Cover Crop Plus
Cover Crop Plus from the Maryland Department of Agriculture promotes multi-year, diverse cover crop strategies to improve soil health, biodiversity, and water quality through advanced agricultural practices.
Funder: Maryland Department of Agriculture
Due Dates: Rolling (Contact local soil conservation district for current cycle)
Funding Amounts: Higher incentives than standard cover crop programs; specific per-acre rates not published—multi-year commitment required.
Summary: Supports Maryland farmers who adopt advanced, multi-year cover crop practices to improve biodiversity, soil health, and water quality.
Key Information: Three-year commitment on the same field required; contact your local soil conservation district for application details and payment rates.
Description
Cover Crop Plus is an incentive program under the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Ecosystem Incentives Program, designed to encourage farmers to implement advanced, multi-year cover crop management on their fields. By requiring the use of diverse cover crop mixes on the same field for three consecutive years and maintaining a living root system during key periods, the program aims to promote soil health, boost biodiversity, improve residue management, and enhance nutrient cycling and water quality across Maryland agriculture.
