TOWSON, MD—A new 31-member advisory board is set to advise Baltimore County government on agriculture policy, with a focus on promoting economic development and strengthening the agriculture workforce.

The Baltimore County Agriculture Advisory Board will be chaired by William White, Equine Trainer, and co-chaired by Amanda Castillo of Prigel Family Creamery. The board will consist of individuals with diverse experience from across the county, including farmers, veterinarians, educators, government officials, and business representatives.

The creation of the advisory board (PDF) is part of a broader plan to support the agriculture industry in Baltimore County, which is home to more than 780 farms that employ more than 5,000 people. The farms generate more than $90 million annually for the economy.

“Agriculture is an essential part of Baltimore County’s economy, and we are fully committed to equipping our farms with the tools and resources they need to be successful and sustainable is one of our priorities,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “We are thankful that this talented group of experts will share their diverse experiences and guidance to help Baltimore County do all that we can to ensure this essential industry has the support it needs to thrive for years to come.”

The advisory board consists of:

• Agriculture Education, George Mayo, Retired from Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation
• Agribusiness, Alice Chalmers, Sun Bird Farm
• Agritourism, Renee Wilson, The Farmyard
• Agriculture Service, John Eaton, PeoplesBank
• Dairy, Kelly Mays, Mays Dairy Farm
• Direct Farm Market, Leslie Richardson, Richardson Farms
• Equine, William White, Equine Trainer
• On Farm Alcohol Production, Justin Harrison, Farmacy Brewing
• Field Crops, Travis Radebaugh, JH Radebaugh Inc.
• Food Processing/Value Added Products, Amanda Castillo, Prigel Family Creamery
• Forestry, Karl Mech, Baltimore County American Chestnut Project
• Livestock, Dean Bryant, Roseda Farm
• Nursery, Greenhouse Grower, Alan Jones, Manor View Nursery
• Nursery, Retail Garden Center, Diane Knighton, White House Nursery and Design with Nature
• Certified Organic, Helen Norman, Star Bright Farm
• Poultry, Lynne Ferguson, Ferguson Family Farm
• Urban Farmer, Farmer Chippy, Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm
• Vegetable/Fruit, Bryan Alexander, Good Dog Farm
• Veterinary, Dr. John Brooks, Churchville Veterinary Clinic and former Maryland Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
• Viticulture, Phineas Deford, Boordy Vineyards
• At large, Kevin Ford, Blue Star Farm
• Richard Bernstein, Baltimore County Agriculture Land Preservation Advisory Board and First Fruits Farm
• John McGinnis, Baltimore County Soil Conservation District, Board of Supervisors and Pennland Grain
• Jonathan Albright, Albright Farms, Baltimore County Farm Bureau, Board of Directors
• David Cashman, General Manager, Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society, Board of Directors,
• Megan Benjamin, Baltimore County Department of Planning, Land Preservation Administrator (non-voting member)
• Peter Gutwald, Director, Baltimore County Department of Permits, Approvals, and Inspections; (non-voting member)
• Brady Locher, Deputy Director, Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability (non-voting member)
• Eric Hines, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service;, NRCS Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operation Central Maryland (non-voting member)
• Jim Ensor, Baltimore County Soil Conservation District, District Manager (non-voting member)
• Erika Crowl, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Extension, Senior Agriculture Extension Agent Associate (non-voting member)

The first meeting of the advisory board is scheduled for Thursday, June 27, at the Baltimore County Agricultural Center in Cockeysville, Maryland.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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