USRC and Regional Partners Announce Micro Ag Recipients

Cecil Land Trust’s education hive

The Upper Shore Regional Council (USRC), in partnership with the Cecil County Office of Economic Development, the Kent County Economic & Tourism Development, the Queen Anne’s County Department of Economic Development, has awarded $90,000 to 32 farms across the Upper Shore through the USRC Micro Ag Grant program.

The Micro Ag Grant program helps support the development, expansion, and coordination of agricultural enterprises and initiatives along the Upper Shore region. Funded projects ranged from upgrades to equipment to improve efficiency, direct marketing support, home delivery of farm-fresh food, online sales platforms, animal health, conservation practices, and more.

Susan O’Neill, Executive Director of the USRC, says, “Supporting the growth of agribusinesses in our region is a priority for the USRC, and we want to make sure that they have every opportunity to succeed. The Micro Ag Grant helps strengthen both on-farm vitality and the economic impact on our regional rural communities.”

Grant recipients are:

• Andover Meadow LLC
• Betsy’s Bounty
• Brewers Hideaway Farm
• Cecil Land Trust
• Centreville Farmers Market
• 

  Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute, Justinian Dispenza

  Chesapeake Gold Farms

• Clara’s Farm Raised Shrimp
• Crow Vineyard
• David Daniels
• Dogwood Land Dairy
• Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute
• Farmers Wagon
• Flying Plow Farm
• Galvinell Meat Co.
• Hibulli Holding
• Jade Farm
• John Hickey
• Kilby Cream
• Long Green Farm
• Meulenberg Enterprises
• Milburn Orchards
• Oksana’s Produce Farm
• Orchard Point Oyster Co
• Painted Sky Alpaca Farm
• RJ Baldwin
• Rolling Hills Ranch
• Susky River Beverage Co.
• Tailsman
• Zambuto Farms

“The USRC’s Micro Ag Grant was a huge success in its first year. This grant program allows our farmers to stay up to date with consumer tastes and changing regulations. The volume of requests proves the need for a program like this and we are looking forward to another successful year in 2022,” says Maureen O’Shea Fitzgerald, the Agriculture Coordinator for Cecil County Office of Economic Development.

The USRC’s Micro Ag Grant aims to improve the regional food system by creating cohesive relationships between the economic development offices and farmers within the Upper Shore region. The micro-grant program enhances access to fresh food in the region’s rural communities while opening doors to resource-sharing and partnerships throughout the Upper Shore, ultimately helping to create a vibrant and economically sustainable rural community.

For more information about the USRC’s Micro Ag Grant, visit www.usrcmd.org/agmicrogrant. To learn more about the Cecil County Office of Economic Development, visit www.ccgov.org/government/economic-development, the Kent County, Economic & Tourism Development, visit www.kentcounty.com/business, or the Queen Anne’s County Department of Economic Development, visit www.choosequeenannes.com.

About the Upper Shore Regional Council

Since 2003, the Upper Shore Regional Council (USRC) has fostered planning and development in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties. USRC affords federal, state, county, and local governments a regional forum to identify issues and opportunities. USRC plans and implements programs to improve the quality of life in the Upper Shore Region of Maryland.