Maine Healthy Soils Program (Soil Health Implementation Grant)

Maine Healthy Soils Program (Soil Health Implementation Grant) is sponsored by Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. This program provides grants to farmers to address on-farm barriers to improving or maintaining soil health. It also offers no-cost soil health testing and technical assistance.

Maine Healthy Soils Program: Agricultural Resource Development Division: Maine DACF Bureaus & Programs → Bureau of Agriculture → Agricultural Resource Development Division → Maine Healthy Soils Program Agricultural Resource Development Division Maine Healthy Soils Program Promoting Healthy Soils - The Maine Healthy Soils Program offers technical and financial assistance to Maine farmers to improve on-farm soil health and the health of our agricultural economy and environment .

Virtual Soil Health Consult Maine Healthy Soils Program was created to provide farmers with resources to adapt their farms to a changing climate. Healthy soils are, literally, the foundation of a resilient agricultural system, and the Maine Department of Agriculiture, Conservation and Forestry is proud to offer new resources to help Maine's farmers achieve their soil health goals.

Our services range from one-on-one soil health coaching to administration of grant and incentive opportunities. Our approach to developing soil health management systems is holistic, accounting not only for the physical features of your farmland but also for the overall capacity of your farm operation. Building soil health into your business must work for you, the farmer, to be sustainable.

That fact is a foundational pillar of our program's mission. Schedule a Soil Health Field Visit Learn about our grant and incentive programs Explore our soil health resource hub Frequently Asked Questions No-Cost Soil Health Testing The Maine Healthy Soils Program is partnering with Augusta-based Woods End Laboratories to provide no-cost soil health testing.

Soil health testing differs from traditional soil nutrient testing, as it also includes measurements of some physical and biological characteristics of your soil that impact the productivity of your soil. This testing establishes a soil health baseline that can help you make decisions about nutrient inputs, cover cropping, and field operations in the future.

Farms that produce $2,000 of agricultural products (vegetables, tree fruit, livestock, dairy, eggs, etc.) that are sold commercially or intended to be sold commercially. Farms operations that support community access to agricultural products. 501-C3 non-profit organizations that are farm operations that support community access to agricultural products.

Farms are eligible to receive this testing once every three years. For example, if you receive this testing in field season 2025, you would not be able to enroll for another round of sampling until field season 2028. Soil Health Implementation Grant - Accepting Applications The Maine Healthy Soils Program is making grants available to farmers to address on-farm barriers to improving or maintaining soil health.

You may apply for up to $65,000 to improve your ability to trial, adopt, scale or maintain healthy soils best practices. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, equipment, labor, and materials. Please review the Request for Applications below for a full overview of the program.

Please review the Request for Applications and the Application workbook available below. Applications are due by 12:00 noon, ET on March 17, 2026 .

Request for Applications (PDF) Application Workbook (Word) Budget Template (Excel) - Updated March 2, 2026 Convert Excel Spreadsheet to Google Sheet (PDF) Annotated Map Example (PDF) Question & Answer Summary - February 26, 2026 (PDF) Question & Answer Summary - March 4, 2026 (PDF) Farmers in Maine are eligible to apply, eligible applicants must: Own and/or operate a farm operation located in Maine.

Produce agricultural products with a gross annual value of at least $2,000 that are intended to be sold commercially in one (1) of the last three (3) years. ALTERNATIVELY, applicants may be a farm operation that produces agricultural products with a gross annual value of at least $2,000 to support community access to agricultural products . Have access to at least one (1) acre of farmable land.

This land does NOT need to be contiguous, and you do NOT need to have one full acre of production (the land may be rested, forest, generally out of production, etc.). Commit to working with MHSP staff to complete soil health testing and management planning IF you are awarded funds UNLESS you have a current soil health management plan that includes a soil health test three (3) or fewer years old.

