Statutory Authority: 2-201-205 of the Maryland Annotated Code.
Vision and 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.
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, agirtourism, etc.
Commodity | Representative |
Ag Education | Dr. Melissa Welsh |
Agribusiness | Vacant |
Agritourism | Janna Howley |
Aquaculture | Johnny Shockley |
At Large Ag Service | Frank Allnutt |
At Large Ag Service | Stefanie Reiser |
Bio-Fuel | Rajneesh (Raj) Kathuria |
Consumer | Kellie Hinkle |
Dairy I | Vacant |
Dairy II | Vacant |
Direct Farm Market | Amy Crone, Vice Chair |
Equine | Ann Merryman |
Farm Bureau | Paula Linthicum |
Field Crops | Chris Rhodes |
Food Processing | Nikita Bocharov |
Forestry | Hunter Pusey |
Hemp | Matthew Levi Sellers |
Horticulture | Vacant |
Livestock | Sean Hough |
Nursery I | J. Kelly Lewis, Chair |
Nursery II | John Murphy |
Organic Farming | Emma Jagoz |
Poultry I | Zach Evans |
Poultry II | Vacant |
State Grange | Richard Stonebreaker |
Tobacco | Vacant |
Turf | Gordon Kretser |
UMD | Dr. Darren Jarboe |
Vegetable | Russell Shlagel |
Veterinary | Dr. Marianne Bailey |
Viticulture | Rachel Lipman |
Young Farmers Advisory Board | Jennell Eck McHenry, Edward Goodman
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Meeting Schedule:
The Commission meets the second Wednesday of each month except for July and August. The Commission conducts spring (May) and fall (October) farm tours.
The tours educate Commission members on the different types of agriculture operations in Maryland. All 23 counties host the Commission every five years.
Primary Contact for the Public:
Harrison Palmer
Executive Secretary of the Maryland Agricultural Commission
Harrisonb.Palmer@maryland.gov
Office: 410-841-5882
Maryland Department of Agriculture
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, MD 21401
Strategic Plan for the Maryland Agricultural Commission- Updated June 2024
Meeting Minutes:
Minutes from earlier meetings are available by request
Meeting Presentations and Documents:
