Certified Local Farm and Fish Program
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Certified Local Farm and Fish Program & Certified Local Farm and Fish Food Aggregation Grant Fund - Establishment- HB 63/SB 386
The Maryland Department of Agriculture recently established the Certified Local Farm and Fish Program to encourage state agencies, including public four-year universities, to achieve an overall goal of purchasing 20% of their food from Certified Local Farm and Chesapeake Invasive Species Providers.
The original name of the program was:
Certified Local Farm Enterprise Program and Certified Local Farm Enterprise Food Aggregation Grant Fund - Establishment - 
HB 1488/SB 985
For the full report to the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee House Health and Government Operations Committee for Fiscal Year 2023 please click here.
For Farmers & Seafood Dealers
What is a Certified Local Farm?
A certified local farm is a farm that has a nutrient management plan or meets the nutrient management requirements, i.e. apiarists or aquaculturists, with the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
What is a Certified Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider?
A Certified Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider is a seafood dealer that is licensed as a Tidal Fish Dealer with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
How can my farm/dealer become a Certified Local Farm or Certified Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider?
1. Register. Please access the online application on Maryland OneStop (OneStop End User Guide ).
2. Verification. MDA will verify that your farm has a nutrient management plan or your dealer is licensed as a Tidal Fish Dealer with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
3. Certification. You will receive notification that your farm/dealer is certified once your nutrient management plan or your dealer's license is verified. Your contact information, list of products, and certification number will be placed in the online directory upon receiving certification. The directory will be used by Maryland state agencies, universities and other institutions interested in buying from businesses listed in the Maryland Certified Local Farm and Fish Directory.
4. Update. MDA will ask you to update your directory information once a year.
What is the cost to become a Certified Local Farm or Certified Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider?
There is no cost to become a Certified Local Farm or Certified Chesapeake Invasive Species Provider.
For State Agencies
Overall goal
State agencies (including public four-year universities) have an overall goal of purchasing 20% of their food (either through prime vendors, subcontractors or direct) from Certified Local Farm and Chesapeake Invasive Species listed in this Directory .
Reporting
All participating agencies are required to submit their individual reports to the program on or before September 30, 2023 (COMAR 15.01.19).
Click to access the 2023 Reporting Form.
Click to access the 2023 Reporting Manual.
For more information, please contact local.food@maryland.gov
