Mission Statement

The Office of Agriculture (OAG) was created in July 2016 and exists to promote agriculture as a viable component of the County's economic sector, as well as to preserve farmland as a resource for future agricultural production. The goal of the OAG is to promote Montgomery County as a leader in the agricultural industry by providing support to our farm community and working to educate our residents.

Budget Overview

The total recommended FY21 Operating Budget for the Office of Agriculture is $1,001,611, a decrease of $4,761 or 0.47 percent from the FY20 Approved Budget of $1,006,372. Personnel Costs comprise 68.21 percent of the budget for eight full-time position(s) and one part-time position(s), and a total of 4.15 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 31.79 percent of the FY21 budget.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

• A Greener County
• A Growing Economy
• Thriving Youth and Families

Initiatives

• Encouraging a "culture of yes" through a partnership with the Department of Permitting Services to formalize the Farm Alcohol Production process.

  This initiative provides additional opportunities for the expansion of agricultural enterprises and further emphasizes the value proposition of Montgomery County and articulates a pro-business message.

• Securing a new source of funding ($2.7 Million Grant) to purchase additional agricultural preservation easements.

• Continuation of commodity cover crop program in partnership with the Department of Environmental Protection.

Innovations and Productivity Improvements

• Through a partnership with Department of Technology Services, the Office of Agriculture launched a new and improved website.

  The new website is more customer focused and provides better support for the local economy by making it easier for residents to locate Montgomery County made products and buy local.

Program Descriptions

  Agricultural Services

OAG is responsible for the coordination of programs offered by its partner agencies, which are all co-located at the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood. These Federal, State, and local partners include University of Maryland-Extension, the Montgomery Soil Conservation District, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the Farm Service Agency....

  Soil Conservation

The Montgomery Soil Conservation District (MSCD) is a political subdivision of the State staffed by County, State, and Federal employees. Staff members assist farmers and agricultural landowners with resource conservation practices implemented on their land. The mission of the Soil Conservation District is to improve the quality of the...

  University of Maryland-Extension (UMD-Extention)

The Montgomery County Extension Office serves as the agricultural outreach and education component of the University of Maryland. This agency is funded cooperatively through local, State, and Federal governments. Farmers, families, and youth are the primary audiences of the Extension Office. Educational programs for farmers include raising crops and livestock,...