Ag Facts
Montgomery County's diverse agricultural industry is home to 583 farms and employs more than 10,000 people. The market value of products sold in the County is $70,914,000. Read more below, or take a look at Montgomery County’s Ag Fact Sheet, which summarizes data obtained from the USDA 2022 Ag Census.
Click HERE to see historical USDA Farm data for Montgomery County from 1949 - 2007
Grain farms (corn, wheat, soybeans, and barley) comprise 45,543 acres. Much of the grain produced in Montgomery County goes to support Maryland’s poultry industry on the Eastern Shore and other livestock production in the region. In addition to this, wheat produced here is made into cookies, crackers, cakes, and bread products; corn may go toward ethanol production; and some barley is now going to local breweries for the production of beer.
With a market value of $26,725,000, the Montgomery County horticultural industry ranks fourth in the State. Horticultural enterprises include nurseries, landscaping/lawn care companies, floriculture, arborists, sod farms, and greenhouse businesses.
Montgomery County is home to *2,814 horses, used for recreation, breeding, training, and sales. This represents a tremendous opportunity for local farmers in terms of the supplies, services, and products needed to support the horse population, which exceeds the population of all other livestock combined.
*Equine metrics to be updated following the release of the 2024 MDA Equine Census.
There are approximately 228 livestock farming operations in the County raising beef, dairy, sheep, goats, poultry, hogs & pigs. Local dairy and meat products can be found at on-farm markets, regional city farmers markets, through community supported agriculture (CSA) subscriptions, or at local retailers.
Food Producers
According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, there are over 330 farms producing table food in Montgomery County. With a market value of $3,262,000 for
sale of vegetables, melons, potatoes and sweet potatoes, the County ranks ninth in the state.
The County's food producers are essential and continue to play a vital role providing fresh, local food to residents including those in need through the Farm 2 Foodbank program. See the latest Farm2Foodbank Impact Report HERE.
Environmental Data: Best Management Practices (BMP) by Montgomery County Farmers.
These practices help the County's agricultural sector meet its Watershed Implementation (WIP) goals as mandated by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
These BMPs also have the co benefit of reducing green house gas emissions.
Conservation Practices
Reductions in Nitrogen & Phosphorus
Greenhouse Gas Reductions