AGRICULTURE PROJECTS FUNDED IN
NEW MEXICO
by USDA's
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
1988-2025
NEW MEXICO
by USDA's
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
1988-2025
New Mexico has been awarded $4,388,456 grants to support 96 projects, including but not limited to, 13 research and/or education projects, 6 professional development projects and 59 producer-led projects. New Mexico has also received additional SARE support through multi-state projects.
Some grant programs may have been started or ended, or both, within the selected date range. Complete information may not be available for all grant programs prior to 2016.
| RESEARCH AND EDUCATION GRANTS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project # | Project Title | SARE support | Project Leaders | |
| SW23-953 | The Future of Livestock Grazing on New Mexico's National Forests | $273,591 | Dr.Cristóbal Valencia Northern New Mexico Stockman's Association Dr.Casey Spackman New Mexico State University | |
| SW18-059 | On-Farm Investigations of Stale Seedbeds with Biofumigation for Improved Management of Weeds and Soil-Borne Diseases in Chile Pepper | $131,461 | Dr.Brian Schutte New Mexico State University | |
| SW15-015 | Implementation of Genetic Selection for Grazing Distribution to Make Cattle Grazing in the Western US More Sustainable | $271,217 | Dr.Derek Bailey New Mexico State University | |
| SW09-041 | Winter Production of Leafy Greens in the Southwestern USA using High Tunnels | $193,879 | Dr.Steven Guldan New Mexico State University | |
| SW09-054 | Enhancement of Sustainable Livestock Grazing through Selection and Training | $229,527 | Dr.Derek Bailey New Mexico State University | |
| SW07-606 | Extending the Grazing Season and Integrating Crops and Livestock to Sustain Small Farms and Ranches in the Southern Rockies | $7,381 | Dr.Steven Guldan New Mexico State University | |
| SW04-144 | Southwest Marketing Network: Expanding Markets for Small-Scale Alternative and Minority Farmers and Ranchers | $124,817 | Pamela Roy Farm to Table | |
| SW02-053 | Ganados del Valle Family Ranch Sustainability Program | $70,000 | Arlene Valdez Ganados Del Valle; Los Ojos, NM Melinda Salazar Ganados Del Valle; Los Ojos, NM | |
| SW01-004 | Field-to-Table Technical Outreach Package for Smaller-Scale Farmers & Ranchers in the Front range | $48,500 | Greg Shultz NewFarms | |
| SW98-060 | Acequia Conservation Management | $49,272 | Stephen Reichert Tierra y Montes Soil & Water Cons. District | |
| SW96-027 | The Production of New, Existing, and Native Crops Under Conventional and Organic Production Practices in Costilla, New Mexico, Garcia, Colorado, and at Taos Pueblo | $100,000 | Craig Mapel New Mexico Department of Agriculture | |
| SW95-018 | Extending the Grazing Season and Integrating Crops and Livestock to Sustain Small Farms and Ranches in the Southern Rockies | $141,602 | Dr.Steven Guldan New Mexico State University | |
| LW93-033 | Development of Sustainable Crop and Livestock Production Systems for Land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) | $104,000 | Rex E. Kirksey New Mexico State University, Agricultural Science Center | |
| LOCAL ED & DEMO (FORMERLY RGR) GRANTS | ||||
| Project # | Project Title | SARE support | Project Leaders | |
| WRGR22-006 | Building Comb from Castle to Castle: Collaborations between Queen Breeders & Researchers for supporting Adaptive Reproductive Practices | $100,000 | Melanie Kirby Zia Queenbees Farm & Field Institute | |
| WRGR21-005 | Native Habitat Enhancement for IPM in New Mexico Vineyards | $91,533 | Maryel Maryel Lopez New Mexico State University Gill Giese Arkansas State University | |
| PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRANTS | ||||
| Project # | Project Title | SARE support | Project Leaders | |
| EW15-011 | Developing Digital Tools to Improve Soil Sampling and Analysis for Sustainable Agriculture in the Western U.S | $59,356 | Dr.Robert Flynn New Mexico State University | |
| EW13-021 | A Distance Learning Approach to Whole Farm Planning | $60,400 | Dr.Ann Adams Holistic Management International | |
