{"id":25632,"date":"2021-08-02T11:38:14","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T15:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/?p=25632"},"modified":"2021-08-02T11:59:07","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T15:59:07","slug":"high-priority-agricultural-conservation-practices-now-available-for-100-cost-share-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2021\/08\/02\/high-priority-agricultural-conservation-practices-now-available-for-100-cost-share-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"High-Priority Agricultural Conservation Practices Now Available for 100% Cost-Share Grants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3><strong><i>Sign-Up Ongoing at Local Soil Conservation Districts<\/i><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"25631\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2021\/08\/02\/high-priority-agricultural-conservation-practices-now-available-for-100-cost-share-grants\/attachment\/mda-macs-21-pr\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png?fit=1024%2C512&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,512\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"MDA MACS 21 PR\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png?fit=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png?fit=760%2C380&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25631\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png?resize=760%2C380\" alt=\"\" width=\"760\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/08\/MDA-MACS-21-PR.png?resize=768%2C384&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>ANNAPOLIS, MD (Aug. 2, 2021)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0\u2013 The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced that over 20 high-priority agricultural conservation practices are now eligible for cost-share funding of up to 100% through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. Installation of these practices by farmers will help Maryland meet its 2025 Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cClean water and healthy natural resources benefit all Marylanders,\u201d said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. \u201cThe department is committed to providing farmers with the financial and technical resources and support they need to install best management practices on their farms that will improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Earlier this year, Governor Larry Hogan signed a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/mgaleg.maryland.gov\/mgawebsite\/Legislation\/Details\/SB0344\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">new law<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that authorizes MDA to provide farmers with cost-share assistance that covers up to 100% of eligible costs to install certain high-priority best management practices on farms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Qualifying practices must have at least a 10-year maintenance life; provide environmental benefits that are consistent with Maryland\u2019s Watershed Implementation Plan; and focus largely on in-field or edge-of-field practices that protect local waterways from nutrient runoff associated with crop production. In addition, these practices are required to be implemented as part of a current Soil Conservation and Water Quality Plan developed by a local <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mda.maryland.gov\/resource_conservation\/Pages\/technical_assistance.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">soil conservation district<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Practices now eligible for up to 100% cost-share funding and free technical assistance include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conservation drainage practices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conservation cover<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Critical area planting<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Diversion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stream exclusion fencing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Field border<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Filter strip<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Grade stabilization structure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Grassed waterway<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lined waterway or outlet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Riparian forest buffer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Riparian herbaceous cover<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sediment basin<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Terrace system<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tree and shrub establishment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wetland restoration or creation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Interested farmers should contact their local\u00a0soil conservation district<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to apply for cost-share funding and to receive free technical assistance to design and install these practices. To be eligible for cost-share assistance, applicants must be in good standing with MDA, the MACS Program and in compliance with Maryland\u2019s nutrient management regulations. Other restrictions may apply.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For more information, please contact MDA\u2019s Conservation Grants Program at (410) 841-5864 or visit the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/mda.maryland.gov\/resource_conservation\/Pages\/financial_assistance.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"># # #<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Follow Maryland Department of Agriculture on Twitter <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/mdagdept\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">@MdAgDept<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sign-Up Ongoing at Local Soil Conservation Districts ANNAPOLIS, MD (Aug. 2, 2021)\u00a0\u2013 The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced that over 20 high-priority agricultural conservation practices are now eligible for cost-share funding of up to 100% through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. Installation of these practices by farmers will help Maryland<a href=\"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2021\/08\/02\/high-priority-agricultural-conservation-practices-now-available-for-100-cost-share-grants\/\">&nbsp;&nbsp;Read the Rest&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":168,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/168"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25632"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25634,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25632\/revisions\/25634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}