Craft breweries, wineries and distilleries

can provide significant job creation and economic development benefits. County and state officials gathered in a packed room to toast these benefits and learn how to bring them home to their own counties at this year’s MACo Summer Conference, on Thursday, August 17, 2017 at the breakout session, “I’ll Drink To That: Crafting Jobs with Breweries, Distilleries and Wineries.”

Speakers included Kevin Atticks, Founder, Grow and Fortify; Shelby Watson-Hampton, Director, Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission; Kelly Slagle, Director of Economic Development, Calvert County Government; and Hank Abromson, Counsel, Miles & Stockbridge.

The session was powerfully moderated by the Honorable Addie Eckardt of the Maryland Senate. Senator Eckardt sits on the Budget and Tax Committee and introduced legislation last session to provide counties greater authority to offer tax incentives for agritourism.

MACo’s Summer Conference was August 16-19, 2017 at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City Maryland. This year’s theme was “You’re Hired!”