CREP Signing Bonus
CREP Signing Bonus supports Maryland farmers and landowners planting riparian forest buffers on environmentally sensitive land to promote clean water, healthy soil, and protection for wildlife.
This grant was recently updated
No changes to the CREP Signing Bonus are shown; the updates concern Maryland’s separate Conservation Buffer Initiative.
Funder: Maryland Department of Agriculture
Due Dates: Contact local soil conservation district for application timing
Funding Amounts: One-time bonus of up to $1,000 per acre, additional to annual CREP rental payments
Summary: Supports newly enrolled Maryland farmers and landowners planting riparian forest buffers on environmentally sensitive land through CREP.
Key Information: Enrolled land must remain out of production for 10–15 years, with conservation cover maintained throughout the contract.
Description
The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s CREP Signing Bonus supports newly enrolled Maryland farmers and landowners who plant riparian forest buffers on environmentally sensitive land. Offered within the department’s Ecosystem Incentives Program, the incentive promotes clean water, healthy soil, and climate solutions while helping protect soil, water, and wildlife.
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a federal-state partnership that takes sensitive land out of agricultural production and establishes conservation practices. The signing bonus complements annual CREP rental payments for maintaining conservation cover throughout the contract. While this bonus focuses on riparian forest buffers, broader CREP practices include grass, shrubs, trees, and wetlands. CREP can provide steady income from marginal land that is no longer profitable to farm.
