CREP Signing Bonus
CREP Signing Bonus supports Maryland farmers and landowners planting riparian forest buffers on environmentally sensitive agricultural land to protect soil, water, and wildlife through conservation.
Funder: Maryland Department of Agriculture
Due Dates: Not specified (CREP Signing Bonus)
Funding Amounts: One-time signing bonus of up to $1,000 per acre, in addition to CREP annual rental payments
Summary: Supports newly enrolled farmers and landowners planting riparian forest buffers on environmentally sensitive agricultural land.
Key Information: Participating land must be taken out of production for 10–15 years, with conservation practices maintained throughout the contract.
Description
The Maryland Department of Agriculture offers the CREP Signing Bonus through its Ecosystem Incentives Program and the federal-state Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The incentive supports newly enrolled farmers and landowners who plant riparian forest buffers on environmentally sensitive agricultural land. CREP encourages conservation practices that protect soil, water, and wildlife while providing steady income from marginal land that is no longer profitable to farm.
The signing bonus complements CREP’s annual rental payments for maintaining conservation cover on sensitive land. Riparian forest buffer planting is the specific activity supported by this bonus; the broader CREP program supports the maintenance of grass, shrubs, trees, or wetlands. The Ecosystem Incentives Program promotes clean water, healthy soil, and climate solutions through long-term conservation.
