Secretary Bartenfelder Announces Record Cover Crop Enrollment, Highlights Agriculture at 134th Maryland State Fair, Lauds Farmers’ Environmental Stewardship Efforts

TIMONIUM, MD – Yesterday, during the Governor’s Agriculture Day lunch at the 134^th Maryland State Fair, Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder announced record cover crop program enrollment by Maryland farmers as he applauded the agriculture community for their extraordinary stewardship efforts.

For the 2015/2016 Cover Crop Program, 1,835 Maryland farmers requested funding to plant a record 656,170 acres of winter grains. Maryland farmers have exceeded the Watershed Implementation Plan milestone goals in 2011, 2013 and 2015 for cover crops and are on track to exceed the next two year milestone in 2017 with this new record enrollment acreage. Cover crops are one of the most cost-effective means of helping to restore the Chesapeake Bay. The State has allocated $22.5 million for the 2015/2016 program, which is estimated to pay for every certified planted acre in program.

“The State Fair is a chance to remind ourselves of our roots and to see the work that Maryland farmers are doing to create jobs, strengthen our economy, and feed our families. Agriculture contributes $8.25 billion annually to our state and the future of agriculture and our rural economies is strong,” said Governor Hogan. “Our record cover crop announcement is great news for our farmers who continue to voluntarily take strong conservation actions on their farms, diversify their operations and use new technologies as they become available.”

Farmers plant cover crops in the fall, following the harvest of summer crops such as corn, soybeans and vegetables. Rye, wheat, barley and certain other crops are planted as cover crops because they recycle unused plant nutrients remaining in the soil from the previous summer crop, protect fields against wind and water erosion, and help improve the soil for the next year’s crop. Maryland’s Cover Crop Program provides farmers with grants to plant cover crops on their fields immediately following the summer crop harvest.

Top counties ranked by most cover crop acres enrolled:

1. Queen Anne’s (72,009)
2. Kent (64,387)
3. Talbot (63,610)
4. Caroline (55,156)
5. Frederick (52,022)
6. Dorchester (49,498)
7. Worcester (45,522)
8. Carroll (38,190)
9. Wicomico (35,169)
10. Somerset (27,134)

“Not only is Maryland’s cover crop program a very attractive and flexible program, it has the potential to do more for the Bay than ever before,” said Agriculture Secretary Bartenfelder. “We commend and thank all farmers who, together, have applied to plant more than half a million acres of small grain crops that protect our soil and water by taking up any remaining nutrients and preventing soil erosion over the winter.”

Agriculture Day, which highlights the state’s strong agricultural traditions, is traditionally held on the Thursday in the middle of the 11-day run of the State Fair. The Governor’s Agriculture Day luncheon with about 200 attendees celebrates farming as the foundation of our state.

In his remarks, Secretary Bartenfelder announced that season three of the hit 13-part series Maryland Farm and Harvest co-produced by Maryland Public Television and MDA will premier on November 10. The series, funded by a variety of agricultural commodity and trade organizations, highlights the diversity of Maryland farms and farmers and help increase the public’s understanding of farmers and farm life, as well as agriculture’s contributions to the state and national economy. New episodes will air Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. and episodes will repeat Thursdays at 11:30 p.m., Sundays at 6:00 a.m., and Fridays at 6:00 p.m.  For more information and to watch previous episodes, visit www.mpt.org/farm.

He also welcomed 18-year-old Jenell Eck of Ingleside (Queen Anne’s County) who was named Miss Maryland Agriculture 2015 during opening-night festivities at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium. Miss Eck, a graduate of Queen Anne’s County High School, currently attends Chesapeake Community College where she is majoring in Elementary and Special Education. In addition to her educational pursuits, Miss Eck works on MAE-VUE poultry and grain farm and Alan C. Eck straw, livestock and poultry farm. She has held numerous offices in a variety of agricultural organizations. In 2014-2015 alone, she was Maryland FFA State President, Maryland State FFA Poultry Proficiency Winner, Queen Anne’s County Farm Bureau Board Member representing Young Farmers, Queen Anne’s County Young Farmers Secretary, Cloverleaf 4-H Club President, and County 4-H Extemporaneous Speaking Champion.

Prior to the luncheon, Secretary Bartenfelder, Dep. Secretary Mary Ellen Setting, State Fair leadership and other dignitaries toured the fairgrounds.

Chart showing cover crop acres and applications, 2007 to 2015:

Enrollment statistics by county

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