Md. farmers plant record acreage of pollution-reducing cover crops

Cover crops are very efficient in taking up excess nutrients and controlling erosion ONLY if planted early enough to reach of height of 5-6" or more and provide well over 50% ground cover. In order to reach those levels; they need to be planted at least 2 weeks before the 1st killing frost. For mid-Maryland the 1st killing frost is Oct 10th; so the cover crop needs to be planted no later than Sept 26th. The 2nd level would for the cover crop planted by Oct 10th. if planted later than Oct 10th, they provide VERY LITTLE in the way of nutrient removal or erosion control. For the past 2 years, the planting dates have been pushed back to mid-November. Farmers got paid for cover crops that provide no real protection. Cover crops should be part of every farmers conservation plan requirements for being in "baseline compliance". We spent over $21 million for these cover crop; we can't be paying that kind of money year in and year out. That money could be better spent on long-term permanent conservation practices like: stream buffers, runoff from animal concentration areas (barnyards, feedlots). Farmers say they are the 1st environmentalist; they need to plant cover crops because they are good for the environment. Early in the cover crop program a survey showed that 60% of the farmers were going to plant cover crop anyway (even if not paid to do so).