Small Acreage Cover Crop Program
Forecasted
Small Acreage Cover Crop Program supports Maryland’s urban growers and small farmers with cover crop planting assistance to extend support to smaller growing spaces, from raised beds to high tunnels.
Funder: Maryland Department of Agriculture
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1,500 per grower per year, reimbursed against paid receipts
Summary: Supports cover crop planting by Maryland urban and small-scale agricultural growers who do not qualify for traditional cover crop grants.
Key Information: Applicants must plant less than 10 acres of cover crops and generate at least $1,000 annually in farm-product sales or donations.
Description
The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Small Acreage Cover Crop Program provides financial assistance to urban agricultural growers and small farmers who want to plant cover crops but do not qualify for traditional cover crop grant programs geared toward larger operations. It extends support to smaller growing spaces, including open plots or fields, raised beds, and high tunnels.
The program reimburses growers for cover crop planting based on paid receipts. Eligible plantings include single cereal grains or cover crop seed mixes. Growers should follow planting recommendations from the seed manufacturer or the University of Maryland Extension for the species planted. The initiative is funded by the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund and managed by the department’s Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Program.
