The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s popular Conservation Buffer Initiative will offer eligible farmers a one-time signing bonus of $1,000 per acre to plant new forest buffers adjacent to cropland and streams on working farms. Grant applications will be accepted from Nov. 1 through April 30, 2027, at local soil conservation district offices.
Maryland’s Tree Solutions Now Act established the 5 Million Trees Initiative, which challenges Marylanders to plant five million native trees across the state by 2031 to improve water quality, climate resilience and human health.
“Maryland farmers have shown their dedication to conservation and this additional incentive makes practices such as planting forest buffers more achievable,” said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks. “Protecting our land, water and the Chesapeake Bay is everyone’s responsibility and we are proud to invest in farmers who turn that shared commitment into action.”
Now in its seventh year, Maryland’s Conservation Buffer Initiative provides farmers with attractive incentive payments to plant buffers along streams and cropland to improve water quality and support the State’s climate goals. Three types of buffers are eligible for funding and free technical assistance under this program:
- Forest buffers planted next to waterways adjacent to cropland.
- Grass buffers planted next to waterways or field ditches adjacent to cropland.
- Watercourse access control areas adjacent to pastures.
The Conservation Buffer Initiative provides the following to eligible farmers and landowners:
- Bonus Incentives: A one-time bonus of $1,000 per acre, as well as annual maintenance payments for established forest buffers for the first five years.
- Contract Terms: May be signed for five or 10 years.
- Flexible Payment Rates: Payment rates range from $500 per acre for existing grass buffers to a maximum of $4,500 per acre to install a riparian forest buffer with pasture fencing.
- Free Technical Assistance: Provided by local soil conservation districts.
- On-Farm Management: Nutrient applications are prohibited, but mowing and hay harvesting are permitted for on-farm use.
- Project Timeline: All work must be completed within one year of the agreement signing date.
- Upfront Cost Coverage: Seventy-five percent of project costs are paid upfront (25% post-verification) and verified existing buffers receive a 100% payout upfront.
Beginning this year, farmers and landowners will have the option to re-enroll expiring grass buffers for an additional five years.
Farmers who wish to install new buffers on farmland adjacent to waterways or improve existing buffers should apply for the Conservation Buffer Initiative through their local soil conservation districts. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to funding availability.
For more information, readers may visit MDA’s Conservation Buffer Initiative website or contact the local soil conservation district.
