Agricultural Facts 

Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve is an important environmental resource for future farm enterprises. A strong agricultural heritage provides a diverse business community and a strong economic base. Combining these strengths with the commitment for farmland preservation makes Montgomery County an attractive place to live and work.

Agricultural activities occupy about one-third of Montgomery County's land area. Over half of the 93,000-acre Agriculture Reserve is preserved through transfer of development rights or easement purchase initiatives.

The County's diverse agricultural industry's 577 farms and 350 horticultural enterprises produce more than $251 million in economic contribution from agricultural products and operations. The majority of Montgomery County farms are family-run operations, many reaching back several generations, which employ more than 10,000 residents. The County has 577 farmers, of whom 50 percent work full time in farming. 

 Horticulture

During the past 25 years, the Horticultural Sector has grown dramatically. The 350 horticultural businesses employ more than 7,000 of the people working in agriculture. With gross sales of $125 million annually, horticulture is one of the largest sector in agriculture and includes nurseries and landscaping companies, arborists, sod farms and lawn care firms, and green house businesses. Twenty percent of the horticultural industry in Maryland is in the County and Montgomery County ranks second in the State in total number of horticultural firms.

Equine Industry

Horses have become a major component of the agricultural industry numbering over 12,000 horses. Horses represent a tremendous opportunity for farmers in terms of the supplies, services and products needed to support the horse population, which exceeds the population of all other livestock combined. The growing hay industry in Montgomery County is directly proportional to the growing number of horses. High quality veterinarians that provide services to horses are now available for other livestock operations in the County.

Agriculture for the Future

(all downloads on this page require Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Agricultural Fact Sheet for Montgomery County (29 kb/PDF) Basic agricultural facts and statistics for Montgomery County, MD.

Farm Characteristics of Montgomery County, 1949-2002 (100 kb/PDF) The changing face of County agriculture, in chart form.

Market Value of Agricultural Products in Maryland Counties, 1997 and 2002 (15 kb/PDF) A graphical statewide comparison of the market value of agricultural products.