Cecil County Awards Grants for Agricultural Expansion & Sustainability

A red barn next to a field of cornCecil County’s Office of Economic Development in partnership with Upper Shore Regional Council announced the recipients of the 2023 Upper Shore Agriculture Grant program. This year, they provided funding to 18 agricultural enterprises in Cecil County totaling $64,000 to invest in projects that expand, diversify, and improve marketing efforts, implement capital improvement projects, improve animal welfare, and get fresh food into underserved areas.

“From putting food on families’ tables to preserving our picturesque landscape, Cecil County farmers play a central role in promoting Cecil County’s economic well-being and quality of life,” said County Executive Danielle Hornberger. “That’s why we are so pleased to be able to support our local farmers with these grants.”

Maureen O’Shea Fitzgerald, the County’s Agribusiness Coordinator said “We absolutely love administering this program each year! It is a wonderful opportunity to hear from our farmers about the innovative projects happening on the farms. We are proud to be able to support these projects and our local farmers with direct funding.”

The Cecil County Office of Economic Development provides grant funding to local agricultural businesses looking to expand, diversify, or improve their marketing efforts, implement capital improvement projects, or conduct agricultural research initiatives. The purpose of the program is to help support and sustain the development, expansion, and coordination of agricultural enterprises and initiatives within Cecil County. The grant opens on January 1 every year. The Upper Shore Agriculture Grant program won the 2022 Maryland Association of Counties County Innovation Award.

This year’s grant recipients include:

After the Races
Bohemia Bees
Brewer’s Hideaway
Chesapeake Gold Farms
Delmarva Crop Queen
Flying Plow Farm
Fresh Source Farm
Galvinell Meat Co.
Game Changer, LLP
Helen Edith Farm
Inkasisa Farm
Jade Farm
Misty Rose Farm
Poultry Palette
Richland Farm
Stafford Angus
Stafford Pork
Susky River Beverage Company

For more information about the grant program, please visit www.cecilcountyag.org.