Rural and Urban Agriculture Census Data GIS Story Map
December 12, 2024
Vanessa Ibanez, Brandon Dang, Ethan Holley, Mukund Parsi, and Antoine Williams
INST 490 in the College of Information
The University of Maryland Extension (UME) partnered with College of Information students to develop a GIS Story Map to analyze and illustrate changes in Maryland's agriculture from 1974 to 2022. This project focuses on trends in rural and urban agriculture, leveraging data from the USDA Agricultural Census and CropScape. The aim is to showcase agriculture's evolving role in Maryland, emphasizing its significance in a rapidly urbanizing state.
Objectives
- Educate stakeholders on the distinctions between rural and urban agriculture.
- Demonstrate agricultural trends over the past 50 years using metrics such as the number of farms, total farm acreage, and average farm size.
- Highlight the importance of agriculture as an integral part of Maryland's economy and community.
Key Findings
- Maryland has experienced a decline in the number of farms, total farm acreage, and average farm size, particularly in urbanized central counties such as Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Howard.
- The Eastern Shore remains a crucial agricultural hub, maintaining larger farm sizes and significant total acreage.
- Despite overall declines, some counties have shown an increase in agricultural land post-2012, correlating with changing trends identified in CropScape data.
Methodology
- Data conversion: USDA Agricultural Census data was transformed into an Excel format for integration with ArcGIS.
- Visualization: Choropleth maps and spatial layers were created to represent agricultural metrics and land use changes.
- Analysis: A 50-year timeframe was chosen to balance data richness and feasibility, with comparisons made between 2013 and 2023 for crop-specific trends.
Challenges
- Managing vast datasets and establishing clear definitions for rural and urban agriculture.
- Time constraints limited the scope to key agricultural metrics and a 50-year analysis period.
- Granular visualization of urban and rural distinctions within Maryland remains an area for future work.
Future Directions
- Expanding the project to include more detailed comparisons between rural and urban agriculture.
- Enhancing data granularity to provide more actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.
- Extending the GIS Story Map framework for use in future years and additional studies.
This project underscores the ongoing importance of agriculture in Maryland and serves as a foundation for future research and educational initiatives aimed at preserving and supporting the state’s agricultural legacy.