| EW08-016B | Professional Training for Developing a Hands-On Organic Weed Management Learning Center for Commercial Market Gardens in Local Communities | $47,933.72 | Beth LaShell Fort Lewis College | |
| EW04-006 | Increasing the Effectiveness of Field Agent Response to Producer Requests for Alternative Marketing Assistance | $95,939 | Teresa Mauerer NCAT | |
| EW02-006 | Here Forever Farm and Ranch Education | $30,000 | Jaime Castillo New Mexico State University | |
| EW95-001 | Educational Video on Watershed Management Practices for Pinyon-Juniper Ecosystems | $24,000 | Howard Shanks South Central Resource Cons | |
| FARMER/RANCHER GRANTS | ||||
| Project # | Project Title | SARE support | Project Leaders | |
| FW25-021 | High Altitude (8300') Earthship Greenhouse for Four Season Food Production | $25,000 | Emily Johnston Patchwork | |
| FW25-010 | Grain and Legume Intercropping in Short-Season Organic No-Till Transition | $24,995 | Daniel Hutchison Big Wheel Farm LLC | |
| FW24-002 | Virtual Fencing Bison Trial for Enhanced Ecological Restoration | $25,000 | Maggie Knapp NM Bison Restoration Network | |
| FW24-022 | Development and dissemination of an aquaponic-compatible strain of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus | $25,000 | Dr.Damon Seawright AmeriCulture, Inc. | |
| FW24-013 | Implementation of Big Sacaton, Sporobolus wrightii, Grass Wind Strips on Arid Range-and Farmland for Soil, Water and Biodiversity Enhancement | $24,967 | Starrlight Augustine Institute of Ecotechnics dba Synergia Ranch Organic | |
| FW24-006 | Can virtual fencing be used to improve rangelands’ resilience to drought?: An Investigation by Young Ranchers in New Mexico | $24,948 | Jaimi Peterson Peterson Land and Cattle LLC | |
| FW23-430 | Regenerating Desertified Agricultural Land in Northern New Mexico | $25,000 | Juliana Ciano Reunity Resources | |
| FW23-427 | Regreening the Waterfall Meadow at Hacienda Dominguez & Chelenzo Farms | $25,000 | Lorenzo Dominguez Hacienda Dominguez & Chelenzo Farms | |
| FW23-411 | Virtual fencing to build soil health, range productivity, and rancher wellbeing in drought-prone ranches | $24,999 | Jorge Ramirez Taiban Ranch | |
| FW22-404 | On-Field Trial of Cover Cropping and Johnson-Su Microbial Inoculations | $24,760 | Carl Richard Pata Viva Farm Management Inc. | |
| FW22-403 | Extensive vs Intensive Kidding practices of goats in multi-species grazing programs in North East New Mexico | $24,445 | Sydney Franz K&C Boer Goats | |
| FW22-399 | Optimizing Monitoring and Biostimulant Practices for Sustainability in Orchards Contaminated by Herbicide Drift | $24,974 | Mary Lucero JAL Farms | |
| FW20-363 | Compost application on rangeland in the semi-arid southwest for increased soil C storage and forage production | $19,981 | Zachary Withers Polk’s Folly Farm | |
| FW19-357 | The use of goat herding techniques to reduce the effects of predation while improving rangeland health in the high plains of New Mexico | $20,000 | Emily Cornell Sol Ranch LLC | |
| FW18-028 | Greenhouse Energy Storage & Transfer using Water | $7,565 | Kemper Barkhurst Bluefly Farms, LLC | |
| FW18-023 | Establishing and Maintaining Mite Resistant Nucleus Colonies for the Sustainable Apiary Using USDA Russian and VSH Queen Bees | $16,980 | John Gagne San Juan Apiaries | |
| FW18-019 | Provencio Soil Improvement Project | $19,976 | Ed Provencio Ed Provencio | |
| FW16-035 | A Comparative Study of Shading Systems to Control the Beet Leafhopper and Reduce Beet Curly Top Virus in Heirloom Tomato Fields | $19,909 | Peter Sinanian TomatoCulture LLC | |
| FW16-028 | Passive Solar Herb Drying Project | $18,999 | Dr.Tomas Enos El Milagro Herbs, Inc. | |
| FW15-037 | Aerated Compost Tea- Field Guide | $14,560 | Minor Morgan North Valley Organics | |
| FW15-045 | Lavender Intercropping and Soil Management | $13,665 | Kemper Barkhurst Bluefly Farms, LLC | |
| FW13-122 | Making Roller Crimping a Reality in the Southwest | $9,155 | Dale Rhoads Rhoads Farm Joran Viers New Mexico State University | |
| FW12-039 | Distilling Essential Oils from Southwest Medicinal Plants | $15,000 | Dr.Tomas Enos El Milagro Herbs, Inc. | |
