Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Joseph Bartenfelder told Chamber members attending thor November luncheon that farmers are likely to continue dealing with rising costs that will affect their profits and production.

In a forum held in Assembly Hall at Salisbury University, Bartenfelder said the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted both the state’s farmers and economy.

 “The state and national food distribution network changed due to Covid,” he said. “It was turned upside down with consumers buying their groceries at stores, while the demand for restaurant (inventory) deliveries nosedived.”

Bartenfelder and his family have been Maryland farmers since 1903, farming their Baltimore County farmstead. He continues as a full-time farmer in addition to his duties as the Agriculture Secretary.

Barternfelder said his department has worked closely with the agriculture industry to aid in getting fresh foods to underserved communities adversely impacted by job losses, a flailing economy, and food insecurity.

“Thank you to Perdue Farms, Mountaire Farms and Amick Farms for their efforts in getting donated poultry into the hands of needy families during the worst of the pandemic,” he said.

“They are all great companies and stepped up when called upon.”

Bartenfelder said the cost to farm is likely to continue rising into 2022.

“When petroleum prices rise, it really impacts farmers and their products -- they just aren’t able to raise prices to cover all of these additional costs to farm,” he said.

“Farmers will have to be even more efficient and frugal than they already are to keep operating in this economy.”

On the topic of the emerging hemp industry, Bartenfelder shared what he has told some Maryland farmers.

“Be careful, right now hemp is about the oil, it may not be the silver bullet it is being touted as for our farmers,” he said.

January’s General Membership will be held Thursday, Jan. 20, beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Cambria Hotel in Ocean City.

The event will feature Andrew Griffin, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, who will provide an in-depth overview of the 2022 Maryland General Assembly Session.

Visit.salisburyarea.com to register.