The St. Mary's County Planning Commission plans to host a public hearing on a site plan for a new regional agricultural center on March 28 at 6:30 p.m.
The purpose of the RAC, as it is being called, is to grow the profitability of the region’s farms and promote agricultural expansion in five Southern Maryland counties, including Anne Arundel and Prince George's.
The center will provide a dedicated industrial meat processing facility capable of future expansion. According to a Dec. 14 presentation by Chris Kaselemis, director of economic development for St. Mary's County, the building will be designed to provide the following:
• A production room for a certified butcher shop with a cut and wrap facility shop capable of whole animal processing for wholesale, custom, and retail distribution for fresh and frozen meats;
• Dedicated space for smoking and curing rooms for value added processing of a custom and branded Southern Maryland charcuterie;
• Classroom and kitchen workspace for classes, workshops and apprentice training in whole animal, home based meat processing, sausage making and whole muscle curing and aging;
• Meat sales and custom butcher counter with direct access to the processing room and to the retail sales floor, in a separate retail space within the center;
• Storage and meat processing support facilities including a loading dock and lift that accommodates large trucks; and
• Offices for facilities, customer service, sales and management.
The March 28 hearing will offer the public a chance to comment on a proposed 8,300-square-foot building on 7.26 acres of the county's 47.7-acre site at 37766 New Market Road in Charlotte Hall. The larger site includes the Charlotte Hall transfer station that includes a convenience center for garbage and recycling.
The regional agricultural center would be built by the fourth quarter of 2023, according to Kaselemis.
St. Mary's County is partnering with the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission on the project. That agency is a division of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland.
The county commissioners approved a new memorandum of understanding regarding the agricultural center on Dec. 14. The commissioners have approved $4.3 million for the facility, including $1.5 million in grant funding from SMADC. Costs are capped at $4.72 million, according to John Deatrick, the county's former director of public works and transportation who retired at the end of last year.
According to a board document, the site is located less than a mile from the planned North County Farmers Market, aka The Barns at New Market, at 29133 Thompson Corner Road, and just over four miles from the new Fisher slaughterhouse. The proximity of the two sites would allow for frequent meat deliveries and coordination.
On March 17, county spokeswoman ALisa Casas said that an architectural rendering of the facility was not yet available.
Public comments about the site plan can be sent to courtney.jenkins@stmarysmd.com.
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