By MARK POWELL

1/04 Harford County’s political leadership has a plan to save agriculture.
Executive James M. Harkins has worked with local farmers to formulate 12-point plan to make the Maryland county more farmer-friendly. He has made saving agriculture and farmland a high priority in his administration.
Why?
“Agriculture’s our No. 1 industry,” Harkins said.
And agriculture is keeping this suburban county’s open space open. That’s a key point for Harkins and his electorate.
“We can make it easier for someone not to put their land up for development,” he said.
A recently completed study of the county’s agricultural economy shows an estimate of gross farm receipts at more than $80 million. And, significantly, the report states: “Consistent with rapid urbanization, 48 percent of all farms reported an increase in asset value in the last five years. Land and building values are the largest single asset for Harford County farms and are valued at an average of $1,359,815 or $16,785 per acre.”
Harkins and his director of planning and zoning, Joseph Kocy, both say that preserving agriculture is a cost-saving venture for county government. “Farming is only land use which pays for itself,” Kocy said.
Harkins, a pro-business Republican, has an ag background, having worked as a milk tester as youth. He said he is working to achieve a balance between development and preserving Harford County’s rural nature. It’s a tough balance to achieve in a county situated between Baltimore and Cecil County. Harkins would like to see development focused around Route 40.
“You can’t just preserve the open space, though,” Harkins said. “You have to help the farmers. That’s where the Ag2000 Initiative comes in. We can make it a good decision to stay in agriculture.”
Harkins’ administration, which includes former Maryland USDA-Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Executive Jim Richardson, has made significant strides with the local ag community with the initiative.
Harkins, who already had onboard ag development specialist John Sullivan, put together an Ag Coordinating Committee from the various parts of the county government.
Drawing funding in relatively small amounts from various budgets, Harkins said the county is working to make simple changes to encourage farmers. For example, legislation was passed recently by the county council which expanded permitted uses in areas zoned for agriculture.
Sullivan explained that with such a zoning change, it becomes easier for producers to do entertainment farming, corn mazes and the like.
Kocy, of planning and zoning, recently stepped in to help a farmer whose land is permanently preserved in ag land preservation. Neighbors in a new development were under the impression that because the farm is in ag land preservation, it is open to the public. Kocy worked with the farmer to make the neighbors aware that the land was theirs to look at, but not to trespass on.
“The farmer agreed to have an open house on the farm and invite the neighbors in,” Kocy said. This will help create some good will, he said.
Richardson, who is personnel manager for Harkins, said the county has also created a Web site promoting farms in the county. “We’re working to get every farmer a Web site,” Richardson said. The county will connect producers with a low-cost expert in Web site development.
The county’s farm market system also is going great guns in an effort to provide retailing connections for producers. Harkins said his administration worked to make sure transportation was available for consumers who could use federal WIC (Women, Infant and Children) vouchers at the markets. Some of the markets are also sited near MARC train stops into Baltimore, making the facilities convenient to commuters.
Harkins also is upbeat about a new project to help beef producers. The county hopes to facilitate a federally inspected local butchering facility for Harford cattlemen. Then, that product could be labeled as Harford grown, attracted consumers interested in local product.
Ned Sayre, a Harford County cattleman, is expected to lead the county’s new beef council. Sayre, like ag development officer Sullivan a member of the state’s new ag leadership development program, said, “If things like this Ag2000 Initiative take off, it will make it easier to make a decision to stay in agriculture.”
William D. Amoss, administrator of the county’s Office of Agricultural and Resource Preservation, sees the iniative as something that works along with the farmland preservation efforts. “I’m clearly competing against developers,” Amoss said.
Mike Pons, a horseman from Country Life Farm, the state’s oldest Thoroughbred farm, chairs the county’s Economic Development Agricultural Advisory Board. The board, Pons points out, is now a permanent fixture in county government and gives agriculture a necessary voice in the county government no matter who is county executive.
“For years, we Harford County farmers have felt like we were banging on the doors of Harford County government and no one was there,” Pons said. “Now, with the Harkins Administration, those doors have been opened. We have a seat at the table and we are offered a menu.”
In another coup for Harford County agriculture, the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation is locating its permanent headquarters at an historic farm in sight of the Chesapeake Bay. It is one of Harkins’ goals to work with MAEF to incorporate ag education curriculum into the county’s schools. This would increase awareness and understanding of issues dear to farmers’ hearts.
Harford’s agriculture is also enjoying a Renaissance of sorts in the public eye, at least partially as a result of the Harkins’ Administration’s efforts. The county newspaper, the Aegis, is paying close attention to the initiative and explaining to the general public some of the issues confronting farming on the surburban fringe at the beginning of the 21st Century.