Harford County Agriculture & Nutrient Management

Agriculture & Food Systems in Harford County

The Agriculture and Food Systems (AgFS) program provides research-based education and technical assistance to support Maryland's agricultural industry. Educational programs are designed for commercial producers, agricultural businesses, landowners, and individuals interested in agriculture.

Extension educators connect university research with practical solutions that help improve farm productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship through workshops, field demonstrations, publications, consultations, and other educational resources. 

Learn More About UME AgFS Programs

UME Areas of Expertise

  • Crop production and management
  • Livestock and poultry production
  • Fruit and vegetable production
  • Commercial horticulture
  • Farm and agribusiness management
  • Beginning farmer education
  • Urban agriculture
  • Nutrient management
  • Pesticide safety and certification
  • Soil health and conservation practices

AgFS Resources & Newsletters          AgFS Meetings & Events 

Harford County Agriculture & Food System Programs

UME Harford County offers a variety of AgFS workshops and programs. Whether you are a farmer or just seeking more information about agriculture, our Extension staff is here to help with a variety of topics, from agronomy and forages, grazing systems and horticulture, nutrient and pasture management, to plant pathology and soil. UME Harford County AgFS also offers special yearly programming, including private applicator pesticide certification, nutrient management voucher training, pasture walks, and the Mid-Winter Agronomy Meeting. Learn more below or by contacting our office.

Program Cards

Agriculture Newsletters

Ag Notes: Harford County Newsletter

Jul 2026

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Ag Notes Archive

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Additional Ag Newsletters & Resources

Agronomy News Statewide Newsletter & Blog

UME Agriculture Newsletters and Resources

Agricultural Nutrient Management Program

The University of Maryland Extension's Agricultural Nutrient Management Program balances nutrient applications with crop requirements to optimize crop production while reducing pollution to the Chesapeake Bay.

To request a nutrient management plan, please contact the Harford County Extension office. Depending on the time of year, there may be a sizeable wait list. To help efficiently develop your plan, you will need to provide the following information:

  • A recent soil test, less than 3 years old, for each field you manage (preferably from one of the labs in the soil lab comparison sheet)
  • A recent manure analysis, less than one year old, if you plan to apply manure or organic nutrient-containing materials (e.g. compost or processing waste) (preferably from one of the labs in the manure lab comparison sheet)
  • A map of your farm, or come ready to show the advisor the boundaries of your farm and fields
  • Management history for each field, including current/previous season's crop, tillage regime, manure/organic application rates for previous two seasons, and yield history, if possible
  • Plans for the upcoming growing season for each field, including expected crops and nutrient applications. Multiple scenarios can be built into the plan.
  • Animal Information, if applicable, including weight, amount and type of bedding used, and turnout/confinement schedule
  • Manure import/export information, if applicable, which should include the name and contact information of the export destination
  • More information may be required for perennial fruit crops, high phosphorus soils, or other special circumstances; your advisor will let you know

Fill out the data collection sheets ahead of time and expedite plan development:

Soil Testing

Although the University of Maryland Soil Testing Lab has closed, there are many other labs available that conduct soil analysis. For more information, see our Comparison of Soil Test Labs bulletin. This comparison provides MD producers who must obtain a nutrient management plan with a list of approved labs that can be used for their nutrient management plan development.  Please note that specific sampling procedures need to be followed. Producers required to obtain a nutrient management plan for their operation should follow these sampling procedures, rather than the lab's sampling instructions.

Extension AgFS Resources

The University of Maryland Agriculture and Food Systems team provides a variety of agricultural education programs and resources. Explore them all.

More Harford County Extension Programs