about us

It’s no surprise to us that Frederick County was named one of the “Top 10 Best Counties in America” by Movoto in 2014. We’ve known all along that businesses and residents flourish here thanks in part to the far reaching effects that agriculture has on our economy and quality of life.

The Frederick County Office of Agriculture‘s mission is to preserve our farming heritage, assist farmers in their endeavors, and promote a thriving agricultural sector.

Homegrown Frederick is a business development service of the Office of Agriculture that focuses primarily on promoting agricultural opportunities and assisting agricultural businesses. Because Agriculture is a targeted Frederick County industry, the Office of Ag also works with the Agriculture Business Council, an appointed Board comprised of local agriculture industry professionals that suggests and implements new ways to preserve the ag-industry and proactively informs the County Executive, County Council and the Office of Ag. 

If you’re looking to start a new agribusiness or expand an existing one, we can help. Contact our office for more information today to get started. Services available include:

• Liaison on behalf of the agriculture industry
• Promotion and education of agriculture 
• Permitting and zoning assistance for agriculture businesses
• Development of business plans to start or expand agricultural businesses

The FarmLINK program companion website provides a digital one-stop shop for farm resources across Maryland.

Features include ‘Property Exchange’, to help landowners keep their farmland in production and assist farmers to find farmland for sale or lease. ‘Mentor Match’ which pairs experienced farmers with new or transitioning farm owners/operators for one-on-one training, advice and interaction for technical assistance in farm production. Farmer Exchange’ designed to facilitate discussion between farmers, and a ‘Job Board’ for posting full and part-time positions, seasonal internships, and apprenticeships. Experienced and beginner farmers will also find useful contact information for local, state, and national agencies and organizations.  

FCOED works closely with the Tourism Council of Frederick County to promote the many agritourism opportunities for visitors. FCOED also works with the following partners who further enhance our agriculture industry: