Farmers can sign up for Maryland's 2019-20 Cover Crop Program from June 21 to July 17 at soil conservation district offices statewide.

New this year, a ​$15-an-acre extended season incentive payment is available to farmers who terminate their cover crops after May 1. Farmers who hire an airplane or helicopter to aerial-seed cover crops into standing corn between Aug. 15 and Sept. 1 qualify for a $10-an-acre incentive payment. 

The Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program provides grants to help farmers offset seed, labor and equipment costs to plant fall cover crops. Maryland has earmarked $22.5 million for this year's program.

What to bring

Farmers must bring their completed current nutrient management plan certification. This form must be signed by both the farm operator and the person who prepared the farm's nutrient management plan. You can download a form here.

Planting and certification requirement

Eligible cover crops may be grazed or chopped for on-farm livestock forage after becoming well-established. Manure may be applied in the fall following Maryland's nutrient management regulations. To receive payment, farmers must certify cover crops with their local soil conservation​ district within one week of planting and no later than Nov. 13.  

Species eligible to plant as cover crops include:

Cover crop mixes approved for the program are as follows:

Ask your soil conservation district for this year's seeding rates.

Cover crop planting and termination dates

Planting and termination date deadlines for the program include:

Cereal grains deadline. Plant cereal grains by Nov. 5. Some species have earlier deadlines, so ask your soil conservation district for a complete list of planting deadlines by species. 

Legume, forage, radish, canola/rape, oats deadline. Mixes containing legumes, forage radish, canola/rape or oats must be planted by Oct. 1.

Aerial seeding deadline. The aerial seeding deadline for cover crops is Oct. 7. To qualify for the $10-an-acre aerial seeding incentive payment, cover crops must be aerial-seeded by airplane or helicopter into standing corn between Aug. 15 and Sept.​ 1.

Cover crop termination. Terminate cover crops between March 1 and June 1, 2020.

Extended-season termination. To qualify for the extended-season incentive payment, terminate cover crops after May 1, 2020. 

​Guidelines and conditions

​Plant cover crops after corn, soybeans, sorghum, tobacco or vegetables.

There is a 5-acre minimum. There are no acreage caps for the traditional cover crop program. 

A field inspection is required for farmers who apply for the extended-season incentive​ payment. The acreage cap is 500 acres.

All seed purchased must be tested and labeled following Maryland seed law and regulations. Purchased seed must be free of prohibited noxious weed seeds, have a minimum germination rate of 80% and​ have no more than 16 restricted noxious weeds per pound.

Homegrown seed with a germination rate between 65% and 79% may be used. A higher seeding rate is required for homegrown seed, and fields may be subject to a performance-based spot check. 

Cost-share is available for seed testing. Attach the current year’s seed tag for all purchased seed to the fall certification.

Fertilizer applications are prohibited in fall and before March 1.

Direct deposit of cost-share grants is available. 

Applicants must be in good standing with MACS and in compliance with Maryland's nutrient management regulations. Additional restrictions may apply. 
For more information, visit bit.ly/covercropprogram.

Source: Maryland Department of Agriculture, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.