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Agriculture secretary requests $10 million for farmland easements and urges larger cover‑crop investment
Summary
Delaware Department of Agriculture told the Bond Bill Committee it seeks $10 million for farmland preservation and flagged a larger unmet demand for cover‑crop cost share; the Ag Production Insurance Assistance program has launched with $2 million in the operating budget.
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Clifton (title used here as in the transcript) briefed the Bond Bill Committee March 26 on the department’s fiscal 2026 capital requests and agricultural priorities, calling for $10 million for farmland easement purchases and urging additional cover‑crop funding to meet rising demand from farmers.
Clifton told the committee the department is requesting the “full funding of $10,000,000 for farmland preservation.” He said the agency currently has 287 farms undergoing appraisal in Round 29, representing roughly 29,500 acres that are eligible for easement purchases; because land prices have risen sharply, Clifton estimated it would cost about $150 million to buy all 287 easements at the average discounted rates landowners have offered.
Why it matters: Delaware’s farms and forestland are a major part of the state economy and environmental stewardship. The department argued that cover‑crop funding and easements yield water‑quality and climate resilience benefits while preserving agriculture and open space near growing population centers.
Cover crops and funding gap Clifton highlighted the cover‑crop program — which pays cost share for farmers who plant a crop in the off‑season to increase soil health and reduce nutrient runoff — and said demand has been rising. The department’s requested level for cover‑crop cost share last year was $5.19 million, but the departmental budget presented to the committee showed $4.0 million in the fall target; Clifton asked lawmakers to consider additional funds if available because planting has grown to record acreage.
Clifton and department staff noted that the cost share does not cover a marketable harvest; cover crops are planted to return benefits to soil and water quality rather than to be marketed. He said anecdotal feedback on the new Delaware Agricultural Production Insurance Assistance Program — $2 million in operating funds to help producers buy crop insurance — is positive so far, and the program is expected to be fully utilized as planting data are reported.
What the department asked for The DDA capital request summary presented to the committee included $10,000,000 for agricultural land preservation, $4,000,000 shown for cover crops in the fall submission (with the secretary noting a $5.19 million need), and line items for minor capital improvements and critical equipment in the operations area. Clifton said cover‑crop acres planted have climbed and that a higher state contribution would leverage farmers’ own investments in seed and operations.
Questions and context Members of the committee asked how selection for easement purchases is made. Department staff said rankings are based primarily on the discount landowners offer, but counties may provide supplemental funding to prioritize particular parcels. The department emphasized that higher market land values reduce the number of acres the state can preserve for any given budget.
Ending note Clifton closed by reiterating the economic importance of Delaware agriculture and asking the committee to consider additional investment in cover crops and easements to sustain agricultural production, improve water quality and maintain open space.