You have NOT received a Soil Health Implementation Grant in any of the last three (3) funding cycles . If you have any additional questions about your eligibility, contact the RFA coordinator, Matt Boucher, at matthew. boucher@maine.

gov .

Applications Open: February 11, 2026 Live Q/A Session : February 18, 2026 Join on Microsoft Teams Written Questions due: March 3, 2026 Applications due: March 17, 2026 Blenheim Park Maine (Bremen, ME) Blue-Zee Farm (Penobscot, ME) Hall Brook Farm (Thorndike, ME) Hart-to-Hart Farm (Albion, ME) Little Darling’s Farm (Unity, ME) The Milkhouse (Monmouth, ME) Misty Brook Farm (Albion, ME) Pemaquid Falls Farm (Pemaquid, ME) Second Frost Farm (Monroe, ME) The Buckle Farm (Unity, ME) Whatley Farm (Topsham, ME) Technical Assistance Capacity Grant The Maine Healthy Soils Program is making grants available to agricultural service providers to improve access to soil health technical assistance in Maine.

Eligible organizations may apply for up to $185,000 for up to 3 years to undertake projects that address educational and knowledge expansion regarding soil health best practice implementation. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, salaries/wages, equipment, supplies, contractual services, travel, fringe, and indirect costs. Please review the Request for Applications below for a full overview of this grant initiative.

Applications are due by 5:00 PM on May 16, 2025 .

Request for Applications (PDF) Application Questions (PDF) Applicants are eligible to apply to the Technical Assistance Capacity Grant if they are an agricultural service provider, defined as: Organizations, including but not limited to colleges and universities, agricultural non-profit organizations, crop advisors, and soil and water conservation districts, that provide technical and/or financial assistance to farm operations to address barriers, constraints, and other such issues commonly faced.

For more detail, the eligibility guidelines can be found in the request for applications and the rules governing the Maine Healthy Soils Program . If you have any additional questions about your eligibility, contact matthew. boucher@maine.

gov . Applications Open: March 14, 2025 Live Q/A Session: March 21, 2025 Written Questions due: April 18, 2025 Applications due: May 16, 2025 Terminating Cover Crops with a Roller Crimper Developed by Penn State, this factsheet discusses how to optimize timing of hairy vetch and cereal rye cover crop termination using a roller-crimper.

This factsheet provides: Visual guidance showing the best growth stages for hairy vetch and cereal rye termination. Consequences of volunteer cover crop growth on cash crop yield and quality. The Science of Soil Health – Compaction (YouTube) This short video developed by the USDA – NRCS provides a brief introduction to soil compaction created by equipment traffic.

The video discusses how to spot signs of compaction; how cover crops and subsoilers compare as compaction relievers; and how heavy tillage can increase your compaction risk. This is a great introduction if you are dealing with compaction on your farm!

When and how to kill cover crops (YouTube) This webinar, sponsored by NOFA-MASS , features a discussion of different springtime cover crop termination strategies, including winterkill, tillage, tarping, roller-crimping, and mowing. The webinar reviews how different cover crops respond to different termination options. This is a great webinar to treat like a podcast!

Listen to it while you tend your fields. Understanding Strip tillage Strip tillage is a method of reduced tillage that reduces soil disturbance, increases soil coverage, and maintains living roots in the soil. On top of protecting your soil, this practice can save on time, labor, and fuel costs.

Learn more about strip tillage from Cornell University, including The basics of strip tillage and what considerations need to go into adopting this practice. How to retrofit equipment for a strip tillage system How to integrate cover crops and strip tillage Remember: When testing out a new method to improve your soil health, start on a small plot rather to make sure the practice works for you before scaling up practice usage.

Manage Weeds on Your Farm Cover Crops, Crop Rotation This guide provides a comprehensive overview of ecological weed management options for both organic and conventional producers. The focus of this guide is non-chemical means of weed control. Chapter 3 of this guide focuses on cultural practices that will help you integrate soil health principles into your weed management program.

