ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball broke ground on the County’s first-ever Agricultural Center, named after former Howard County Councilmember Charles C. Feaga. Photos of the event can be viewed on the Howard County Flickr page. Video of the announcement can be viewed on the Howard County Executive’s Facebook page.
Farming in Howard County has always been much more than a business. For many, it’s a cherished way of life. That is why, in my nearly eight years as your Howard County Executive, I have made it a priority to help our agricultural community meet its needs, both in terms of doing business and in ensuring its continued viability as a way of life. The Charles C. Feaga Agricultural Center will be the centerpiece for this place to bring together key agricultural partners for training, meetings, education, and innovation. This will strengthen and support the vitality of Howard County’s farming community for decades to come.
Ball allocated $1 million in 2025 to advance planning and design for development of the Agricultural Center in West Friendship Park. He invested another $3.3 million this year to begin site development.
The Charles C. Feaga Agricultural Center will house:
- the Howard County Office of Agriculture;
- the University of Maryland Extension offices;
- a satellite office for the Howard County Economic Development Authority's agricultural lead;
- a satellite office for the Department of Recreation and Parks’ Natural Resources Division;
- a satellite office for the Agricultural Land Preservation Program;
- the Howard County Farm Bureau, and
- Maryland Dairy Shrine.
There will also be a teaching and demonstration kitchen to support agricultural education, local food programming, and opportunities to connect farmers and the community. Additionally, there will be state-of-the-art meeting rooms to host meetings, workshops, training, and events for the agricultural community. Construction is slated to being in July 2027 with an expected building opening date in December 2029.
Since 2019, the County has provided more than $3.5 million through various grant programs to help local famers deal with droughts, emerging challenges and to grow their businesses. In 2024, the County opened its first-ever Office of Agriculture in Western Howard County.
“The new Ag Center provide the platform for more collaboration between UMDE, and the Office of Agriculture,” said James Zoller, Administrator for the Howard County Office of Agriculture. “This collaboration will allow for better service being provided to our agricultural community.”
The Office of Agriculture has launched several successful programs that have grown significantly over the past couple of years. In 2025, Howard County launched its first-ever New & Beginning Farmer Program to support aspiring farmers as they build profitable and sustainable farm businesses in Howard County. Located at West Friendship Park, the program provides approximately 16 acres of deer-fenced growing space, including 30 quarter-acre plots with water access to each plot. Farmers also have access to shared equipment and a greenhouse. This year funding was allocated to install a wash/pack station to further support participants by providing the infrastructure needed to prepare and store produce before bringing it to market.
The program began with seven farmers in its first year and expanded to ten farmers in 2026. This program enables participants gain access to farmland, shared equipment, hands-on production experience, and business development support.
The Office of Agriculture partnered with UMD Extension and HCEDA to provide technical education, field training, and one-on-one guidance to help participants build viable pathways into agriculture. The program is designed to address some of the biggest barriers facing new farmers, including access to affordable land, equipment, infrastructure, and technical knowledge. By reducing these barriers and providing the resources and support needed to grow successful businesses, Howard County is cultivating the next generation of farmers and strengthening the future of agriculture in our community.
“HCEDA is proud to join our partners as we break ground on the new Agricultural Center, an investment that strengthens one of Howard County’s most essential sectors,” said Jennifer Jones, President of the Howard County Economic Development Authority. “This Center gives us the infrastructure and support that our agricultural community needs to grow.”
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of a strong and resilient local food supply chain. Howard County’s protein farmers have expressed concerns about the limited number of meat processors in Maryland. While attracting a meat processor to Howard County remains a long-term and complex effort, the County allocated $150,000 to the Howard County Economic Development Authority to study this issue and explore potential solutions.
To alleviate farmers’ transportation and storage challenges, two walk-in freezers have been installed at West Friendship Park. Howard County farmers are able to lease on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis at reasonable rates. The program will be operational by the end of August.
The County’s popular Roving Radish Program received a satellite location at West Friendship Park in 2025 to provide a convenient and efficient location for the program's Mobile Market and for local farmers to deliver produce. By utilizing an existing pole barn, the space has been transformed into a functional facility with the installation of a walk-in refrigerator, a new concrete floor, updated electrical service, and new windows. The improvements created a dedicated space where farmers can conveniently drop off fresh produce to be used by the Roving Radish Program.
The FY27 budget includes funding for the purchase of a mobile deer donation cooler that will be housed at West Friendship Park. This initiative will provide an important resource for both our agricultural community and Howard County residents. The deer donation cooler will encourage hunters to harvest and donate more deer by providing a convenient, free location to drop off their deer for donation. This project has the potential to provide environmental, public health, agricultural, and economic benefits for Howard County residents. The cooler is currently being put out for bid.
About Charles Feaga:
The Agricultural Center is named after Charles Feaga, a lifelong farmer from the West Friendship area, and the longest serving Howard County councilmember in County history. Feaga served three terms on the Council from 1987-1998 and 2004-2006, representing District 5. Feaga raised dairy cattle and beef cattle. In other public service roles, he was president of the Howard County Farm Bureau, the Glenelg High School PTA, and the West Howard County Civic Association.
Here’s what others had to say:
“I just want to thank County Executive Ball and members of the County Council for honoring Charlie, who is a good friend of 30 years,” said Maryland’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Steven Connelly. “You couldn’t have picked a better location and it’s great when you can have all the services for the farming community in one location.”
“This has just been kind of an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ effort to get us here in a very short time,” said District 5 County Councilmember David Yungmann. “Howard County has some good supports and resources for farmers and now with this Agricultural Center we’ll have a centralized place to bring all these resources together.”
“Today’s groundbreaking for the new Agricultural Center honors Howard County’s rich agricultural history while making an important step in the broader activation of West Friendship Park,” said Director of Recreation and Parks Nick Mooneyhan. “This, together with our other improvements, will help transform West Friendship Park into a more active, welcoming destination for agricultural education, outdoor recreation, and community gathering.”
“Howard County Executive Ball’s announcement of the Charles C. Feaga Agricultural Center shows a deep recognition of the importance of agriculture to our community,” said Timothy Warfield Feaga, son of Charles Feaga. “Dr. Ball’s efforts, along with others who showed strong support for this endeavor, should be commended. My father’s recognition is appreciated beyond words for both my father and his family, but his name is really representative of the larger collective of agricultural supporters throughout the County’s history including supportive government agencies, University of Maryland Extensions services, the Howard County Farm Bureau and many other private organizations and farmers who continue to support the perpetual growth of agriculture.”
“This is a significant milestone for Howard County, University of Maryland Extension, Howard County’s Office of Agriculture, the Department of Recreation and Parks, and the whole Howard County community,” said Sheryl Bennett, County Extension Director and 4-H Youth Development Educator with the University of Maryland Extension program. “This facility will provide a state-of- the-art environment for our Extension educators to deliver critical workforce training in culinary arts, environmental sciences, and agribusiness.”
“Our members have long advocated for a centralized facility that addresses the evolving needs of the rural West,” said Leslie Bauer, President of the Howard County Farm Bureau. “This facility is another important step forward and precisely the kind of strategic investment needed to ensure that our agricultural sector remains strong and viable for generations to come.”