Agriculture and Aquaculture

Targeted Industries

Agriculture and Aquaculture

St. Mary’s County’s agriculture and aquaculture heritage runs deep.

Preserving the County’s rural character is part of the County’s mission. This means that St. Mary’s County is a very advantageous place to be a farmer, whether in agriculture or aquaculture.

Why farm in St. Mary’s County:

  • Strong farm economy supported by a high-income population that actively seeks fresh & value-added local foods
  • Excellent growing conditions
  • Farm-friendly regulations & community
  • Local agencies work to meet local & regional marketing & infrastructure needs.
    • Supported regulatory changes needed to develop Loveville Produce Auction
    • Technical support for USDA-approved dairy & slaughterhouses in the County
    • Three County-sponsored farmers markets & ongoing assistance to numerous private farm stands & markets
    • Collaborating to build a Regional Agriculture Center for meat processing
  • Proximity to large urban markets in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Annapolis, & Richmond

St. Mary's County Agriculture and Seafood Sales in Dollars

Quick Facts/Rankings

  • Sales of Value-Added Products Produced $770,000 (USDA Census of Agriculture: 2017 Census volume 1, Ch. 2" County Level Data
  • Sales of Vegetables, Potatoes, Melons, Berries, Tree Fruits & Nuts Harvested $2,462,000 (USDA Census of Agriculture: 2017 Census volume 1, Ch. 2" County Level Data
  • Comprehensive Plan designates 80% of County land area for resource-based land uses with goals to preserve 60,000 acres of farmland & a total of more than 78,000 rural acres.
  • St Mary’s is #1 of the 10 MD counties with aquaculture leases with 25.5% of total leases & 32.9% of leased acreage (MD DNR 1/2018 to 2020 Shellfish Aquaculture Lease Applications)