Maryland Farms: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Maryland farms numbered 12,550 in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, working 1,978,036 acres with an average size of 158 acres. They sold about $3.38 billion of products, up from $2.47 billion in 2017, with livestock, poultry and products at about $1.98 billion and crops at $1.40 billion, according to USDA NASS.
| Farms and land in farms | 12,550 farms on 1,978,036 acres; average 158 acres (2022 Census of Agriculture) |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | Broilers, eggs, soybeans, corn, dairy, vegetables, nursery and greenhouse |
| Market value of ag products sold | About $3.38 billion in 2022; livestock about 59 percent, crops about 41 percent |
| State agriculture department | Maryland Department of Agriculture |
| Land-grant extension | University of Maryland Extension |
| Farm Bureau | Maryland Farm Bureau |
Agriculture in Maryland: A Short History
Maryland has farmed the Chesapeake Bay watershed for centuries, from tobacco on Southern Maryland farms to grain and dairy in central counties and poultry on the Eastern Shore. The state's farm count has held close to 12,000 for two decades, from 12,198 farms in 2002 to 12,550 in 2022, even as land in farms slipped from 2,077,630 acres to 1,978,036.
Sales have more than doubled in that time, from $1.29 billion in 2002 to $3.38 billion in 2022. Livestock has been the larger share in every census year, and Maryland's broiler industry is a big reason. The 2022 census counted about 277.9 million broilers sold from 682 farms.
How Farms in Maryland Make Money
Commodity sales
Livestock, poultry and products were about $1.98 billion of 2022 sales and crops about $1.40 billion. Broilers lead livestock, with about 277.9 million sold, and layers number about 2.46 million on 2,292 farms. Soybeans were harvested on 531,904 acres, yielding about 25.2 million bushels, and corn for grain on 422,129 acres, yielding about 71.1 million bushels. Twin Maples Farms and Hutchison Brothers show the poultry-plus-grain model.
Value-added and direct sales
Vegetables, nursery products, compost, and direct sales to the Baltimore and Washington metro markets add value. Twin Maples Farms' founder started an organic compost company that produced 27,000 tons of compost in a year, and Hutchison Brothers grows vegetables such as cucumbers beside its grain crops.
Agritourism, leases and diversification
Land near metro areas has agritourism and lease opportunities, though sales growth in the sources reviewed centers on crops and poultry. Renting land and custom work help new operators grow; David Burrier began with rented land and custom work before buying the home farm.
Agriculture Strategy for Maryland Farms
Soils, water and climate
Maryland spans the flat, drained soils of the Eastern Shore, the Piedmont of central Maryland and western Appalachian valleys. Nearly every farm drains to the Chesapeake Bay, so nutrient and sediment control are central. Practices include no-till, cover crops, grass waterways, streambank restoration and buffers, as at Burrier's Linganore Farm, where monthly sampling showed water leaving the farm cleaner than it entered.
Production and risk
The Maryland Department of Agriculture's Cover Crop Program pays up to $75 per acre in recent years, with a five-acre minimum, planting windows beginning August 15 and an October 15 incentive deadline. Sign-up is in early summer at soil conservation district offices. Pair this with USDA crop insurance and NRCS programs through farmers.gov.
Technology and inputs
Eastern Shore farms test bioreactors, drainage water management and biostimulants, as Hutchison Brothers does. University of Maryland Extension provides cover crop consulting and agronomy help, which can improve return on seed and planting investments.
Farm Business Strategy in Maryland
Margins and markets
Poultry production is concentrated in Delmarva, and broiler growers typically operate under integrator relationships. Know your contract terms and housing costs. Crop farmers should track input costs and use rotation and cover crops to cut fertilizer needs.
Land, credit and succession
Maryland's farm size averages 158 acres and land near metro areas is expensive. Options include leasing, land trust easements such as the Cecil Land Trust protection at Long Green Farms, and loans from Farm Service Agency and Farm Credit. Long Green Farms has been in one family since 1759, an example of eight generations of succession.
Marketing and diversification
Close metro markets favor direct sales, vegetables and value-added products. Recognition helps, and the Maryland Leopold Conservation Award, presented at the Maryland Farm Bureau convention, honors operations like Hutchison Brothers, Twin Maples Farms, Burrier's Linganore Farm and Long Green Farms.
Farm Insight: Maryland Trends to Watch
Watch Chesapeake Bay policy and funding. Cost-share for cover crops, nutrient management rules and watershed goals shape what farms must do and what they are paid for. Operators who meet them early can turn compliance into a recognized brand.
Watch land pressure and by-product markets. Residential growth near Long Green Farms shows the strain on farms near cities, while compost and miscanthus show how by-products become income.
Maryland farmers manage chickens by the millions, crab-adjacent creeks and a state government that cares about every drop of runoff, so some comic relief is warranted. For farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, farm.FM is worth a click between cover crop sign-ups. Eastern Shore growers know that a little humor travels well, much like a poultry truck.
Readers who want the full experience can pair the jokes with Tractor Tunes, the country music for farmers that farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, plays between stories. This author page is a fine starting point.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Maryland
These 4 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Maryland
- Burrier's Linganore FarmElite operation. Union Bridge, Maryland. Burrier's Linganore Farm, Union Bridge, Maryland: about 900 acres of no-till grain and hay, 2023 Maryland Leopold winner. History and contacts.
- Hutchison BrothersElite operation. Cordova, Maryland. Hutchison Brothers of Cordova, Maryland: 3,400-acre grain, vegetable and poultry farm, 2024 Maryland Leopold Conservation Award winner. History and contacts.
- Long Green FarmsElite operation. Rising Sun, Maryland. Long Green Farms of Rising Sun, Maryland: family farm since 1759, 200-cow dairy, 2022 Maryland Leopold Conservation Award winner. History and contact notes.
- Twin Maples FarmsElite operation. Ridgely, Maryland. Twin Maples Farms of Ridgely, Maryland: poultry, 1,500 acres of crops, miscanthus, compost; 2025 Maryland Leopold winner. History and contacts.
Who to Contact in Maryland: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- Maryland Department of Agriculture Cover Crop Program - State cost-share program and deadlines
- University of Maryland Extension cover crop consulting - Land-grant extension help for farmers
- USDA NASS Maryland 2022 Census table - Farms, acres and sales for Maryland
- Maryland Farm Bureau Leopold coverage - State Farm Bureau coverage of conservation award winners
- Farm Progress on Maryland Leopold winner - Independent coverage of a Maryland conservation winner
- USDA Census of Agriculture - Federal census data
- USDA farmers.gov - Federal programs, loans and conservation help
Maryland Farming FAQ
How many farms are in Maryland?
12,550 farms on 1,978,036 acres in the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
What does Maryland sell the most?
Livestock, poultry and products led sales at about $1.98 billion, with broilers the largest livestock item; crops were about $1.40 billion.
Is there a cover crop program?
Yes, the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Cover Crop Program offers cost-share, with sign-up in early summer at soil conservation districts.
Which Maryland farms are profiled here?
Hutchison Brothers, Twin Maples Farms, Burrier's Linganore Farm and Long Green Farms.
Maryland farms combine poultry, grain, dairy and Bay-friendly conservation. Read the profiled operations below to see how the best of them work.