Licensing, Permits and Regulations
Agriculture

Licensing, Permits and Regulations

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Getting your products to market may require special regulations, permits, certification or even inspection. Listed below are some links to some requirements:

Meats

Selling meats at farmers markets-MDA licenses
Maryland Department of Agriculture

Non-Regulated Meats 

Non-USDA-regulated meats like bison and rabbits can be sold on farm without inspection, and have voluntary inspection by the USDA or MDA to sell off the farm. To sell at a farmers market, you need a Producer Mobile Farmer’s Market License.

Regulated Meat and Poultry

For USDA-regulated meats like poultry, cattle, swine, sheep, goat you may need USDA inspection for slaughtering, processing, packaging and labeling. You can sell meat on farm if it is slaughtered, packaged and labeled at a USDA-inspected facility. To sell at a farmers market, you need a Producer Mobile Farmer’s Market License.
Guidelines

Eggs

Selling eggs at farmers markets and roadside stands
Guidelines

MDA’s Egg Quality Assurance program
Guidelines

Food Processing

Food Processing

Food processing guidelines for specific foods like dairy, eggs, meats, baked goods, fruits and vegetables and others.
Guidelines

General Permit Information

Permits and licenses from the Maryland Department of Agriculture on beekeeping, organic certification, pesticides, eggs, grain, weights and measures and others.
Guidelines

Howard County Code of Ordinances

Subtitle 5 – Public Recreation on Private Lands

Section 19.505 – Special Permits

http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=14680

Section 12.107 – Food handling

A food service facility does not include a farmers market, as specified in the Code of Maryland Regulations, section 10.15.03.27 or eggs sold only on a farm in compliance with the code, section 10.15.03.05A(8).

Fruits and Vegetables

Good Agriculture

Good Agriculture Practices certification from the Maryland Department of Agriculture is not mandatory, but recommended if you want to provide products to grocery store chains, schools, hospitals, penal institutions and some restaurants.
Guidelines

Quick Links

Agriculture Businesses in Howard County

From farms to food processing and distribution, agricultural businesses in Howard County support a nationwide demand.

Coastal Sunbelt Produce logo Coastal Sunbelt Produce website link Coastal Sunbelt Produce
Chesapeake Flower Exchange logo Chesapeake Flower Exchange website link Chesapeake Flower Exchange
Taylor Farms logo Taylor Farms website link Taylor Farms
Sysco Food Services logo Sysco Food Services website link Sysco Food Services

Two red tractors pull truckbeds on a dirt road at a farm.

A Budding Environment for Business

Agricultural business is deeply rooted in Howard County’s economy. Whether it’s food produce processing companies like Coastal Sunbelt Produce, which employs more than 1,050 individuals, or Sysco Food Services in Jessup, which has nearly 700 on-staff production supervisors, logisticians, quality assurance personnel and more, businesses find the talent they need in Howard County.

A red tractor goes over a yellow field to harvest crops.

The Right Nutrients for Growing Employment

The agricultural and food processing workforce in Howard County is supported by several educational institutions. Nearby University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources in College Park, MD offers a diverse range of 20 academic programs and operates 12 research centers, while Howard Community College offers an associate degree in environmental science — cultivating a talent pipeline for food processing companies and farms. Such robust training is evidenced by the US Bureau of Labor Statistic’s report of over 2,000 food processors and more than 1,000 farmers working in the Columbia-Baltimore Metro Area alone in 2022.

A yellow sunflower is in focus against a blurred background of more sunflowers.

A Garden of Possibilities

A wide range of resources are available in Howard County for agricultural businesses. The University of Maryland Extension serves as a valuable hub right in Columbia, MD, offering up-to-date research and expertise in areas spanning food, nutrition, plant agriculture and agribusiness management. The HCEDA plays a crucial role by organizing events to aid new agricultural ventures, in addition to the annual Agricultural Grant for Innovation & Expansion. Countywide initiatives like HoCo Farms actively promote and support local businesses, while opportunities for state and federal grants and loans further enhance the ecosystem for agricultural development.