Browse Ambrook’s collection of grants, loans, discounts, cost shares, easements, and insurance for hedgerows.

Online applications for 2023 are closed. Find updates here. 

Jasdeep Bains

**Notice**: _On April 14, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke&#x2004;Rollins announced the cancellation of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC). The USDA plans to reform the program into the Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) initiative. Contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) for more information on how to apply to the AMP initiative._


### Partnerships to Develop and Expand Global Climate-Smart Market Opportunities through Grower Incentives

This project will promote the adoption of climate-smart and regenerative practices on California almond farms, including those operated by underserved producers, and expand market opportunities for climate-smart almonds through development of verified claims, business-to-business reporting, and supply-chain greenhouse gas quantification. This will support the development of a market-based mechanism for almond buyers and incentivize almond growers to adopt climate-smart practices.


The project plans to provide incentives for almond grower adoption of cover crops, conservation cover, hedgerows, and whole orchard recycling. The project plans to develop a third-party verification and chain of custody system to support marketing efforts.


And explore how to best leverage products as propriety brands or ingredient products sold to other food companies, or both. The project plans to have all growers quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits using the COMET Planner Tool as employed in California for the CDFA Healthy Soils Program.


The project also plans to develop a system of monitoring, reporting, and third-party verification of climate-smart practices. The project plans to engage third-party verification and chain of custody systems to support climate-smart claims that relate to product labeling needs and customer expectations.


Upon establishment of these systems, Blue Diamond Growers will convene meetings with key internal leaders, consumer insights analysts, and financial analysts to explore how to best leverage product claims resulting from this program with either proprietary brands or ingredient products sold to other food companies, or both.


About 85% of the requested funds are planned to go to specialty crop growers of almonds to implement Climate Smart practices.



Notice: On April 14, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the cancellation of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC). The USDA plans to reform the program into the Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) initiative. Contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) for more information on how to apply to the AMP initiative. 

Partnerships to Develop and Expand Global Climate-Smart Market Opportunities through Grower Incentives
This project will promote the adoption of climate-smart and regenerative practices on California almond farms, including those operated by underserved producers, and expand market opportunities for climate-smart almonds through development of verified claims, business-to-business reporting, and supply-chain greenhouse gas quantification. This will support the development of a market-based mechanism for almond buyers and incentivize almond growers to adopt climate-smart practices.

The project plans to provide incentives for almond grower adoption of cover crops, conservation cover, hedgerows, and whole orchard recycling. The project plans to develop a third-party verification and chain of custody system to support marketing efforts.

And explore how to best leverage products as propriety brands or ingredient products sold to other food companies, or both. The project plans to have all growers quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits using the COMET Planner Tool as employed in California for the CDFA Healthy Soils Program.

The project also plans to develop a system of monitoring, reporting, and third-party verification of climate-smart practices. The project plans to engage third-party verification and chain of custody systems to support climate-smart claims that relate to product labeling needs and customer expectations.

Upon establishment of these systems, Blue Diamond Growers will convene meetings with key internal leaders, consumer insights analysts, and financial analysts to explore how to best leverage product claims resulting from this program with either proprietary brands or ingredient products sold to other food companies, or both.

About 85% of the requested funds are planned to go to specialty crop growers of almonds to implement Climate Smart practices.

To be eligible, producers must:
1. Participate in Blue Diamond's Orchard Stewardship Incentive Program
2. Register farm and orchards with the USDA Farm Service Agency
3. Complete an Application at Blue Diamond
4. Provide proof of implementation for program activities
For a complete checklist, see here.

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

Almonds

Tree Nuts

Specialty Crops

Regenerative

Conservation

Blue Diamond pays a per-practice implementation incentive plus free planting material. Rates on the co-op's 2026 AMP overview sheet:

- Cover crops — up to $35/orchard acre, plus no-cost seed provided by Project Apis m. Requires planting at least every other row, minimum 6 ft strip width. Example given: "Cover crops planted on at least every other row of a 100-acre orchard: ≤ $3,500."
- Conservation cover ("bee pasture") — up to $50/acre, plus no-cost seed from Project Apis m.
- Hedgerows — up to $8/linear foot, plus no-cost plants from Pollinator Partnership. Example: "Hedgerows planted around an orchard in a 300 foot row: ≤ $2,400."
- Whole Orchard Recycling — up to $900/acre; material costs are yours ("Consult local providers"). Example: "WOR implemented for a 100-acre orchard: ≤ $90,000."

No overall per-grower cap is published. Incentives stack with the co-op's own program: "Blue Diamond's growers are eligible to receive their standard Orchard Stewardship Incentive Program (OSIP) incentive in addition to the reimbursement for implementation of practices listed below."

Conditions. You must be a Blue Diamond member-grower or farm a Blue Diamond orchard; participate in OSIP for the 2025 crop year; register your farm and orchards with FSA; have an approved NRCS CPA-52; and only acreage under a Blue Diamond Crop Agency Agreement qualifies. Practices must follow the matching NRCS conservation practice standard (340 cover crops, 327 conservation cover, 422 hedgerow, 384/3336 WOR). Payment follows proof of implementation (self-attestation, with a possible in-orchard site visit). Seed must come from Project Apis m. — "Incentives or reimbursements are not available for seed purchased by growers from other outside services providers."

