{"id":15157,"date":"2026-01-12T14:01:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T19:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/?p=15157"},"modified":"2026-01-13T12:58:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T17:58:04","slug":"ingenuity-2026-growing-farmer-profits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/magazine\/ingenuity-2026-growing-farmer-profits\/","title":{"rendered":"Ingenuity 2026: Growing Farmer Profits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Gail Stephens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small- to mid-sized farms are steadily joining the value-added agriculture movement, and UMES Extension\u00a0activities help farmers get on board.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a trend aimed at strengthening rural America by creating increased economic opportunities and agribusiness development. Value-added agriculture activities enhance the worth of an agricultural commodity by creating new, locally produced agricultural products;\u00a0expanding marketing reach and opportunities; and increasing producer income.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UMES Extension is helping farmers explore the best fit for their business plans from alternative crops to medicinal herbs to agritourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative Crops Form Niche Market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Alternative crop specialist Dr. Nadine Burton is growing specialty crops and organic traditional vegetables for comparison at UMES\u2019 Research, Extension and Teaching Farm. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Dr.
Dr. Nadine Burton, UMES Extension\u2019s alternative crop specialist, gives Small Farm Conference 2025 attendees a tour at the UMES Research, Extension and Teaching Farm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cAn alternative crop for us is one that is grown in place of another crop. For example, kale and collards don\u2019t grow well here on the Eastern Shore in the summer because of the heat, humidity and insect pressure, but a tropical crop like amaranth or jute leaf will,\u201d Burton said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better yet, they are also considered value-added because \u201cthey can generate more money than a traditional crop,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seven years ago, Burton created a program to help small-scale farmers learn about crop options to meet consumer demand in regional niche markets based on her research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFarmers were intrigued. They recognized the potential for increasing their farm incomes but didn\u2019t know how to come by the\u00a0specialty crops,\u201d Burton said. \u201cMy job is to identify crops that can be grown alternatively with potential for high economic value,\u00a0educate farmers on cultivating them in the region and tie them into markets.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group of producers Burton initiated now hovers around 70 with about 25 having participated for multiple years. The extension\u00a0researcher said that in fall 2025, the farmers\u2019 alliance sold roughly 12,000 pounds of fresh produce per week to suppliers, including the\u00a0Maryland Food Bank.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt demonstrates that small-scale farmers can be profitable with as little as 1-2 acres with specific value-added crops \u2014 the reason for\u00a0the focus of our work,\u201d Burton said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing alternative crops addresses local food security as some consumers may not have access to the food they are accustomed to and desire, Burton explained. With local farmers growing these crops, she said, the product is fresh, not shipped in from overseas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also makes an economic impact in the area. Burton and student interns research the intensity of the labor and cost of growing the\u00a0crops in comparison to traditional crops. Over the past two years, Burton also has shared her findings with a select group of beginning producers through an annual Alternative Crop Class.\u00a0Compared to a stand-alone workshop, the yearlong opportunity provides more classroom learning followed by practical training on their farms, Burton said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe aim to find a new crop to introduce each season. They are studied for two to three years to validate what grows well in the area\u00a0because conditions like temperature and rainfall can vary each year,\u201d she said. The seeds are harvested and rooted so they\u00a0can be shared to help farmers get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Value-addition in Herbs<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Henriette
Henriette den Ouden, an agent associate with UMES Extension\u2019s Specialty Herb Program, teaches a class on how to process medicinal and specialty herbs for value-added products.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Value-added opportunities for small-scale farmers are limitless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also on the research farm, herbalist Henriette den Ouden can be found tending rows of medicinal and specialty herbs or conducting one of her many small group workshops. Whether the clients are\u00a0gardening enthusiasts, beginning farmers or professional herb growers and processers, the UMES Extension Herb Garden is a hub\u00a0for information.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Known throughout the ages for their culinary appeal, den Ouden emphasizes the healthful benefit that can be gained through\u00a0processing the seeds, leaves or roots for use in value-added herbal teas, syrups and tinctures. Her instruction runs the gamut from herb selection, soil amendments, cultivation, harvesting and drying techniques, uses, value-added products and marketing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGrowing herbs can be satisfying and profitable, but there is more to it than most would expect,\u201d den Ouden said. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re here, to help our clientele consider all that is involved before getting into a project. For instance, herb farmers in Maryland must\u00a0follow strict processing regulations for food and product safety.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agritourism Entices Visitors to the Farm<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Dr.
Dr. Prem Bhandari, center, agritourism and value\u0002added agricultural marketing specialist, hosts traveling agritourism workshops like this one at Emily\u2019s Produce in Cambridge, Maryland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

UMES Extension is encouraging farmers to consider supplementing and varying their income through agritourism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agritourism increases revenue by offering educational and entertainment activities on a farm. It can also create marketing opportunities for farm-produced products. Sales are often made directly to consumers, making way for improved profitability by eliminating a middleman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Prem Bhandari, agritourism and value-added agricultural marketing specialist, helps farmers find their space in the burgeoning sector. He led UMES\u2019 inaugural 2023 Maryland Agritourism Conference and has since organized a series of traveling workshops. The on-site visits to successful agritourism operations serve as examples others may emulate or incorporate in their own agribusinesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the last U.S. Census of Agriculture in 2022, 354 farms in Maryland supplemented income through agritourism, a 20% increase in five years. The total value of sales from these operations was $14.5 million, a 47% increase from the previous census, which indicates an increasing role in Maryland\u2019s economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet there are challenges to overcome and support needed to keep farmers farming. America lost 141,733 farms and more than 20 million acres of farmland between 2017 and 2022 according to the census. Among the reasons for small-scale farm decline,\u00a0Bhandari said, are competition with larger operations, market access, labor shortages, price fluctuations and weather events.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agritourism could be an answer, Bhandari said, with the right extension support services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany of these farmers start service-oriented agribusinesses without formal or informal training as they are hard to come by in the market. They may lack the necessary knowledge and skills needed for agritourism management,\u201d said Bhandari, noting UMES\u00a0Extension\u2019s many training and networking opportunities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Photos by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UMES Extension\u2019s work is supported in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in partnership with the Maryland legislature. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Gail Stephens Small- to mid-sized farms are steadily joining the value-added agriculture movement, and UMES Extension\u00a0activities help farmers get on board.\u00a0 It\u2019s a trend aimed at strengthening rural America by creating increased economic opportunities and agribusiness development. Value-added agriculture activities enhance the worth of an agricultural commodity by creating new, locally produced agricultural products;\u00a0expanding…Read more Ingenuity 2026: Growing Farmer Profits<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2245,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","wds_primary_category":38,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,38],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-15157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ingenuity","category-magazine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15157\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15157"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=15157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}