For 15 months, members of the Maryland Agricultural Commission traveled around the state looking for ways to preserve the state's farming industry by making it more profitable.

They held a half-dozen evening sessions where farmers came and expressed their financial concerns.

They heard from more than 600 farmers covering various aspects of agriculture, including poultry farmers on the Eastern Shore, grain farmers in Western Maryland and dairymen in the central part of the state.

The commission's work was summed up in a 42-page report -- "A Statewide Plan for Agricultural Policy and Resource Management" -- that it handed to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in the summer of 2006.

But the commission members say they believe their work is not complete. The report was just a start. Now they want to see that the recommendations of the plan are implemented.

The commission is a 30-member panel, a cross-section of the farming industry, that advises the state secretary of agriculture on farm issues.

Members voted recently to take on the added work of overseeing implementation of the plan. They don't want it placed on a shelf to collect dust.

"We accepted this as part of our work plan," said Luke Howard, a Queen Anne's County organic farmer who also serves as chairman of the commission.

"The report, which listed steps to be taken to make farming more profitable, is still alive," he said. "That's the exciting part.

"Our hope is that more of the recommendations of the report are implemented," said Howard. "The commission could be the force that moves things forward."

State economic officials consider agriculture Maryland's largest industry. When all phases of the production and distribution of food and fiber are considered, farming is a $17 billion-a-year business employing about 64,000 workers, according to the state.

In its report, the agricultural commission concluded that the top concern is farm profitability. Other issues were ensuring an adequate base of agricultural land, and advance research, education and the advocacy of agriculture.

The commission came up with more than 100 recommendations. They included:

Focus business development initiatives to attract, retain and expand primary processing and production operations, as well as export facilities, for Maryland-grown products.

Advance bio-energy production, including ethanol and biodiesel, and its use.

Develop and implement a marketing plan for state farm products. This would include a "buy local" promotion campaign to help farmers get more crops on grocery store shelves.

Treat farms like other businesses by providing financial incentives, including grants, to help them expand and move into new lines of production.

Develop ways to reduce health and crop insurance costs for agricultural businesses and farm families.

Increase the availability of farm labor and reduce its cost.

Reduce the damage to grain crops by wildlife, including deer and geese.

Provide sufficient funding so the state can obtain its stated farmland preservation goal of 1.03 million acres by 2022.

Strengthen state right-to-farm laws by creating a deterrent to frivolous lawsuits against farms.

Encourage the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension to boost its assistance to production agriculture.

Support a reduction in the capital gains tax rate and establish a funding plan to help farms transition to the next generation of farmers.

Develop a public relations campaign to increase the public's understanding of agriculture.

"The report was like a resource document on what needs to be done to keep Maryland farms profitable," said Howard.

He acknowledged that some steps have already been taken to benefit agriculture, but more of the report's recommendations need to move forward.

Responding to the study, the Department of Agriculture has enhanced its Agricultural Conflict Resolution Service. The service is designed to help farmers and other rural residents in disputes with family members, neighbors, government agencies and lenders.

It is a voluntary mediation process in which a neutral third party seeks to solve disputes.

The state has also funded the Maryland Agricultural & Resource-Based Industrial Development Corp., a quasi-public economic development organization designed to help farmers and rural businesses by providing low-interest loans.

A task force was formed to look for ways to halt the demise of Maryland's dairy industry, which has been losing farms at nearly twice the national rate.

Howard said commission members appreciate these steps, but they would like to see more action taken.

At the top of the list, he said, would be changes in estate and capital gains taxes that would make it easier for a farm to pass from one generation to the next or from one farmer to another.

"That's a big issue," said Howard. "If they can reduce this tax liability on new farmers, more farms would stay in business and they could be more profitable."