3-12-2024 4:03am

COUNTY ESTABLISHES

Jeff Barto Editor

Olszewski Issues Executive Order to Establish Agriculture Advisory Board

TOWSON, MD — In recognition of Baltimore County’s agricultural industry as both a rich part of the county’s legacy and future, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today issued an executive order establishing a new agriculture advisory board.

The Baltimore County Agriculture Advisory Board will guide County government as it seeks to support, promote, and market agriculture, strengthen industry workforce pipelines, increase public awareness, and help drive a data-informed long-term strategy on matters pertaining to agriculture.

“Agriculture is an essential part of Baltimore County’s economy, and equipping our farms with the tools and resources they need to be successful and sustainable is one of our priorities,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “We are committed to supporting our farmers and we look forward to having this group of experts share their diverse experiences and guidance to ensure this essential industry has the support it needs to thrive for years to come.”

Baltimore County is home to a diverse agriculture community with over 780 farms which employ more than 5,000 employees across the region and deliver over $90 million in annual economic impact.

Baltimore County’s Agriculture Advisory Board will consist of 24 individuals who will be named by County Executive Olszewski in the coming weeks, and will include local government officials and representatives from diverse private industry sectors, such as agritourism, dairy, equine, livestock, and more.

This is the latest effort from Baltimore County to support the agriculture industry.

The County remains a national leader in land preservation, leveraging nearly $9 million to protect over 70,000 acres of farmland, waterfront, stream valleys and natural lands. Last year, the administration created a new additional position to help build towards a dedicated Agricultural office within the Department of Economic and Workforce Development. Earlier this year, Olszewski announced $500,000 in grant funding for County-based farms impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants, made possible through the County’s allocation of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds, will assist with managing ongoing production challenges and offsetting the negative impacts of the pandemic.