Maryland Agricultural Commission
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About The Maryland Agriculture Commission
Vision & mission
Formulate and make proposals for the advancement of Maryland agriculture by serving as an advisory body to the Secretary on matters pertaining to agriculture.
Primary function
The Maryland Agriculture Commission is appointed by the Governor of Maryland and serves as an advisory body to the secretary and deputy secretary of agriculture.
The commission consists of 30 members representing various commodities across Maryland, and includes both a consumer and a University of Maryland (ex officio) representative.
- The commission currently pursues the following priorities and activities.
- Encouraging the agricultural community to be more pro-active on issues affecting agriculture and rural life.
- Evaluating farm/agriculture industry labor and regulations.
- Increasing public awareness of food safety.
- Supporting the department's efforts to promote agriculture
Statutory authority
2-201-205 of the Maryland Annotated Code.
Members
Each member is appointed to a three-year term, and is eligible to serve two consecutive terms. Members are chosen to represents various agricultural sectors including dairy, food processing, turf, farm market, agritourism, etc.
| Commodity | Representative | Email Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Ag Education | Dr. Melissa Welsh | [email protected] |
| Agribusiness | Vacant | |
| Agritourism | Janna Howley | [email protected] |
| Aquaculture | Johnny Shockley | [email protected] |
| At Large Ag Service | Frank Allnutt | [email protected] |
| At Large Ag Service | Stefanie Reiser | [email protected] |
| Bio-Fuel | Rajneesh (Raj) Kathuria | [email protected] |
| Consumer | Kellie Hinkle | [email protected] |
| Dairy I | Vacant | |
| Dairy II | Vacant | |
| Direct Farm Market | Amy Crone, Vice Chair | [email protected] |
| Equine | Ann Merryman | [email protected] |
| Farm Bureau | Paula Linthicum | [email protected] |
| Field Crops | Chris Rhodes | [email protected] |
| Food Processing | Nikita Bocharov | [email protected] |
| Forestry | Hunter Pusey | [email protected] |
| Hemp | Matthew Levi Sellers | [email protected] |
| Horticulture | Vacant | |
| Livestock | Sean Hough | [email protected] |
| Nursery I | J. Kelly Lewis, Chair | [email protected] |
| Nursery II | John Murphy | |
| Organic Farming | Emma Jagoz | [email protected] |
| Poultry I | Zach Evans | [email protected] |
| Poultry II | Vacant | |
| State Grange | Richard Stonebreaker | [email protected] |
| Tobacco | Vacant | |
| Turf | Gordon Kretser | [email protected] |
| UMD | Dr. Darren Jarboe | [email protected] |
| Vegetable | Russell Shlagel | [email protected] |
| Veterinary | Dr. Marianne Bailey | [email protected] |
| Viticulture | Rachel Lipman | [email protected] |
| Young Farmers Advisory Board | Jennell Eck McHenry | [email protected] |
| Young Farmers Advisory Board | Edward Goodman | [email protected] |
Meetings
The Commission meets on the second Wednesday of January, March, June, September, and December.
The committees of the Commission meet in February, April, August, and November.
The Commission conducts spring farm tours in May and fall tours in October, educating members on different agricultural operations across the state and elevating regional challenges and successes to the Commission's attention. All 23 counties and Baltimore City host the Commission within a 5-year schedule.