Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Program

Maryland's Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Program provides financial assistance to support small-scale agricultural operations located in urban, peri-urban, rural, and suburban areas. It aims to increase community access to healthy foods by helping farmers improve their management of natural resources by adopting Bay-friendly and climate-smart farming practices. The program offers Urban Agriculture Grants to support the growth and development of urban farms and community gardens, Water and Power (infrastructure) Grants for qualifying operations located in urban areas, and Small Acreage Cover Crop Grants in the spring and fall. It is funded by the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund and managed by the department's Conservation Grants Program.

Individuals, organized for-profit agricultural businesses, or non-profit organizations may apply. The operation must produce a farm product that generates a minimum of $1,000 of sales or donations annually, and the farm product must be grown or raised in the state of Maryland. Eligible operations include any agricultural, horticultural, vegetable, or fruit product of the soil (raw or processed); livestock, meats, marine food products, poultry, eggs, or dairy products; equine operations; wool, hides, feathers, or honey; and any product of farm, forest, orchard, garden, or water. The grantee is responsible for all local, state, or federal regulations and permits necessary for the operation.

Apply through the program's specific grant tracks: Urban Agriculture Grants, Water and Power Grants, and the Small Acreage Cover Crop Program. Contact Program Administrator Bill Tharpe at 410-841-5869 or bill.tharpe@maryland.gov, Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401.