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Maryland Governor Lauds Farmers' Bay-saving Progress

Farmers spent $12.25 million of own money on Chesapeake cleanup efforts.
Compiled by staff 
Published: Jan 22, 2010
While announcing another round of agricultural cost-share grants, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley credited farmers for their efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. "Farmers have consistently gone above and beyond to help improve the quality of our bay," he noted yesterday.

The Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program started more than 24 years ago. Since then, farmers have spent over $12.25 million of their own money to match $98 million in state and federal funds, he noted. They've installed more than 20,000 water quality best management practices. These BMP installations account for 67% of 2.5 million pounds of nitrogen of Maryland's recent 2011 Chesapeake Bay milestones.

The MACS program provides conservation grants of up to 87.5% of on-farm conservation to prevent soil erosion, manage nutrients and safeguard water quality in streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. 

Grassed waterways constructed to prevent gully erosion, streamside buffers of grasses and trees, and animal waste storage management systems are among more than 30 BMPs currently eligible for MACS grants.



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Tagged: Chesapeake Bay, farm, best management practices

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