Maryland announces record cover crop enrollment

TIMONIUM, Md. (AP) — Maryland is announcing a new record for cover crop enrollment.

Gov. Martin O’Malley made the announcement Thursday at the Maryland State Fair.

The state announced that 1,849 Maryland farmers requested funding to plant a record 641,000 acres of winter grains.

The state’s cover crop program gives grants to farmers who plant the crops immediately after the summer harvest. Cover crops like wheat and barley absorb unused nutrients and control soil erosion. They also help protect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

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