Chesapeake Bay Farm Stewardship and Preservation

With funding from the USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), Sustainable Chesapeake is helping farmers in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to improve soil health and implement precision nutrient management practices.

In Maryland and Delaware, this project builds on the work of the Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance, an industry led partnership working collaboratively to ensure that every nutrient application on Delaware and Maryland farms is consistent with the 4Rs- the right nutrient source, applied at the right rate, at the right time, in the right place.

In Virginia, the project capitalizes on growing farmer interest in precision nutrient management and leadership provided by Land Grant University researchers, Extension agents, state and federal agencies and the private sector to grow demand for precision nutirient management. Virginia's funding has also been used to support farmland preservation.

With leadership from the Suffolk County Conservation District, Delaware leveraged state investments in cover crops to expand adoption of this important conservation practice that is helping farmers to meet both water quality and soil health goals.