Guest feature: Julie Oberg is the Communications Director for the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Follow along with MDAg @MdAgDept and Maryland’s Best @MdsBest.
Maryland farmers planted a record-setting 492,244 acres of cover crops on their fields last fall as part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s 2015-2016 Cover Crop Program, breaking the previous record of 475,560 acres planted last year.
Cover crops are widely recognized as one of the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable ways for farmers to meet nutrient and sediment reduction targets outlined in Maryland’s Watershed Implementation Plan to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay by 2025.
“Maryland farmers believe in the environmental and agronomic benefits of planting cover crops on their fields to improve the soil, recycle unused plant nutrients, control erosion, and protect local waterways,” said Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “This is the sixth consecutive year that farmers have planted more than 400,000 acres of cover crops on their fields.”
The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Cover Crop Program provides grants to farmers who plant small grains such as wheat, rye or barley, or brassicas (plants in the cabbage family) on their fields following the fall harvest. Grants help offset seed, labor and equipment costs associated with planting cover crops.
Collectively, the 492,244 acres of cover crops planted will prevent an estimated 2.95 million pounds of nitrogen, and 98,500 pounds of phosphorus from reaching Maryland waterways.
The top counties ranked by certified acreage planted:
- Queen Anne’s 59,716.6
- Kent 54,952.2
- Talbot 51,547.8
- Caroline 42,505.7
- Dorchester 40,884.4
The post Maryland Farmers Shatter Cover Crop Planting Record appeared first on MDBIZNews.
from http://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2016/02/maryland-farmers-shatter-cover-crop-planting-record/
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