Howard County is putting more money, and more long-term planning, behind local agriculture.
During his annual State of Agriculture address, County Executive Calvin Ball announced $600,000 in grant funding for local farms and agricultural businesses, alongside several new initiatives aimed at strengthening the county’s agricultural economy and preserving its future.
While the grant awards drew the headlines, the bigger takeaway is this: Howard County is continuing to build out a broad, county-level strategy to support agriculture not just as a tradition, but as a sustainable industry.
$600,000 for Farm Innovation and Expansion
This year’s funding includes awards through both the Agricultural Grant for Innovation and Expansion (AGIE) and the county’s Enhanced Agricultural Grant program.
Together, the grants are helping local operations invest in:
- equipment and infrastructure
- greenhouse and irrigation upgrades
- livestock and poultry operations
- on-farm retail
- equestrian facilities
- business growth and operational improvements
The range of awards reflects the diversity of modern agriculture, and the variety of support local producers increasingly need to stay competitive.
The grant funding is just one piece of a much larger agriculture agenda Howard County has been building over the last several years.
Recent county efforts include:
- farmland preservation investments
- drought relief grants
- support for new and beginning farmers
- expanded local food distribution programs
- planning for a future agricultural center
- efforts to improve meat processing access and cold storage options
The county also announced two new initiatives during this year’s address:
- the creation of an Eastern Howard County Agricultural Task Force
- the launch of a HoCo Digital Farm Passport to connect residents with local farms and markets
Taken together, these efforts show that the county is trying to support agriculture from multiple angles: land, infrastructure, business development, food access, and consumer engagement.
