our farmers are hardworking here, and every year from spring through fall we appreciate the fruits of their labors at farmers markets and farm stands up and down county. Slightly more than half of the principal operators of the county’s farms have another primary occupation, which means the produce sold at these markets and stands are forged by their growers on the side — a laborious second job.

Take a moment to learn more about where your homegrown food comes from, and thank a farmer.