Farms across the Chesapeake Bay region help feed communities, preserve open space, support local economies and shape the identity of both rural towns and growing urban areas. But as development pressures, climate change and shifting consumer demands reshape the landscape, people are asking an important question: What does it take for agriculture to thrive in the future?
After more than six years of research, collaboration and conversations with farmers, conservation leaders, planners and community stakeholders, the project called Thriving Agricultural Systems in Urbanized Landscapes has released a final report that is now available to the public. Funded through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the $9 million initiative brought together experts from across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to explore how agriculture can remain both profitable and environmentally sustainable in rapidly changing regions.
The project was led by a collaborative team from Penn State, the University of Maryland, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Virginia Tech University, George Washington University, Ohio State University, Utah State University and the Stroud Water Research Center.
The Hughes Center’s staff was engaged on several task teams and also served as a conduit with stakeholders of the research. Throughout the project, the Hughes Center staff organized workshops in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland, which provided the project team and a broad stakeholder audience to discuss the present landscape, issues to be addressed and the project's ongoing work.
What makes the report especially valuable is its focus on implementable strategies. Farmers are navigating tighter margins and unpredictable weather, while communities and policymakers are seeking practical solutions that work on the ground.
The report highlights real-world tactics and tools designed to help farmers improve crop yields, reduce nutrient runoff and strengthen long-term profitability. It also explores how stronger local food systems, smarter land-use planning and targeted conservation investments can support both agriculture and surrounding communities.
Researchers worked closely with stakeholders throughout the project, holding workshops and listening sessions across the watershed to better understand the challenges facing agriculture today, including development pressures, labor shortages, water quality concerns and changing consumer preferences.
Among the report’s findings are insights into how climate change could affect crop yields, how solar development may compete with farmland, and why consumers in different communities value local food differently. The project also examined how evolving dietary trends and new technologies could reshape agriculture in the decades ahead.
Ultimately, the report paints a picture of a future in which farms can thrive within or adjacent to urban areas.
More information about this project can be found at thrivingag.org.