Calvert County Agriculture Commission
Poster Contest

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- January 21, 2000 -- The Calvert County Agriculture Commission announced today that its annual 2000 Agriculture/Farm Poster Contest will run from January 7 through March 6, 2000. This year’s competition with the theme,

"The Many Crops of Calvert County" is open to any seventh grade student in Calvert County. All entries in the contest will be judged and displayed at the annual Calvert County Farm Breakfast to be held on March 11th at the Huntingtown Firehouse. Additionally, posters will be entered in the 2000 Calvert County Fair. Winners will receive cash awards and the "grand champion" poster will be used on the cover of the Calvert County Fair Exhibitor and Premium Book.

According to Ms. Betty Knapp, Agriculture Commission Chairperson, past entrants have been predominately art students. The subject of the contest however, fits nicely into the science and social studies curricula and affords students an opportunity to do detailed research into Calvert’s agriculture past and present.

Calvert County has come from raising a single, cash crop of tobacco to now producing over 40 different crops and livestock. The Agriculture Commission hopes to draw attention to the changing face of agriculture in Calvert County and show that farming and agri-business are still viable industries. Gone are the large tobacco plantations of the past. Instead, the County has seen farms become smaller and produce products not normally associated with Southern Maryland.

Entry materials and contest rules were delivered to the principals of each of the county’s middle schools, public and private. For more information, please call the Calvert County Department of Economic Development at 410-535-4583, e-mail cced@co.cal.md.us, or the Poster Contest Coordinator, Chris Donley, at Ch’Naca Farm and Fiberworks, (410) 535-4344.

For more information on the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development, our visitor sites and attractions and the services available to assist County businesses, call 410.535.4583, 800.331.9771 or 301.855.1880; or send an e-mail to info@ecalvert.com