Driving Farm Sales & Exploring Financial Incentive Opportunities for Conservation

Join us for an afternoon with Dr. Xuan Wei, UMD Extension Urban Farm Management Specialist, who will help you discover how to maximize your farm’s potential by understanding market channels and consumer behavior. Dr. Wei will share insights from her market research in specialty crops, including ornamental horticulture, and provide practical strategies to help you grow your business.

After Dr. Wei’s insightful presentation and discussion, we will hear from several county, state, and federal agencies about their financial incentive programs to assist you with supporting the implementation of conservation practices on your urban farm. They will briefly share their funding opportunities, as well as how best to prepare to apply for them when applications open. Links and factsheets about the programs, as well as the recording, will be shared.

Speakers include:

• Lisa Garfield – Research and Million Acre Challenge Director, Future Harvest – The Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture
• Colleen Kiefer – District Conservationist (PGC, DC, Baltimore), Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA
• Julia Medrano, State Outreach Coordinator – Farm Service Agency, USDA
• Bill Tharpe, Program Administrator, Small Farm & Urban Agriculture, MD Department of Agriculture
• Julie Wolf – Program Manager, Department of the Environment Climate-Smart Commodities Grant

Note: Must have at least 12 farmers registered BY NOON the day before the Open Mic Night or it’s subject to cancellation. In addition, if at least 15 folks haven’t registered for in-person, we will cancel the in-person option and pivot to virtual only.