From small, traditional family farms to modern aquaculture operations. From microbreweries to major bakeries. From artisanal cheese makers to the world’s leading spice maker. Maryland has it all—and it’s all thriving, generating $4.7 billion in products and another $2.2 billion in economic impact.
More than 12,250 farms dot the state of Maryland—and make their mark on the state’s economy as well. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting together contribute over $1 billion in GSP, with a total market value of $2.2 billion in products sold. Maryland farms generate three times the national average in sales per acre, and are more valuable per acre than the average U.S. farm.
And we’re talking about more than corn and soybeans (which Maryland produces in abundance, by the way). For example, forest products—wood for homebuilding, furniture, and paper—make up the fifth largest industry in the state. And Perdue Farms, on the Eastern Shore, is the nation’s third-largest poultry producer, leading Maryland’s billion-dollar poultry industry.
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting together contribute over $1 billion in GSP, with a total market value of $2.2 billion in products sold.
As big as agriculture is in Maryland, agribusiness is much bigger. It encompasses all kinds of food and beverage production and distribution, from entrepreneurial efforts like Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick to large commercial enterprises like Baltimore-based H&S Bakery, a dominant player in the foodservice industry.
Perhaps a more familiar name in food is Maryland’s own McCormick & Company, the world’s leading spice maker. Well known to retail grocery shoppers across the country, McCormick employs nearly 2,000 workers at its state-of-the-art headquarters, serving every one of the nation’s top 10 foodservice restaurant chains and distributing its products to more than 150 countries.
Whatever the nature or size of your business—even if it’s still in the planning stages—we can provide vital information and support.