Some options reviewed in this chapter include: Mulching, Cover Crops, Crop Rotation, and Integrating Livestock Later chapters offer profiles on major agricultural weeds and options for mechanical weed management. This guide does not provide management strategies for pastures. This guide is a product of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Outreach Program.

The Web Soil Survey is a tool maintained by the USDA-NRCS that allows you to view the soil series on your property. This tool also allows you to explore how your soils will fare under different uses.

Understanding this information can help you: Make decisions about how to lay out your farm fields Understand what the greatest risks are to your soil (erosion, wetness, compaction, etc.) Decide where on your farm different crops will grow best. Cover Crop Species Selector Use this Cover Crop Species Selector tool to browse cover crop options specific to your goals, location, and crop sequences.

This tool provides an easy-to-read report on each cover crop that may work for your operation, complete with: Seeding rates and growth traits Reliable establishment dates Survivability in different soil and environmental conditions This tool was created by the Northeast Cover Crops Council using the latest, cutting-edge cover crop research. You can view additional tools hosted by the NECCC on their website.

Crop Rotation on Organic Farms This planning manual provides a comprehensive overview of crop rotation planning. It focuses on how to plan your crop rotations to maximize soil health and sustainably manage pests. The support provided in this guide will also be useful for non-organic producers.

This manual was created by the Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service with funding from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program Learn how to consider the physical properties (soil type, typography, etc.) of your farm in crop rotation planning.

Review step-by-step planning guides for different types of farming operations (mixed vegetable, cash grain, etc.) Browse rotation sequences from expert farmers across the Northeast USA. Access resources for tracking your crop rotations over time.

Managing Cover Crops Profitably – 3rd Edition This guide offers a comprehensive overview of individual cover crops, their benefits, how to set cover cropping goals, and how to choose cover crops accordingly. This guide, created by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program, will help you: Understand how different cover crops (grasses, legumes, brassicas) can be mixed and matched to support your farm's needs.

Browse real-world examples demonstrating how cover crops can be integrated in a crop rotation. View easy-to-read charts depicting the pros, cons, and use-cases for different cover crops. New England Vegetable Guide The New England Vegetable Management Guide is an excellent source for vegetable crop management.

The 'Cultural Practices' section provides information on soils and soil health management and the 'Crops' section provides soil fertility information for individual crops.

This guide is updated every 2 years based on current research and is a collaborative effort between the University of Maine, the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, the University of Vermont, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Rhode Island. Matt Boucher, State Soil Scientist Matt Boucher, Ph. D.

, is the State of Maine Soil Scientist and Director of the Maine Healthy Soils Program. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst and his Ph. D.

from Cornell University. Dr. Boucher has spent over a decade providing technical assistance in sustainable agriculture to farmers across the Northeastern United States. As a research and extension professional, Dr. Boucher developed expertise in soil science, entomology, and plant pathology, focusing on integrated pest management and cover cropping.

He has experience supporting various commodities from small fruit, tree fruit, and grapes to field crops and mixed vegetables. Dr. Boucher joined the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry in 2022 and is a licensed soil scientist. Frequently Asked Questions See below for answers to some frequently asked questions about program opportunities and logistics.

What services do you offer? + Our services include no-cost soil health testing; virtual and on-farm consultations; soil health field days and trainings; grants and incentives for improving soil health on your farm; and general education and outreach. If there are additional services you are hopeful the program can offer, or if you have questions about our current offerings, please schedule an appointment!

Is there a waiting list for technical assistance services? + Technical services, including no-cost soil health testing, field visits, and virtual consults, are available on a first-come-first-served basis. If availability for those services is filled, we will open a waitlist.

Is there a fee for any services offered by the Maine Healthy Soils Program? + Who am I meeting with when I schedule an appointment? + Currently, all appointments are scheduled with Matt Boucher, the State Soil Scientist.

How can I stay up to date on grants, incentives, and services being offered by the Maine Healthy Soils Program? +