Maryland Ag Labor Picnic Recap: Growers on the Eastern Shore Get Straight About Visa Labor

On Friday, June 12, Seso hosted the Maryland Ag Labor Picnic at Pond View Farm in Chestertown, Maryland — an evening designed around one simple premise: let growers talk to growers.

The event brought together H-2A operators, farmers exploring the program for the first time, and agricultural leaders from across Maryland's Eastern Shore. No slides. No sales pitch. Just a moderated panel of four Kent County growers sharing firsthand experience with visa labor programs, followed by open Q&A and an evening of networking over Maryland crabs.

The Panel: Four Operations, One Honest Conversation

Seso's Partnerships Manager Caroline Debnam moderated a panel that covered the full range of H-2A and TN visa experience — from multi-decade filers to a first-timer navigating the program for the very first time this season.

Jess Brantley | Angelica Nurseries, Kennedyville, MD

Angelica Nurseries is a family-owned wholesale nursery operating on 2,000+ acres in Kent County. With crops that take 3–12 years from transplant to harvest, the operation has relied on H-2A labor — historically 80–100 workers per season — to meet the demands of a production schedule that can't flex around a domestic labor shortage.

Chad Eberle | Bonnie Plants, Kennedyville, MD

As Station Manager at Bonnie Plants' Kennedyville greenhouse, Chad oversees one of 80+ stations in the nation's leading producer of live vegetable and herb starts. Spring demand spikes hard and fast — and H-2A labor has been essential to keeping the station's planting and shipping operations on schedule.

Trey Hill | Harborview Farms, Rock Hall, MD

Trey is the CEO of Harborview Farms, a 13,000-acre, fourth-generation grain operation recognized nationally for its sustainability practices. Despite his experience running one of the most innovative farm operations in the Mid-Atlantic, this year was Harborview's first time filing H-2A — which made his perspective one of the most valuable in the room for growers still on the fence.

Megan Fry | Fair Hill Farms, Kent County, MD

Megan and her family run a 1,350-acre diversified operation spanning organic dairy, beef, grain, vegetables, and agritourism. A Horizon Organic supplier and Governor's Agriculture Hall of Fame family (2013), Megan uses the TN visa program through Seso — a useful reminder that the solutions for seasonal ag labor don't start and end with H-2A.

What the Panel Covered

The conversation tracked the arc that most growers in the room were curious about: what drove each operator to start a visa program, what the first season actually looked like, how domestic and visa workers work alongside each other, and whether the cost is worth it.

The closing question from Maryland Farm Bureau Executive Director Parker Welch — who attended and participated in the event — was direct: what would you change about the program?

Every panelist gave the same answer: cost and housing inspections. Those two friction points came up across every operation represented, regardless of program tenure.

That said, the overall sentiment in the room was clear: for growers who've made the leap, there's no going back.

"The move to Seso has made things so much smoother. The paperwork that used to pile up when workers arrived — Seso handles it electronically before they even show up. You don't have time to know every law that's changing. These guys know it and stay on top of it. You can even see where your buses are and when they're going to get here. It's been a great move for us."
— Bernie Kohl, Angelica Nurseries

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

The Maryland Ag Labor Picnic was made possible by four organizations that have earned the trust of Maryland's agricultural community.

Maryland Farm Bureau

The voice of Maryland agriculture since 1915, Maryland Farm Bureau represents nearly 10,000 farm families across all 23 counties. Executive Director Parker Welch was in attendance — an indication of the seriousness with which MFB takes the labor challenges facing its members.

Horizon Farm Credit

A member-owned cooperative with over a century of ag lending experience, Horizon Farm Credit serves 22,000+ members across Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Their loan officers live and work in the communities they serve.

Weller Insurance

Named a Top Agency by Farmers Mutual Hail, Weller Insurance specializes in crop insurance and farm and ranch coverage — helping Eastern Shore growers protect input costs and income against weather volatility and commodity risk.

Virginia Seed Company

A family-run cover crop and forage seed operation out of Unionville, Virginia, Virginia Seed Company offers seed sales, treating, and cleaning for farms across the Mid-Atlantic. They're a natural fit for a room full of growers who take stewardship seriously.

If you’re a grower in the Mid-Atlantic region go to sesolabor.com or reach out to Matt Kollmansperger at 443-377-1908.