Cover Crop Program

Mark your calendars...​​​

MDA's 2026-2027 Cover Crop Sign-Up runs June 22 through July 17, 2026 at local soil conservation district offices. This is your opportunity to apply for grants to help pay for seed, labor, and equipment costs to plant soil-building cover crops in your fields this fall. 

Why plant cover crops

Cover crops are important to the health of local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. They can also improve the quality of spring cash crops and lower input costs by:

• Recycling unused nutrients for spring cash crops
• Adding organic matter to the soil
• Controlling weeds and pests
• Reducing soil erosion and compaction
• Protecting fields from too much or too little rain

Apply in person

Please contact your local soil conservation district to apply for our grants. Be sure to bring your completed Nutrient Management Plan Certification and IRS Form W-9. 

Grant highlights

This year’s base payment is $35/acre, but you can earn up to $65/acre in add-on incentives for using highly valued planting practices.

​2026-2027 Cover Crop Planting and Payment Options

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Planting options and requirements

• ​Plant cover crops after corn, soybeans, sorghum (sorghum/Sudan hybrid), tobacco, vegetables, hemp, sunflowers, sod, or millet.
• You must plant at least 10 acres of cover crops to participate in this program.
• Enrolled acreage cannot exceed Nutrient Management Plan acreage
• Direct deposit of cost-share grants is available.

Seed requirements

• ​Both homegrown and purchased seed must be tested and labeled following Maryland Seed Law and Regulations.
• Seed must be free of prohibited noxious weed seeds, have at least 80% germination, and contain no more than 16 restricted noxious weeds per pound.
• Cover crop fact sheets showing eligible seeding rates are available online and at your local soil conservation district.

Eligible cover crop species

• ​Cereal Grains: Wheat/spelt, rye, barley, triticale, oats, and ryegrass
• Brassicas: Forage radish and canola/rape (must be planted with a cereal grain as part of a mix)
• Legumes: Clover, Austrian winter peas, and hairy vetch (must be planted with a cereal grain as part of a mix.

Cover crop mixes

Planting a cover crop mix can increase biodiversity on your farm and protect against extreme weather.

• ​Plant two-species cover crop mixes at a rate of 50% cereal grains and 50% brassicas or legumes.
• Three species mixes (50/25/25) must contain a minimum of 50% eligible cereal grains.
• To maximize their soil health benefits, we recommend that mixes containing legumes be terminated after May 1.

Dates to remember

• ​Plant cereal grains by November 5, 2026. Some species have earlier deadlines.
• Plant oats or mixes containing legumes, forage radish, canola/rape by October 10, 2026.
• The aerial seeding deadline is October 10, 2026.
• The deadline to receive an incentive for incorporated seeding methods is October 10, 2026.
• Terminate cover crops between March 1 and June 1, 2027.

Fall management options

• ​After becoming well-established, eligible cover crops may be grazed or chopped for on-farm livestock forage.
• Non-poultry manure may be applied to cover crop fields in the fall at a reduced payment rate of $25/acre. Certain conditions apply. This option does not qualify for additional incentives.

Certification requirement

To receive payment, you must certify your cover crop with your local soil conservation district within one week of planting and by November 12, 2026. Additionally, all follow-up documentation must be submitted to the district by December 1, 2026.

Program eligibility

• ​You must be in good standing with the Conservation Grants Program and in compliance with Maryland’s nutrient management requirements.
• Additional restrictions may apply.