Deadline: 02-Jul-21
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) is inviting proposals for its Healthy Soil Program to promote and support farming and ranching systems and other forms of land management that increase soil organic matter, aggregate stability, microbiology and water retention to improve the health, yield and profitability of the soils of the state. At the heart of the Healthy Soil Act and thus the Healthy Soil Program are five soil health principles:
- Keeping soil covered;
- Minimizing soil disturbance on cropland and minimizing external inputs;
- Maximizing biodiversity;
- Maintaining a living root; and
- Integrating animals into land management, including grazing animals, birds, beneficial insects or keystone species, such as earthworms.
Funding Information
- The pool of grant funds available for projects that improve soil health is approximately $360,000 in Fiscal Year 2021-2022 (FY21-22). Grant awards are contingent upon the availability of funds.
Eligibility Criteria
- The New Mexico Healthy Soil Act defines Eligible Entities as “local governmental [entities] with proven land management capacity to support soil health”, including:
- Nations, tribes, and pueblos;
- Land grants;
- Acequias;
- Soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs);
- NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service;
- All of the above Eligible Entity types can apply for a grant on land they own or manage, or on land on which they partner with or advise farmers, ranchers, and other land managers.
For more information, visit https://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/nmda-homepage/divisions/apr/healthy-soil-program/