Agriculture is a “significant economic sector” in metropolitan Washington, says a forthcoming report from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). A preview of What Our Region Grows was released at the Chesapeake Food Summit, a gathering of the region’s food system leaders, including policymakers, philanthropists, investors, farmers, watermen, chefs, food business leaders, and health professionals, among others. 

“We’re excited to share this first look at the work of COG’s experienced Regional Agricultural Work Group,” said Lindsay Smith, COG’s Regional Food Systems Value Chain Coordinator. “This report reinforces the idea that regional collaboration is key to ensuring agriculture can expand and thrive in metropolitan Washington.”

According to the report, the area economic impacts of agriculture total $15.8 B in Maryland, $70B in Virginia, and $5.5 B (food and agriculture) in the District of Columbia, with more than 480,000 employed by the sector across the three. Still, farming is facing serious challenges despite its importance to providing jobs, local food, recreation opportunities, and other benefits.

Metropolitan Washington is a growing region with a growing demand for food, yet land in farms has been steadily decreasing since World War II. Earlier this decade, COG set a regional goal to maintain 498,946 acres of land in farms to improve the food system and preserve agriculture. The most recent data puts the region just 3,600 acres above this threshold.

Further, the production of many key food products the region grows declined significantly, between 30 percent and 80 percent, over a 10 year period. Livestock production is also shrinking. The number of chickens, hogs, beef, and dairy cows declined by between 34 percent and 76 percent from 1997 to 2012.

“The region does not have sufficient production to meet all food needs,” said the report. “In fact, we do not grow enough to meet demand for most major crops, except for corn, much of which is for livestock.”

In addition, the region’s farming population is aging. The average age of the region’s farmers is 59 years old. Just five percent of farmers are younger than 35, and 48 percent are older than 60. However, there is anecdotal evidence of a growing cohort of new and beginning farmers working to establish their urban and rural agricultural businesses. 

Despite these trends, there are signs that metropolitan Washington area farmers and business owners are turning to other innovative methods for keeping land in agriculture.

Today there are more than 200 craft beverage operations in the region, and wine and beverage tours are growing in popularity. Local governments are also investing in agricultural economic development, hiring agriculture marketing specialists, among other positions, tasked with growing and supporting the industry. The number of food policy councils in COG member jurisdictions is also on the rise. Local governments and farmers are coming together at COG to address barriers to growing the regional food economy, including considering the ties between infrastructure, transportation, and improving food access.

“As the region plans for new growth, elevating the needs of agriculture is critical to sustaining viable farm businesses, creating opportunities for new farmers, and reaping the benefits that the sector provides,” says the report.

The full report, What Our Region Grows, is expected out by the end of the year. 

MORE: What our Region Grows Preview