This Agricultural Cost Share Reimbursement (ACRE) Program provides matching grant cost-share assistance to farmers for agricultural business projects that improve, expand and increase the profitability of the agricultural enterprise. Examples of agricultural projects that may be eligible for this program include but are not limited to: deer fence, agricultural well, vertical racks for microgreens, farm equipment and tools, hydroponics equipment, aquaponics equipment and refrigeration.
Three important factors related to this program include:

  • The Farmer is responsible for paying at least half of the total project cost.
  • There is $15,000 maximum (lifetime) amount allowed per farm/farmer/agricultural operation.
  • There is a $25,000 maximum amount (total for all Montgomery County projects) per fiscal year.
IMPORTANT NOTE: the Applicant must apply and receive application approval from the OAG before making any purchases or beginning any phase of the project for any project expenses to be eligible for cost share.

Apply to ACRE Program

This program is made possible through a partnership between the County and the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO),  a quasi-public corporation established in 2004 by the Governor and Maryland General Assembly to:

  • Develop agricultural industries and markets;
  • Support appropriate commercialization of agricultural processes and technology;
  • Assist with rural land preservation efforts; and
  • Alleviate the shortage of nontraditional capital and credit available at affordable interest rates for investment in agricultural and resource-based businesses.

MARBIDCO achieves its mission of helping farm, forestry, and seafood businesses achieve sustainability and profitability through a variety of programs that provide business assistance and financial services. The programs promote agricultural entrepreneurship and nurture emerging and expanding food and fiber markets.

The County Council, recognizing the importance of this program and the considerable impact it achieves through a relatively small investment, approved an additional appropriation of $15,000 to expand this initiative. To date, $97,509 (County funding: $50,755 – MARBIDCO funding: $46,754) in grant funding has been provided to support 25 agricultural projects to expand farming operations in several different ways including-deer fence, agricultural well, vertical racks for microgreens, farm equipment and tools, hydroponics equipment, aquaponics equipment, refrigeration and pond repair.

For more information or to make application for this program, please contact Jacqueline Arnold at
301-590-2859 or by email at [email protected].

Projects funded through ACRE cost share program

PROJECT FARM MARBIDCO FUNDING County FUNDING
Deer Fencing One Acre Farm, LLC $3000 $4000
Ruppert Nursery $3000 $3000
Sligo Creek Farms, LLC /DBA The Farm at Our House $1,422 $1,422
Bella Vita Farm, LLC $1,079 $1,080
Old West Minster Winery $3,000 $4,000
Chicken of the Woods Permaculture Farm
Chirandu Farm, LLC $3,000 $4,000
1724 Lake, LLC $2,998 $2,998
Flowered, LLC
Gypsy Flower Farm
Sungold Flower Company, LLC
Darimano, LLC
WSSC Sub Meter Proud Food Farm $354 $354
Installation of Well One Acre Farm $3000 $4000
Old Westminster Winery $3,000 $3,000
Irrigation Pond Repair One Acre Farm $3000 $3000
Farm Cultivation Equipment Sligo Creek Farms, LLC/DBA
The Farm at Our House
$2627 $2627
Walk in Cooler/Refrigeration The Codyledon, LLC/DBA
Common Root Farm
$2,754 $2,754
Savage Acres Farm, Inc $1,778 $1,778
Wildflower Farm $382 $382
Flowered, LLC
Equipment/Supplies Sligo Creek Farms/DBS
The Farm at Our House
$1,743 $1,743
Mobile Refrigeration One Acre Farm $1,961 $1,961
Greenhouse Common Root Farm $3,000 $3,000
Hydroponic Equipment/Supplies Metro Microgreens $2,654 $2,654
Metro Microgreens $3,000 $3,000
Aquaponic Farming System Bella Vita Farm $3000 $4000
Malt House Equipment Montgomery Malt Co. $3,000 $3,000
Composting Equipment The Compost Crew $3,000 $3,000
Farm Mechanization Equipment Kharis Lavender Fields (Lavender de-budding) $2,644 $2,644
One Acre Farm (Vegetable Wash Table) $2,331 $2,331