Buy Local Challenge Week continues to grow customers!

Seven years ago, it started as a way to create markets for Southern Maryland farmers who had transitioned out of tobacco and into food/drink production. Quickly it morphed into a statewide Buy Local Challenge Week. As it matures, the event is serving as a celebration...

Pollinating the local economy to grow jobs and prosperity

Consumer demand is changing the U.S. food industry and local economies can take advantage of consumer demand for less processed fresh and local foods. A National Good Food Network webinar last week highlighted some ways to grow the local economy. Rather than simply...

Food security and food safety with locally sourced food

USDA defines food security for a household as “access by all members at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.” However, food security not only has food access and affordability components, it can be jeopardized by natural and man-made...

Can Maryland be food self-sufficient?

As recently as 70 years ago, Maryland was virtually food self-sufficient, with local farmers providing nearly all the food staples. Since then, modern agriculture practices, food business models, and improved transportation systems have reduced food prices and...

All are fed at the farm

Written by Priscilla Wentworth and Greg Bowen Serenity Farm in Charles County should no longer exist. Mid-sized farms in the U.S. have been disappearing at a dramatic rate, as ag operations have continued to scale up to compete in the global markets. In fact, this...

When the consumer wins and the farmer wins!

A 2014 National Grocery Association consumer survey pretty much tells it all. “More locally grown foods” is the second most desired improvement  among surveyed grocery shoppers. It was second to “Price/cost savings.” That sounds like we want...