The Western Maryland Research and Education Center (WMREC) consists of a single 491 acre facility located in Washington County. Housed at this facility are faculty and staff of the University of Maryland Extension (UME) and Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) – both components of the University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR).
In an effort to support the new and rapidly growing Maryland brewing industry, 24 varieties of hops, 4 varieties of barley and 1 variety of rye have been established on over 20 acres at the University of Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station in Keedysville. Although not the first hops planting on a research farm, this 1/2 acre planting contains 24 varieties replicated three times, and is being managed intensively with regard to fertility, irrigation, as well as insect, disease and weed management using IPM principles.
For more information about the trials, please see this Fact Sheet: UMD Hops and Crops Program Update