| FW12-096 | The Rocky Mountain Survivor Queenbee Cooperative | $25,000 | Melanie Kirby Zia Queenbee Co. Julie McIntyre US Fish & Wildlife Service | |
| FW11-005 | Pollinator Forage Development | $15,000 | Heather Harrell For the Love of Bees Les Crowder For the Love of Bees | |
| FW11-018 | Cotton Gin By-Products (CGB)/Dairy Manure Composting for Desert Farming | $13,336 | Dr.Robert Woody | |
| FW11-021 | Trials and Informing Regional Farmers about Organic Weed Control Methods | $13,163 | Dale Rhoads Rhoads Farm | |
| FW11-027 | Testing Traditional Methods of Pest Mitigation | $29,434 | Joseph Alfaro Valle Encantado | |
| FW11-030 | Pepper (Capsicum annum) Cultivation, Conservation, and Soil Ecology in Low-Input and Certified Organic Agricultural Systems | $19,585 | Loretta Sandoval Owner | |
| FW11-043 | Assessment of the Economic Viability of High-Value Greenhouse Production | $14,743 | Margaret C Campos Comida de Campos | |
| FW10-010 | Operation of a Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) system under National Organic Plan (NOP) Standards | $14,560 | Minor Morgan North Valley Organics | |
| FW10-038 | Restoring Conservation Reserve Program Land to Health and Productivity | $13,112 | Kelly Boney Outlaw Land Improvement Company, Inc | |
| FW09-049 | Organic Weed Control in Perennial Navajo Tea Greenthread | $15,000 | Steve Heil | |
| FW09-047 | La Placita Gardens Composting Research Project | $15,000 | Abino Garcia Mayordomo La Placita Gardens Andrea Botero LA PLAZITA INSTITUTE | |
| FW09-008 | The Use of Two Mesilla Valley, NM Agricultural Byproducts to Create a Needed Organic Material Soil Amendment | $14,750 | Dr.Robert Woody | |
| FW09-041 | Camino de Paz Orchard & Berry Research & Education Program | $15,000 | Greg Nussbaum Camino de Paz Farm | |
| FW08-320 | Small Acreage Farms Enlisting Organic and Good Agriculture Practices (SAFE O-GAPs), | $29,750 | Nancy Flores New Mexico State University Dr.Nancy Flores new mexico state university | |
| FW08-004 | Manipulating Sandpaper Oak for Livestock and Wildlife Forage and Cover | $15,000 | Cheryl Goodloe Carrizon Valley Ranch Sid Goodloe Carrizon Valley Ranch | |
| FW07-032 | Southwest Survivor Queenbee Project | $15,000 | Melanie Kirby Zia Queenbee Co. | |
| FW06-321 | Growing and Marketing Dye Plants as Alternative Crops | $20,000 | Charles Martin New Mexico State University Del Jiminez New Mexico State University | |
| FW05-011 | Solar Energy for Sustainable Year-round Production | $9,683 | Don Bustos Santa Cruz Farm | |
| FW02-018 | Desert Shrimp | $12,000 | R. Mack Bell | |
| FW01-014 | Altenative Crops for the Costilla Valley in New Mexico Adoption, Application, Added Value of Product | $10,000 | Teresa Young NMSU Coop Ext | |
| FW01-002 | Northeast New Mexico Pecan Research | $2,000 | Lem Chesher USDA-ARS | |
| FW01-036 | Regional Producer’s Improvement Project for High Quality Eggs and Other Poultry Products | $10,500 | Steve Warshawer Beneficial Farm | |
| FW00-099 | Comparing Irrigation Methods for Organic Wheat Production | $10,000 | Lonnie Roybal Sangre de Cristo Growers Coop. | |
| FW99-044 | Verification of Bat Predation of Pests on a 60,000 Acre Irrigated Farm | $4,000 | James Dangler | |
| FW99-078 | A Temporary Step to a Permanent Solution: Use of Strawbales to Construct a Wind Barrier and System of Terrace Planting Beds | $1,760 | Fatou Gueye | |
| FW99-008 | Passive Solar Greenhouse Construction and Growing Trial | $5,000 | Cathy Hope | |
| FW98-032 | The Sustainable Use of Cover Crops in an Annual Vegetable Production System in Northern New Mexico | $4,289 | Don Bustos Santa Cruz Farm | |
| FW98-030 | Permanent Irrigated Pasture Demonstration Project Reducing Irrigation Water Use | $3,100 | Milford Denetclaw | |
| FW98-019 | Using a Cultivable Catchment System to Establish a Dryland Commercial Truck Farm | $2,700 | John Leaf | |
| FW97-057 | Limiting Gopher Deprivation By Time-Control Livestock Grazing | $3,500 | Matt Schneberger | |
| FW97-042 | Value Added Wheat Production | $3,500 | Tom Seibel | |
