Department Launches Farmer Outreach Campaign to Promote Tree Planting and Agroforestry Incentives

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has launched a new public awareness campaign to educate farmers about the benefits of planting trees on farmland. Spotlighting the department’s full range of incentive programs, highlights include how farmers who plant trees can boost farm income, improve soil and herd health, and protect local streams and natural resources. The campaign will run throughout February and features a 30-second public service announcement airing on local cable and broadcast networks, including Maryland Public Television, as well as social media messaging shared across a range of digital platforms.

“Farmers depend on their land to support their families and their operations,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “If you own marginal farmland near a stream, pastureland that could be integrated with trees, or other land that could benefit from a tree crop, I encourage you to explore our tree planting incentive programs. Planting trees can benefit both your farm and the environment.”

The department’s tree-planting incentives support a range of soil health and agroforestry practices that combine farming and forestry to create healthier conditions for people, animals, and crops by allowing farmers to improve natural resources and generate income by planting nut and berry trees. Eligible participants may qualify for up to 100% cost-share for selected practices and a one-time bonus payment of $1,000 per acre for establishing riparian forest buffers. These efforts support Maryland’s goal of planting 5 million trees by 2031 to capture atmospheric carbon and enhance public health.

Eligible tree-planting and agroforestry practices include:

• Riparian Forest Buffers—Trees and shrubs planted along streams to act as natural filters

• Alley Cropping—Growing crops in wide alleys between rows of trees to improve soil health 

• Hedgerow Plantings—Living fences of trees and shrubs that attract wildlife and boost biodiversity

• Windbreaks—Rows of trees planted near farm production areas to filter the air and reduce odors 

• Silvopasture—Integrating trees and grazing livestock to improve herd and soil health

• Tree and Shrub Establishment—Planting trees and shrubs to provide environmental benefits 

Farmers and agricultural landowners who want to learn more about the department’s tree-planting and agroforestry incentives should visit this website. Free technical help and application assistance for most projects is available through local soil conservation districts.