CSM Launches New Agribusiness Workforce Training Certificate Program

Aspiring farmers and agriculture entrepreneurs will soon have a new opportunity to build the skills needed to launch and grow a successful business in the agriculture industry. The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) will offer a new Agribusiness Workforce Training Certificate program, with the first course starting on August 4.

The certificate program includes three courses covering agribusiness management, finance, and economics. Students will also learn about the history of the industry in Southern Maryland, and what it takes to draft a business plan and become entrepreneurs.

Instructor Jordan Jones-Cordero said the courses equips aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs with the knowledge and confidence to start their own operations.

“Agriculture businesses are an important part of the Southern Maryland landscape and economy,” Jones-Cordero said. “These courses can be a life raft for people diving headfirst into starting their business, to keep them afloat and succeed in starting an operation that gives something back to the local community and economy.”

In 2024, the college launched a course on vertical agriculture, a farming method in which plants are grown in stacked trays, often done indoors with the use of hydroponics.

Building on that established model, the certificate program will offer the flexibility of completing much of the coursework online. Students will also complete a practicum with a local business owner, giving them an opportunity to ask questions, receive guidance, and apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world business challenges.

Woody DeLauder, owner of Rootbound Farms in La Plata, served as a practicum host during the vertical agriculture course.

Driven by a commitment to sustainability, self-sufficiency, and healthy eating, DeLauder started Rootbound Farms about 10 years ago by growing vegetables on less than an acre of land and selling them on the side of the road. Today, the business has a storefront in La Plata that offers homegrown produce, handmade soaps, and products from more than a half dozen other local vendors for jams, bread, meat, candles, and more.

DeLauder hopes that through mentoring, he can inspire a broader interest in small, boutique, or suburban-style farming.

“At Rootbound Farms, it’s not just about what we’re selling but I’m also out there to help people understand that they can do it themselves,” DeLauder said. “You don’t have to have a ‘green thumb,’ just try it because that makes our whole neighborhood and community more sustainable.”

During the vertical agriculture course, students spent time working at Rootbound Farms, planting crops, and learning about soil, planting practices, and crop rotation. DeLauder believes programs like these help make agriculture more accessible and introduce others to opportunities outside the traditional scope of largescale farming.

“Think about agriculture,” DeLauder said. “You can take an acre or two, grow intentionally, and you can make a living. There is a whole niche market for those who want to buy local, organic vegetables, natural soaps and other products. Having the local resources at CSM is going to be important for creating and managing regenerative or boutique farms.”

For Mary Goddard, that mentorship was a step toward turning a longtime interest in gardening into a potential career. Following a lifetime passion for gardening and sustainability passed on by her father, Goddard completed the vertical agriculture course last year. Her goal is to turn that passion into a career producing healthy, nutritious foods for local families.

“All my life I worked in customer service, and this is something I want to do for me, because it’s something I feel is so important,” Goddard said. “I really believe that getting your hands in the soil makes you feel better and can be like therapy.

As she continues building her career as a grower, Goddard works at the Rootbound Farms store sharing her knowledge with customers. She plans to continue to develop her business skills by enrolling in the agribusiness workforce program next month.

“You get paired up with mentors who can answer practical, real-world questions,” Goddard said. “The courses take you where you need to go educationally. I think anyone could get something good from it.”

Scholarships are available for residents of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties. Information on how to sign up is available on the website.