Two million of Maryland’s six million acres of land are farmland, more than 500,000 acres of which are preserved. In 2008, farmers generated $2 billion in income from this land. The leading sectors by income and acreage are poultry, nursery/landscape, dairy, grain, beef cattle, and vegetables, with growth in production of fresh produce that consumers can buy directly at farmers’ markets, restaurants, groceries, and other outlets.
Well-managed farmland is widely recognized to be a more environmentally and fiscally sound use of land than development, requiring much less impervious surface and tax-funded infrastructure. To find local products, visit www.marylandsbest.net.
Earl F. Hance, secretary, Maryland Department of Agriculture
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For over 40 years, I have experienced the results of arts education in children’s lives. A child with low self-esteem suddenly is ignited by the spark of creativity experienced in an acting class. Another child is at a production of Ben Carson, M.D., and he realizes that he, too, can do or be anything. In a world where mandated testing takes up an increasingly greater portion of our children’s lives, we must not lose sight of the important role the arts play in their lives. It offers them the opportunity to think about the world in new ways and builds their self-awareness and self-confidence.
It is particularly important that we make arts accessible and affordable to Maryland’s children who are often excluded from mainstream programming—youth from low- and moderate-income families, kids with special needs, and non-English speakers. They have as much, if not more, to gain from these opportunities as do other children.
Let us be a leader in this nation as we support the arts and enable Maryland’s children to find inspiration from within themselves.
Toby Orenstein, owner of Toby’s Dinner Theatre and founder and artistic director of the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts
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Volunteer! Marylanders are well educated and have a wide variety of skills and interests. If every Marylander used their skills to volunteer to help their neighbor, a nonprofit organization, or to serve on a government board or commission, together, we would make a better tomorrow.
Volunteering creates a sense of belonging and builds strong communities. Individually, it feels good to help someone in need, to be part of creating something bigger than ourselves, and to make a lasting difference. Volunteers can build affordable housing, feed the hungry, teach the next generation, protect the environment, and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
Government cannot do it all. Working together, caring about each other, we can accomplish virtually anything! If every Marylander would volunteer just one day a month, this action would create a lasting positive impact on every corner of our state.
Get involved! Live large! Feel great! Make a difference!
Jan Gardner, president, Board of County Commissioners of Frederick County
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Maryland has been my home for 55 years, and I love it. But as a businessman, I am concerned with the anti-business attitude that influences our state and local legislatures. Maryland has lost its competitive edge to Virginia and, with its tax policies, is not attracting new businesses. New businesses mean more jobs, a larger tax base, and better communities for all of us. It also means more opportunities for people to grow.
My parents founded our business during the Great Depression. They started with a nine-stool root-beer stand in Washington, DC. They grew the root-beer business into the Hot Shoppes, and we opened our first hotel in 1957. Now, we have 3,500 hotels in 70 countries, with 150,000 associates. I am proud of the business that we were able to build and the jobs that we have created that take care of our people. We have over 10,000 associates in Maryland. We would like to keep growing in the state. I would hope that [today] my parents could start and grow a business like ours in a state that I love so much. They truly lived the American Dream.
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