Timing. The 2026 sheet states "Applications due by July 17, 2026" — that date has passed; WOR applications were shown as open on the live page. Blue Diamond notes the grant "is subject to review and approval of the USDA and payment not guaranteed by Blue Diamond Growers."

Apply for the Conservation Buffer Initiative and MACS-funded tree-planting practices by contacting your local soil conservation district. For CREP, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency office. Program information: Maryland Department of Agriculture, Office of Resource Conservation, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone 410-841-5865.

Jason D. Keppler

Program Manager

MDA's tree-planting incentives support a range of agroforestry practices that integrate farming and forestry to generate additional farm income, create healthier conditions for livestock and crops, and promote cleaner air and streams. The Conservation Buffer Initiative offers farmers up to $4,500 an acre to install a riparian forest buffer with pasture fencing, plus a one-time bonus payment of $1,000/acre for riparian forest buffers, during its annual open enrollment period (November 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026). Additional&#x2004;practices funded through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program include riparian forest buffers, hedgerow planting, tree & shrub establishment, and windbreak establishment (up to 100% cost-share plus $2 per planted tree) and silvopasture (up to 87.5% cost-share plus $2 per planted tree). Maryland's CREP pays land rental rates and a one-time $1,000/acre bonus for new streamside riparian forest buffers. The Healthy Soils Competitive Fund provides up to $50,000 to support 3 years of enhanced soil health and agroforestry practices, with an open enrollment period that typically begins in January and runs for approximately 8 weeks.



MDA's tree-planting incentives support a range of agroforestry practices that integrate farming and forestry to generate additional farm income, create healthier conditions for livestock and crops, and promote cleaner air and streams. The Conservation Buffer Initiative offers farmers up to $4,500 an acre to install a riparian forest buffer with pasture fencing, plus a one-time bonus payment of $1,000/acre for riparian forest buffers, during its annual open enrollment period (November 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026). Additional practices funded through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program include riparian forest buffers, hedgerow planting, tree & shrub establishment, and windbreak establishment (up to 100% cost-share plus $2 per planted tree) and silvopasture (up to 87.5% cost-share plus $2 per planted tree). Maryland's CREP pays land rental rates and a one-time $1,000/acre bonus for new streamside riparian forest buffers. The Healthy Soils Competitive Fund provides up to $50,000 to support 3 years of enhanced soil health and agroforestry practices, with an open enrollment period that typically begins in January and runs for approximately 8 weeks.

Maryland farmers and landowners installing eligible agroforestry/tree-planting practices. MACS-funded practices follow MACS eligibility and are applied for through the local soil conservation district. The Conservation Buffer Initiative is available during annual open enrollment (November 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026). CREP is applied for through USDA FSA. Tree & shrub establishment may be applied on any site capable of growing woody plants, including land in USDA and other federal, state, and private conservation programs.

A payment that requires some percentage of matching contributions by the recipient.

Cost Share

Forest Management

Disaster Relief

Water Management

Emergency

These are per-acre and per-tree rates, not fixed awards — except the Healthy Soils Competitive Fund, noted last. This page bundles several separate incentives:

Conservation Buffer Initiative — "Farmers can receive up to $4,500 an acre to install a riparian forest buffer with pasture fencing." Riparian forest buffers "also qualify for a one-time BONUS PAYMENT of $1,000/acre." Apply through your soil conservation district during annual open enrollment (November 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026).

CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) — pays "attractive land rental rates to remove environmentally sensitive agricultural land out of production for 10-15 years and install conservation practices." Farmers who plant new streamside riparian forest buffers "qualify for a one-time BONUS PAYMENT of $1,000/acre." The rental rate itself is not published here. Apply through your local USDA Farm Service Agency office.

Practices funded through MACS (apply through your soil conservation district):
- Riparian forest buffer — up to 100% cost-share, including $2 for each tree planted.
- Hedgerow planting — "up to 100% cost-share to plant the hedgerow and an additional $2 per planted tree."
- Tree & shrub establishment — up to 100% cost-share plus $2 per planted tree. Can be applied on any site capable of growing woody plants, including land already in USDA, other federal, state and private conservation programs.
- Windbreak establishment — up to 100% cost-share and $2 per planted tree.
- Silvopasture — "MACS pays up to 87.5% cost-share to install this practice plus $2 per planted tree."

MACS-funded practices also carry MACS's own dollar caps and 5–15 year maintenance obligations — see the MACS program record.

Healthy Soils Competitive Fund — the one fixed-dollar award in the bundle: "This competitive grant program awards selected applicants with up to $50,000 to support 3 years of enhanced soil health practices." Open enrollment typically begins in January and runs about 8 weeks. Alley cropping and critical area plantings are cited as popular tree-planting fits.

List of Agricultural Funding for Hedgerows