Agricultural Profitability: Small Farm Program

Issues:

Maryland has 10,710, or 88.6% farms that qualify as small farms.
The 1997 U.S. Census of Agriculture shows that in Maryland, the number of full-time farms decreased 12% from 1992 to 1997.
Small farm operators typically have little to no previous experience and are entering farming as a secondary career.

Actions:

UME developed nationally recognized educational programs that provided basic training in topics including, farm financial management, environmental protection, marketing, and enterprise selection.
The Maryland Small Farm Cooperative was developed to assist small farm operators with group purchasing and selling and networking.

Impacts:

Over 1,200 small, part-time farmers have attended UME smallfarm programs since 1996.
Program participants reported an average of $12,000 in grossfarm income from enterprises they developed.
The Maryland Small Farm Cooperative, in Central and Southern Maryland, has saved its over 300 members thousands through group purchasing contracts. The cooperative's direct marketing livestock facility has saved members over $150,000 in sales commissions since 1998.

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For more information, contact Robert Tjaden

Last updated: 11/12/2009