From the desk of...

Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland 

One of Maryland's most beautiful and important assets is its farmland. From the rolling hills of Western and Central Maryland to the vast corn and soybean fields of the Eastern Shore, Maryland agriculture is as diverse as its landscape.
 
But its beauty is not just scenic. Earlier this summer, Maryland farmers once again showed their commitment to the Bay and signed up in record numbers to plant cover crops on their fields this fall. Cover crops control soil erosion, reduce nutrient runoff and protect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries over the winter. The cover crops "scrub" any nutrients left over due to poor crop performance, an especially important measure following a drought impacted crop season.
 
We're pleased to announce that approximately 607,000 acres of cover crops were approved for planting this fall through the Maryland Department of Agriculture's 2012-2013 Cover Crop Program. This is the third consecutive year that Maryland farmers have set a record topping their previous enrollment highs.
 
This year's cover crop sign-up was especially significant in that 152 of the 1,860 farmers who enrolled in the program were first-time participants. Enrolled acreage represents over two-thirds of all the state's eligible cropland. Moreover, the record acreage enrolled exceeds Maryland's two year milestone outlined in its Watershed Implementation Plan by 170 percent.

Bay scientists confirm that cover crops are one of the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable ways to protect the Chesapeake Bay from nutrient runoff. Cereal grains such as wheat, rye and barley are used as cover crops because they grow in cool weather. Once established, cover crops 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. They are the triple play of agriculture's Bay conservation programs.
 
The program is funded by the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund. Cost-share funds help farmers offset seed, labor and equipment costs associated with planting cover crops. This year we have dedicated $18 million for this time tested and popular program.
 
Counties with the largest percentage of eligible farmland enrolled:
o    Allegany - 100%
o    Montgomery - 99%
o    Calvert - 88%
o    Somerset - 88%
o    Talbot - 78%
o    Kent - 73%

Counties with most cover crop acres enrolled:
o    Kent - 62,938
o    Queen Anne's - 62,036
o    Talbot - 57,864
o    Frederick - 49,959
o    Caroline - 46,360
o    Dorchester - 43,519
o    Worcester - 40,448

Sincerely,