LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Nov. 5, 2024 – The Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) Executive Program convened on Oct. 16 for a day-long tour and exploration of Southern Maryland agriculture.

“The LSM Executive Program brings together community-oriented senior professionals who want to understand Southern Maryland better in order to serve Southern Maryland better,” said Executive Director Dr. Sybol Anderson. “Our day-long study of the past, present, and future of agriculture adds an essential lens on Southern Maryland life that brings our regional identity into clearer view.”

The group convened at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Md., where Interim Director Dr. Carys Mitchelmore provided an overview of the lab’s decades-long work in fisheries science, ecosystems studies and restoration, and environmental chemistry and toxicology. Local and state agriculture specialists Caroline Trossbach (Calvert County Department of Economic Development), Sydney Garner (Charles County Economic Development Department), Priscilla Leitch (St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development), and Martin Proulx (Maryland Department of Agriculture) followed with a survey of major features of and issues in Southern Maryland agriculture.

The executives traveled to the Loveville Produce Auction to participate in local agriculture commerce. At Serenity Farm in Benedict, Md., they learned about the mission of the nonprofit Farming 4 Hunger to serve those in need of fresh food in Southern Maryland and learned lessons in life and leadership with executive director Bernie Fowler, Jr. and his team.

Participants dug deep into intersections of agricultural industry practices and environmental sustainability efforts in an honest conversation about the 2023 Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card with local farmer JR Cosgrove, LSM ‘22 (Horsmon Farm); watermen Capts. Simon and Rachel Dean (Patuxent River Seafood); environmental scientist Dr. Bill Dennison (Chesapeake Biological Laboratory); and state government representative Rachel Jones (Maryland Department of Agriculture). The report card is published by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science to provide transparent, detailed assessments of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. In the 2023 assessment, the Chesapeake Watershed scored a C overall, but the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers scored D with trends in water quality not showing improvement. Participants learned about collaborative efforts among farmers, watermen, scientists, and government to protect the watershed.

“This was my favorite session so far,” said Binnie VanDeVoort, international programs director at Naval Systems, Inc., in Lexington Park, Md. “I was impressed by how Farming 4 Hunger is reaching out to so many in more ways than just with food. I also enjoyed watching the auction in Loveville. I plan to return with my family.”

Leadership Southern Maryland’s flagship Executive Program is an interactive and life-enriching nine-month, tuition-based “behind-the-scenes” experience designed to enhance the collaborative abilities of our region’s top senior professionals. LSM welcomes mid- to upper-level executives representing diverse geographic locations, industries, professions, ethnicities, genders, and other backgrounds who are committed to addressing the community needs of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties.