ANNAPOLIS – In the ongoing effort to build up the state’s farm business, Maryland Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance presented a holiday tree to Wellness House of Annapolis, a cancer support group.  The tree came from Robert Giffen, owner of the Mas-Que Christmas Tree Farm and Plantation, an Annapolis farm that shares land with Wellness House.

The state promotes different farm products throughout the year in the “Maryland’s Best” program with fed funding of $358,000 for two years, and for good reason: the 2010 Maryland Policy Choices survey found that 78% are more like to buy a farm product if it is identified as grown by a Maryland farmer.

Seasonal stats on the number of tree farms and trees harvested (2007) from USDA:

Anne Arundel – 17 farms, 386 trees

Queen Anne’s – 9 farms, 1,184 trees

Prince George’s – 11 farms, 422 trees

Howard – 8 farms, 2,260 trees

Statewide – 200 farms, 77,800, total value $2.4 million.

See Maryland’s Best program.

See Wellness House.