![[color photograph of roosters]](/msa/mdmanual/01glance/images/i002965a.jpg)
Agriculture remains the largest single land use in Maryland, with roughly 34% of total land area used for farming. Approximately 350,000 people are employed in some aspect of agriculture, making it the largest commerical industry in the State. In 1997, some 13,000 farms averaged 162 acres each. The majority of farmland in Maryland is located in the north central part of the State and the upper Eastern Shore.
Roosters, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1999. Photo by Diane P. Frese.
![[color photograph of sheep]](/msa/mdmanual/01glance/images/i002567a.jpg)
The 1997 growing season brought dry weather that benefited wheat and barley, but hampered corn and soybeans. Gross farm income for Maryland totaled $1.78 billion in 1997.
The Department of Agriculture is responsible for marketing, animal industries, and consumer services; plant industries and pest management; and resource conservation.
Data relating to the production and marketing of agricultural products, agriculture prices and income, and other statistics pertinent to agriculture and agribusiness is compiled and published by the Agricultural Statistics Service, a State statistical office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Sheep, Howard County, Maryland, 1999. Photo by Diane P. Frese.
![[color photograph of folk art cow]](/msa/mdmanual/01glance/images/i002131a.jpg)
The Cooperative Extension Service is a statewide education system operated by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Maryland, College Park. For farmers and others involved in agriculture, the Service offers problem-solving resources and scientific expertise through its network of county extension offices.
Traditional showcases of agriculture persist in the State, including the annual Maryland State Fair, at Timonium, annual county fairs, and regional farmers' markets.
Find Out More About Maryland Agriculture via the Department of Agriculture's Web site.
Cattle sign, Maryland State Fair, Timonium, 1998.
Photo by Diane P. Frese.
1996
1997
Poultry
$587,518,000
$599,350,000
Greenhouse/Nursery
$230,409,000
$233,048,000
Dairy Products/Wholesale Milk
$200,583,000
$182,436,000
Oil Crops (primarily soybeans)
$101,314,000
$103,582,000
Feed Crops (barley, corn, hay, oats)
$125,476,000
$85,371,000
Vegetables
$77,454,000
$79,439,000
Meat Animals
$57,929,000
$77,244,000
Miscellaneous Livestock & Products
$55,105,000
$56,265,000
Eggs
$62,221,000
$53,802,000
Food Grains (rye, wheat)
$53,696,000
$46,321,000
Other Seed & Field Crops
$17,588,000
$39,590,000
Forest Products
$30,280,000
$32,168,000
Tobacco
$19,202,000
$18,091,000
Fruits/Nuts
$12,290,000
$16,085,000
Mushrooms
$1,591,000
$1,561,000
*Cash receipts
Source: Department of Agriculture
Maryland at a Glance
Maryland Manual On-Line
e-mail: mdmanual@mdarchives.state.md.us
© Copyright July 02, 1999 Maryland State Archives