Maryland Department of Agriculture

New • Receive up to $95/acre to plant traditional cover crops
New • Receive $25/acre to plant cover crops for harvest ($35/acre if planting rye)
New • No acreage caps
• Choose harvest acres in spring
• One application for both traditional and harvested cover crops
• Cover crop contractor’s directory available

Cover crops are important to the health of the Chesapeake Bay and the productivity of Maryland’s farmland. Small grains, such as wheat, rye or barley, planted as cover crops in the fall, tie-up unused nutrients, control soil erosion, and protect water quality in the Bay and its tributaries.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Winter Cover Crop Program provides farmers with attractive grants to plant cover crops on their fields immediately following the summer crop harvest. This year, approximately $15 million in cover crop funding is available to farmers through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. Farmers may plant traditional cover crops at a base rate of $40/acre and receive up to $55/acre in add-on incentives for using highly valued planting practices. Harvested cover crops pay $25/acre with a bonus payment of $10/acre for planting rye. Certain restrictions apply.

Sign-up Dates

June 21 – July 15, 2010 at soil conservation district (SCD) offices.

Guidelines and Conditions

• Use one application to apply for the Cover Crop Program—both traditional and harvested options.
• Cover crops may follow a corn, soybean, sorghum, tobacco or vegetable harvest.
• November 5, 2010 is the planting deadline. Incentives are available to farmers who plant cover crops in October.
• Barley, canola, rapeseed, kale, rye, ryegrass, spring oats, triticale, forage radish and wheat may be used as cover crops.
• All seed purchased for cover crops must be tested and properly labeled in accordance with Maryland Seed Law and Regulations.
• Seed must be free of prohibited noxious weed seeds, have a minimum germination rate of 80 percent and have no more than 16 restricted noxious weeds per pound.
• If homegrown seed is used, it must be tested prior to planting for purity, germination and noxious weeds by either the Maryland or Delaware State Seed Laboratory.
• Cost-share for seed testing is provided at 50 percent (up to $15). The current year’s seed tag for all purchased seed must be attached to the fall certification.
• Certain restrictions for manure use in the fall apply; eligibility for incentive payments may be affected.
• Applicants must be in good standing with MACS and in compliance with nutrient management requirements.

Traditional Cover Crops

Traditional cover crops may not be harvested; however, they may be grazed or chopped for livestock forage for on-farm use after becoming well established. Kill-down/suppression may occur any time after March 15, 2011, but no later than June 1, 2011. Traditional cover crops qualify for add-on incentive payments if certain environmental guidelines are met.

• Base Payment: $40/acre with add-on incentives for using highly valued planting practices (*see payment chart below)
• Acreage Cap: None
• Manure Use: Yes, under special circumstances
• Certification with SCD: Within one week of planting and no later than November 12, 2010
• Killdown/Suppression: Between March 15 and June 1, 2011

Traditional Cover Crop Payment Options	No-Till	Conventional	Broadcast with Light, Minimum or Vertical Tillage	Aerial	Broadcast Stalk Chop
Base Payment*	$40/acre	$40/acre	$40/acre	$45/acre	$40/acre
Plant by October 1, add: or Plant by October 15, add:	$20/acre $10/acre	$10/acre $5/acre	$10/acre $5/acre	$0 $0	$0 $0
Plant fields where manure was used in fall, add: or Plant fields where manure was used in spring, add:	$0/acre   $10/acre	$5/acre   $10/acre	$5/acre   $10/acre	$0   $10/acre	$0   $10/acre
Plant in field with previous corn or vegetable crop, add:	$5/acre	$5/acre	$5/acre	$5/acre	$5/acre
Plant rye, add:	$10/acre	$10/acre	$10/acre	$10/acre	$10/acre
Plant canola or rapeseed; subtract:	$15/acre	$15/acre	$15/acre	$15/acre	$15/acre
Farm located in targeted watershed, add:	$10/acre	$10/acre	$10/acre	$10/acre	$10/acre
Maximum Amount Payable	$95/acre	$85/acre	$85/acre	$80/acre	$75/acre

Note: Farmers approved to plant traditional cover crops through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service program may qualify for add-on incentive payments. Contact your soil conservation district for details.

Harvested Cover Crops

This program option is available to farmers who want to harvest their cover crops. Farmers must indicate the number of acres they plan to harvest at enrollment.

• Base Payment: $25/acre ($10/acre bonus if rye is planted as the cover crop)
• Acreage Cap: None
• Fertilizer Use: After March 1, 2011
• Certification with SCD: Within one week of planting and no later than November 12, 2010
• Reimbursement: Following fall certification

The 2010-2011 Winter Cover Crop Program is administered by the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program and funded by the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund.

Allegany	(301) 777-1747, ext. 3
Anne Arundel	(410) 571-6757
Baltimore County	(410) 666-1188, ext. 3
Calvert	(410) 535-1521, ext. 3
Caroline	(410) 479-1202, ext. 3
Carroll	(410) 848-8200, ext. 3
Catoctin	(301) 695-2803, ext. 3
Cecil	(410) 398-4411, ext. 3
Charles	(301) 934-9588, ext. 3
Dorchester	(410) 228-5640, ext. 3
Frederick	(301) 695-2803, ext. 3
Garrett	(301) 334-6951
Harford	(410) 838-6181, ext. 3
Howard	(410) 489-7987
Kent	(410) 778-5150, ext. 3
Montgomery	(301) 590-2855
Prince George's	(301) 574-5162, ext. 3
Queen Anne's	(410) 758-3136, ext. 3
St. Mary's	(301) 475-8402, ext. 3
Somerset	(410) 651-1575, ext. 3
Talbot	(410) 822-1577, ext. 3
Washington	(301) 797-6821, ext. 3
Wicomico	(410) 546-4777, ext. 3
Worcester	(410) 632-5439, ext. 3