Farmers Always Came First
By the Staff of the office of agriculture
Montgomery County ’ s Agricultural Reserve has been described as one of the county ’ s most coveted treasures . Its 93,000 acres are a haven for residents to explore and enjoy an abundance of natural resource features , including one of the state ’ s most diverse agricultural communities . As one can imagine , in balancing the needs of a county with over one million residents , the business of agriculture has been a most challenging endeavor . For the past 35 years , our county has been blessed to have an incomparable director at the helm of the Office of Agriculture who has served as a champion for the agricultural community , providing stalwart leadership as the eyes and ears of this special group .
Jeremy Criss is truly a legend in his own time . He has been at the forefront of every agricultural issue , including legislative priorities , policies , and land use decisions impacting our Agricultural Reserve and the farmers that work these lands . His passion for agriculture is infectious to those that have worked alongside him . Folks who know Jeremy best know that his attention to detail is unparalleled , his knowledge , which includes the history of our county ’ s agriculture , is unmatched , and his passion for a productive and sustainable agricultural industry is without equal . We have all witnessed how Jeremy instantaneously recalls exact dates of meetings and the context of conversations that have been long forgotten by everyone else .
It goes without saying that Jeremy has been an incredible resource to our county , and it is bittersweet to have to report that at the end of September he will be retiring from Montgomery County Government . While this will be a tremendous loss , we wish Jeremy much success and good health as he embarks on the next chapter of his life . Simply put , agriculture in Montgomery County would not be where it is today without the talents and efforts of this extraordinary civil servant . The long hours he has kept , along with the sacrifices he has made in his personal life , have all been in service to the community that has been his labor of love throughout his career . Although it is not possible to highlight every significant accomplishment that he has achieved , Jeremy has :
n helped secure $ 1.5 million dollars in direct assistance for county farmers to help their businesses survive severe droughts in 1997 and 1999 ; n protected and enhanced the funding for the Office of Agriculture , the Montgomery County Extension Office , and the Montgomery Soil Conservation District ;
4 plenty I summer growing 2023