Initiatives establish new market connections between farmers, watermen, and Maryland food banks

Through the program, four pots of money will be allotted — funds to purchase from produce farmers and other ag producers providing eggs, milk and poultry, funds that will benefit waterman harvesting the invasive, but tasty, blue catfish (specifically via Phillips Wharf in Tilghman), and a grant to support Maryland producers, shared Amy Cawley.

Cawley, who is from Caroline County, has overseen the Farm to Food Bank program here on the Eastern Shore for several years, aiding farmers with donations to the food bank and working diligently with volunteers to glean fields. Now Cawley will be involved with the purchasing end through this USDA and MD Department of Ag funding.

Just last week, Cawley coordinated the field gleaning of 400 pounds of strawberries at the Wye River Research Center in Queenstown — the largest gleaning ever of berries, she noted.

Moore was joined by Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks, Department of Human Services Principal Deputy Secretary Carnitra White, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator Bruce Summers, representatives from both the Maryland Food Bank and Capital Area Food Bank and Maryland farmers, watermen and seafood company representatives at a press conference mid-April to announce the two programs.

“These initiatives will address hunger and connect rural and urban communities in the common purpose of feeding our state,” said Atticks. “We are so proud that the Maryland Department of Agriculture is at the center of these initiatives.”

Funded by the United States Department of Agriculture — Agricultural Marketing Service, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program provides Maryland with $6.1 million for 2023-2024 to fund the purchase of local food from Maryland farmers and watermen. The grants will be directly distributed to each food bank.

Eight counties on the Shore are served by the Maryland Food Bank, Cawley said.

“It’s a win, win, win,” Cawley said of the new program, “a win for Maryland producers including watermen, a win for the MD Food Bank and a win for our neighbors, those who are food insecure.”

Among those Maryland producers on the Mid-Shore are Jake Lovett of Dorchester County who will be supplying five and 10 pound bags of potatoes, Alan Eck with Greenview Hydroponics in Sudlersville, and Nice Farms Creamery of Federalsburg. Cawley is also hoping to be able to support smaller farms, such as Schaefer Farms of Denton who have donated to the food bank for several years.

Cawley said she is happy to be able to help these growers by buying back from them. Previously donations made by farmers were only offered a 50% tax credit. Cawley said she was “super excited” to see this year legislation was finally passed to offer farmer’s full value tax credit for their gifts.

Beginning July 1, the Maryland Food and Agricultural program will fund $200,000 annually to build food system resiliency by leveraging Maryland agricultural products and services to support the state’s food banks and charitable emergency food providers to alleviate food insecurity. The Maryland Department of Agriculture will issue grants to support the initiative.

“USDA is excited to partner with the Maryland Department of Agriculture as they promote economic opportunities for their local farmers and producers, and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in Maryland’s underserved communities,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “This cooperative agreement will improve food and agricultural supply chain resilience as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to invest in America and strengthen regional economies, like that of the Chesapeake Bay region.”

“With support from the State of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Agriculture, this initiative will not only help provide resources to strengthen our local food systems, but it will bolster the nutritious offerings we’re able to make available to our network of community partners and food-insecure communities throughout the state,” said Maryland Food Bank Chief Executive Officer and President Carmen Del Guercio. “We’re grateful to the Moore administration for recognizing that all Marylanders should have access to fresh, healthy foods produced locally, no matter a person’s circumstances.”

For more information about these new programs, contact Maryland Department of Agriculture Marketing Program Manager Mark Powell at mark.powell@maryland.gov or 410-841-5770. Local farmers interested in the program or those interested in volunteering can reach Cawley at 443-735-0757.