Department Announces Grant Funding for Farmers Establishing Healthy Soil Practices

The Maryland Department of Agriculture today announced a new round of assistance available for farmers who are interested in obtaining technical support and financial assistance to establish innovative soil health practices on their farms. Funding is available for farmers in Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties. 

Interested farmers should contact their local soil conservation district by November 20 to apply for this program. Conservation practices eligible for funding and technical assistance through this grant include:

• Adaptive management;   •  Multi-species cover crops;
• Conservation crop rotations;    •  Variable rate technology for applying nutrients;
• Residual and tillage management;    •  Precision nutrient management;
• Edge-of-field tools to identify and reduce agricultural sources of excess nutrients;
• Composting;     •  Forage and biomass plantings; and
• Other practices that support soil health.

This special grant opportunity allows farmers to gain experience using the latest technological advances that enhance soil health. This funding was made available through a five-year, $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant secured by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. 

For more information about Maryland’s healthy soil initiatives, please contact the department’s Office of Resource Conservation at 410-841-5865 or visit their website.