Grants for Soil & Water Conservation
Maryland's 2026-2027 Cover Crop Sign-Up Is Open!
Click here to sign up for the Maryland's 2026-2027 Cover Crop program
The Maryland Department of Agriculture provides a range of conservation grants to help farmers offset the cost of installing best management practices on their farms to protect the natural resources they depend on and comply with federal, state and local environmental requirements. Please click the links to learn more about our programs.
The Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program - PDF - 462.14 KBprovides grants that cover up to 100 percent of the cost to install BMPs on farms to control soil erosion, manage nutrients and safeguard water quality in streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Approximately 40 BMPs are currently eligible for funding. The Cover Crop Program provides farmers with grants to plant small grains in their fields in the fall to conserve nutrients, control soil erosion, and protect water quality. The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)—a federal-state partnership program--pays landowners attractive land rental rates to take environmentally sensitive cropland out of production for 10 to 15 years and plant buffers and other conservation practices that protect water quality and provide wildlife habitat. A Manure Management Program helps farmers manage manure resources, comply with nutrient management regulations, and protect water quality in local streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. Our Ecosystem Incentives Program provides a menu of conservation incentives that promote clean water, healthy soils, and climate solutions. These include MDA's Conservation Buffer Incentive, Tree Planting Incentives, CREP bonus payments, Cover Crop Plus grants, Tax Incentives for Conservation Equipment, and Low Interest Loans (LILAC) for agricultural conservation projects. Maryland’s Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Program provides financial assistance to support small-scale agricultural operations located in urban, peri-urban, rural, and suburban areas. It aims to increase community access to healthy foods by helping farmers improve their management of natural resources by adopting Bay-friendly and climate-smart farming practices.
The Ecosystem Incentives Program provides farmers with a menu of conservation incentives that promote clean water, healthy soil and climate solutions. Please read on to learn more about our offerings. See something you like? Contact your local soil conservation district for free help from the experts in meeting your conservation needs.
Conservation buffer initiative
This pilot program complements CREP by offering farmers and landowners attractive incentive payments to plant streamside buffers on farms to improve local water quality. Like CREP, farmers receive a one-time bonus payment of $1,000/acre to install forest buffers. However, this program provides features not offered by CREP including:
- A buffer option for field ditches
- Flexible site management
- Shorter contract terms
Conservation buffer initiative
This pilot program complements CREP by offering farmers and landowners attractive incentive payments to plant streamside buffers on farms to improve local water quality. Like CREP, farmers receive a one-time bonus payment of $1,000/acre to install forest buffers. However, this program provides features not offered by CREP including:
- A buffer option for field ditches
- Flexible site management
- Shorter contract terms
Learn more about Maryland's Conservation Buffer Initiative.
Tree planting incentives
A tree-planting bonus is now available to farmers and landowners who install qualifying conservation practices financed through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program - PDF - 462.14 KB. The incentive aims to help Maryland achieve its ambitious tree-planting goal to capture greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
- Under this incentive program, eligible farmers will receive $2 for each new tree planted as part of an approved conservation practice
- This payment is in addition to the regular cost-share rate for the qualifying practice. It is available for the following conservation practices:
- Windbreak Establishment – $2 per tree plus up to 100% cost-share
- Silvopasture – $2 per tree plus up to 87.5% cost-share
- Riparian Forest Buffer – $2 per tree plus up to 100% cost-share
- Hedgerow Planting – $2 per tree plus up to 100% cost-share
- Tree and Shrub Establishment – $2 per tree plus up to 100% cost-share
CREP signing bonus
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a federal-state partnership program that gives farmers a one-time signing bonus to take environmentally sensitive land out of production for 10 to 15 years and plant conservation practices that protect soil, water, and wildlife. The bonus is on top of attractive annual rental payments farmers receive to maintain grass, shrubs, trees, or wetlands on sensitive land for the life of their contracts. Newly enrolled farmers and landowners who plant riparian forest buffers receive a one-time signing bonus of up to $1,000 per acre.
Learn more about CREP and how it can provide you with steady income on marginal land that is no longer profitable to farm.
Cover Crop Plus
This program pays higher incentives for enhanced cover crop implementation to encourage greater biodiversity and residue management to improve soil health. Enrolled farmers agree to grow cover crop mixes on the same field for three consecutive years, maintain a living root system, and manage the cover crop for maximum benefits.
Learn more about Cover Crop Plus.
Conservation Equipment Tax Break
The Maryland Income Tax Subtraction Modification for Conservation Equipment helps farmers offset costs to buy certain types of conservation equipment to control soil erosion, manage nutrients, and protect local water quality. The incentive allows farmers to subtract eligible equipment purchases from taxable income on Maryland individual and corporate tax returns