Healthy Soils Program
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About the Healthy Soils Program
Farmers in Maryland have established themselves as national leaders in on-farm conservation. They have demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and soil health through the early and widespread adoption of conservation practices, such as cover crops and no-till farming.
The Healthy Soils Program aims to enhance and expand this leadership by supporting Maryland producers who want to elevate their conservation efforts. This program encourages the adoption and testing of new and innovative conservation management practices, amplifies their credible stewardship of soil and water resources, and fosters the development of soil health knowledge within the agricultural community.
Grant Programs
- Healthy Soils Competitive Fund—Provides up to $50,000 for soil health and a range of agroforestry practices. Applications open November 2026
- Cover Crop Plus+ Grants—Provides up to $100/acre for innovative cover cropping.
Funding support for our programs is made possible through the Moore-Miller Administration’s implementation of the Climate Solutions Now Act and a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant awarded to the Atlantic Conservation Coalition by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Soil Health Training
Soil Health Labs
Additional Resources
- Maryland Soil Health Card - PDF - 3.08 MB - PDF - 3.08 MB
- UMD video: How to use the MD Soil Health Card (YouTube)
- Soil Health Institute
- American Farmland Trust - Soil Health Case Studies
- Understanding Ag
- Virginia Soil Health Coalition
- Pennsylvania Soil Health Coalition
- Northeast Cover Crops Council
- SARE Resource Pages
- Penn State Extension - Nitrogen Recommendations for Corn That Credit Cover Crops and Soil Organic Matter
- Maryland's Soil Health Champions
Keep up with conservation
Our Conservation Buzz newsletter keeps Maryland farmers and landowners up to date on grants, programs, and events from MDA.