| FW96-046 | Test Plot Demonstration for Organically Produced Small Grains, Phase II | $5,000 | Lonnie Roybal Sangre de Cristo Growers Coop. | |
| FW96-001 | Increasing the Value of Irrigated Pastures | $4,200 | Darrell Baker | |
| FW95-003 | Test Plot Demonstration for Organically Produced Small Grains, Phase I | $5,000 | Lonnie Roybal Sangre de Cristo Growers Coop. | |
| FW95-017 | Gila Permitees Association Elk Study | $5,000 | Matt Schneberger | |
| FW95-007 | Municipal Sludge and Legumes as Soil Builders | $4,290 | Pete Tatschl | |
| GRADUATE STUDENT GRANTS | ||||
| Project # | Project Title | SARE support | Project Leaders | |
| GW25-003 | Preparing for the future: Evaluating cover crops and compost application through a field assessment and DayCent modeling | $29,464 | Dr.Rajan Ghimire New Mexico State University Dotun Arije New Mexico State University | |
| GW21-220 | Phytochemical Changes and Product Potential of NM Grown Hemp Varieties as Influenced by Production Location and Cultural Practices | $30,000 | Dr.Catherine Brewer New Mexico State University Hanah Rheay New Mexico State University | |
| GW21-226 | Cover Crops for Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in a Semiarid Irrigated Forage Rotation | $20,612 | Dr.Rajan Ghimire New Mexico State University Pramod Acharya New Mexico State University Vance Dewbre Kiva Farms, LLC Pramod Acharya New Mexico State University | |
| ON FARM RESEARCH/PARTNERSHIP GRANTS | ||||
| Project # | Project Title | SARE support | Project Leaders | |
| OW23-379 | Compost-derived microbial dispersal in rangelands | $74,858 | Dr.Eva Stricker University of New Mexico | |
| OW21-362 | Building productivity and soil health with erosion control structures in arid rangelands: effects of organic amendments and seeding. | $74,932 | Eva Stricker Quivira Coalition | |
| OW20-353 | Initiation of a New Mexico Participatory Vegetable Breeding Program | $49,571 | Dr.Charles Havlik NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas Dr.Bradley Tonnessen New Mexico State University Dr.Stephanie Walker New Mexico State University | |
| OW19-341 | Evaluation of water and feed intake of purebred cattle in confinement and on arid rangelands, and its implications on selection principles | $49,958 | Dr.Marcy Ward New Mexico State University Dr.Craig Gifford New Mexico State University Dr.Samuel Smallidge New Mexico State University | |
| OW18-034 | Pairing Groundwater and Climate Data to Inform Sustainable Ranch Management in Uncertain Times | $49,995 | Dr.Rossana Sallenave New Mexico State University | |
| OW12-024 | The Rocky Mountain Survivor Queenbee Cooperative | $25,000 | Melanie Kirby Zia Queenbee Co. | |
| PDP STATE PROGRAM GRANTS | ||||
| The following are non-competitive awards that fund the activities of the SARE state coordinator(s) within each state. | ||||
| Project # | Project Title | SARE support | Project Leaders | |
| WNM25-001 | WSARE State Development Program for NM (2025-2027) | $120,000 | Dr.Leslie Beck New Mexico State University Extension Weed Science Program Dr.Phillip Lujan New Mexico State University | |
| WNM22-001 | WSARE State Development Program for NM (2022-2024) | $90,000 | Dr.Stephanie Walker New Mexico State University Omololu John Idowu New Mexico State University | |
| WSP20-006 | 2021 Implementation of WSARE Professional Development Plan for New Mexico | $45,886 | Dr.Stephanie Walker New Mexico State University Omololu John Idowu New Mexico State University | |
| WSP19-032 | 2020 Implementation of WSARE Professional Development Program Plan for New Mexico | $28,636 | Dr.Stephanie Walker New Mexico State University Omololu John Idowu New Mexico State University | |
| WSP18-011 | New Mexico 2018-20 PDP project | $28,636 | Omololu John Idowu New Mexico State University Dr.Stephanie Walker New Mexico State University | |
| WSP17-012 | 2018 New Mexico State University PDP Project | $37,964 | Omololu John Idowu New Mexico State University Dr.Stephanie Walker New Mexico State University | |
For further information on projects, contact Western SARE at (406) 994-4789 or wsare@montana.edu.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).