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Organic produce has become very popular in the last 10 years. U.S. organic fovod sales have grown between 17 and 21 percent each year since 1997. This is compared to conventionally grown food sales that have grown only 2 to 4 percent a year for the same time period. Organic food sales now represent approximately 2 percent of U.S. food sales (Greene and Dimitri).

Agritourism—one of the fastest-growing segments of agricultural direct marketing—allows farmers to diversify their core operations and keep farmland in production while preserving scenic vistas and maintaining farming traditions. By providing authentic farm experiences for visitors, agritourism helps educate the public about the importance of agriculture to a community’s economic base, quality of life, history, and culture.

The popularity of craft beer and micro-breweries combined with the growing awareness of buying locally-produced agricultural products provides Maryland farmers with an emerging crop production opportunity: hops. Research the possibilities of producing this high-value crop right here in Maryland. Maryland and surrounding states have a good market for locally-grown hops.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service website, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) threatens the health of honeybees across the nation, the issue exacerbating in the 1980s with the increase of new pathogens & pests. Since a great number of agricultural crops we grow in Maryland depend on honeybee pollination, the honeybee decline threatens our food industry.

Interested in raising animals but looking for something different than the conventional sheep, cattle, or laying hens? Then you might be interested in raising some type of alternative livestock. Examples of alternative livestock include antelope, elk, buffalo, alpacas, llamas, miniature horses, donkeys, zebra, camels, guardian dogs, ratites, game birds, ducks, wallabies, and more. Broadly defined, alternative livestock can be any non-traditional animal raised on your farm or property.

In November, I had the opportunity to give a presentation through the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ (AGNR) new Agricultural Careers and Entrepreneurship (ACE) Virtual Center webinar series. The presentation was titled, Entrepreneurs-Born or Made?

Packaging is more than just a way to get your product from A to B — it’s also an incredibly valuable customer touchpoint. In today’s age of “Social Media” moments and You Tube videos, your product packaging is an additional way to get extra marketing mileage for your “brand”. A product's packaging communicates many things, from what the product can do for your customers to your company's values. It is important to take some time deciding exactly what you want to accomplish by packaging your item, because for most food products, almost a quarter of the cost per unit that is realized comes from the price paid for packaging.

Processing For Profits-An Assessment tool and guide for small-scale on-farm food processors This publication addresses product development, manufacturing, understanding the food safety system, labeling, acidified food, FAQs about Maryland’s food regulations, specific Maryland processed farm products, business planning, and marketing for specialty food producers and processors. Any producer interested in the potential and pitfalls of on-farm and value-added food processing will find this new resource helpful in their planning and implementation process.

The first issue (July 2020) of the "Maryland Retail Products Producer News & Notes". In this issue Ginger shares the results of a survey that was conducted.

Your Ag Business Venture: Dream, Plan, Implement is a guide designed to put you in the driver's seat while on the road to making your ag business idea a reality. There are many good tools and resources within this guide to help you along the way.