Address: P.O. Box 374, La Plata, MD 20646 
Phone: 3016434039 
County President: Steve Walter 
County Secretary: Melinda Rice (ricefarms3@gmail.com) 
Services: Advocacy, education, networking, and policy support for local farmers; connects members to statewide Farm Bureau resources, local events, and agricultural awareness initiatives. 

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Services: Helps farmers understand zoning and permissible uses for property expansions or acquisitions. 

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Services: Collaborates with farmers on health department regulations, permitting, food safety, and processing compliance. 

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Services: Provides costshare programs, soil nutrient management resources, and technical conservation assistance. 

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Services: Technical and financial assistance to start, expand, or maintain farming operations; located in the La Plata Service Center

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Address: 101 Catalpa Dr, La Plata, MD 20646 
Phone: 3019349588 | Fax: 8553057140 

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Address: College of Southern Maryland, La Plata Campus, La Plata, MD 
Phone: 3019342251 (general CSM info) 
Program: CSM offers a Vertical Agriculture Systems Certificate through its continuing education department. The program provides handson training in controlledenvironment agriculture and hydroponic vertical farming, teaching plant science fundamentals and operation of stacked indoor growing systems to increase production efficiency while conserving space and water. Students work in CSM’s Vertical Agriculture Lab and gain realworld experience that applies to sustainable food production and modern agriculture careers. The next course cohort begins in late March at the La Plata Campus.  

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Address: 8737 Brooks Drive, Suite 101, Easton, MD 21601 
Phone: 4107709330 
Email: info@caic.org
Services: A nonprofit organization that supports farmers, valueadded producers, and agribusiness entrepreneurs in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. through education, training, consulting, and access to capital. CAIC offers tiered programs including the Producers Startup Program, Developing Successful ValueAdded Products workshops, and customized business planning support. Resources include market research, business consulting, produce and food safety training, grant writing guidance, and connections to institutional procurement opportunities. CAIC also hosts an online community platform (AgriBiz Hub) for ondemand learning and networking. 

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Services: Provides programs and services to support consumer protection, environmental stewardship, and agricultural economic prosperity. 

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Services: Supports Southern Maryland farms through marketing, grants, regulatory navigation, and development programs. 

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Services: Connects farmers with expert resources, property and equipment sales, networking, and educational programming. 

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Services: Connects farmers with expert resources, property and equipment sales, networking, and educational programming. 

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Services: Licenses and inspects food processing facilities for wholesale or commercial sale in the State of Maryland. 

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Services: Offers researchbased education, marketing support, workshops, and programs for agriculture, business planning, and farm family education. 

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Organization: University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) – School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences Extension 
Services: Educational programs, training, technical assistance, workshops, farm demonstrations, field tours, and outreach activities designed to support small scale, limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and new farmers. The program focuses on improving farm management skills, access to USDA farm programs, alternative enterprise selection, direct marketing strategies, natural resource management, and production systems to help small farm operations increase profitability and sustainability. Activities include group and individual trainings, conferences, and ongoing outreach. 

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Organization: University of Maryland Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI) – Collaboration between the University of Maryland Carey School of Law (UMB), University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), and University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) 
Services: Provides legal education, outreach, and resources for Maryland’s agricultural community, helping farmers understand and navigate complex legal issues including estates and trusts, regulatory compliance, labor, environmental policies, agricultural leasing, land use, righttofarm laws, and more. ALEI offers educational publications, webinars, workshops, conferences (including the annual Agricultural & Environmental Law Conference), interdisciplinary outreach, and legal support tools tailored to Maryland farm families and agribusinesses. 

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Location: Bel Alton, MD 
Services: Local access point for UME programs, technical assistance, and agricultural education. 

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Services: Connects beginning farmers with business planning and resource development supports. 

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Services: Offers loans, grants, and rural business development financing to support farm and agribusiness growth. 

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Services: Provides agricultural loans for land purchase, equipment, livestock, home improvements, and related needs across Southern Maryland and Eastern Virginia.

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Services: Offers small startup and diversification grants for new and established farm projects. 

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Address: P.O. Box 374, La Plata, MD 20646 
Phone: 3016434039 
County President: Steve Walter 
County Secretary: Melinda Rice (ricefarms3@gmail.com) 
Services: Advocacy, education, networking, and policy support for local farmers; connects members to statewide Farm Bureau resources, local events, and agricultural awareness initiatives.

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