Value-Added Agriculture is Regional Effort

Agriculture is the leading industry on the Eastern Shore encompassing the majority of Maryland’s farms. The Upper Shore’s Harvest Directory aims to preserve our land and the rural character of our region by encouraging resi­dents to sustain this valuable industry. The directo­ry is ex­panding to include Dorchester County and become a more regional resource.

Upper Shore Regional Council (USRC) Executive Director Doris Mason said, “We at the USRC are excited to be partnering with the Dorchester County Economic Development and Dorchester County Tourism offices to add the county to our Harvest Directo­ry partnership, as we support agriculture across the shore! As we collaborate re­gion­ally on projects such as this, we position ourselves to compete globally, as even larger pro­jects and opportuni­ties to emerge for us!”

The partnership between Dorchester County Economic Development, Dorchester Coun­ty Tourism, Washington College, and the Upper Shore Regional Council is an excit­ing collaboration.  Washington College’s Geographic Infor­mation Systems Program will expand the directory’s web and mobile application to in­clude Dorchester County. The current branding will change from the Upper Shore Harvest Directory to the Eastern Shore Harvest Directory. For more information about the Harvest Directory, please visit them at www.uppershoreregionalcouncil.org/harvestdirectory.

Another value-added agricul­tural initiative on the shore is MarylandFarming.com. The Caroline Economic Develop­ment Corporation was award­ed a grant from the Rural Maryland Council to create a marketing campaign to attract new value-added agricultural businesses to the Eastern Shore.  The website features all nine counties of the Eastern Shore, a resource library, case studies, infor­mation about the Eastern Shore lifestyle, and more.  Keep informed by signing up for their newsletter or by following them on their Facebook Page.