Heinrich Announces Nearly $3 Million from USDA to Improve Outreach to Farmers and Producers in New Mexico for Conservation Assistance

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, announced $2,891,107 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund seven projects in New Mexico aimed at improving outreach to underserved producers and communities and expanding access to conservation assistance and career opportunities.  

 

The projects will extend outreach to producers who are beginning, limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and veterans, and will highlight opportunities for students to pursue careers in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. 

 

“In April, I welcomed Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to New Mexico to meet with farmers and producers who told us how drier conditions and scarce water supplies are impacting their operations. Making our food production systems more resilient to the changing climate not only helps us achieve our ambitious conservation goals, it also helps bring down costs for families at the grocery store and creates new career opportunities for the next generation of producers,” said Heinrich. “As Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the USDA, I will continue working to provide New Mexico’s farmers and producers with the tools they need to help us keep healthy and nutritious food on the table while growing our economy for the future.”   

USDA awarded funding to the following entities: 

More information about these projects can be found at USDA’s website here.  

 

Senator Heinrich has long led efforts to support New Mexico farmers and producers and help achieve them achieve their conservation goals.  

 

In August, Heinrich introduced bipartisan legislation to improve agricultural conservation practices. The bill, the Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act, would streamline the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) process for updating and adopting conservation practice standards that help farmers and ranchers improve soil health, build resilience to climate impacts, and achieve their conservation goals. 

 

In June, Heinrich and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Small Farm Conservation Act, legislation that would help small farms access federal conservation programs delivered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). 

 

In June, Heinrich, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, announced unanimous passage of the Fiscal Year 24 (FY24) Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill, which includes over $10 million in investments for 18 local projects across New Mexico. This bill includes $1.7 billion for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service agency to conduct research relating to important topics such as soil health and drought resilience, pest and disease resistance, value-added products, and agricultural innovation. The bill also includes specific funding for important agriculture research in agrivoltaics, sustainable specialty crops, wind erosion, and precision rangeland management that will support the operations of local farmers and producers in New Mexico.    

 

The FY24 Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill also provides $994 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and protects funding for operations and Conservation Technical Assistance, which supports voluntary conservation practices on private land. This funding helps farmers and ranchers improve soil health, conserve water, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, conserve energy, improve woodland, pasture, and rangeland conditions, and reduce natural hazard risks. 

 

In March, Senator Heinrich introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act, comprehensive legislation that sets a bold vision of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. agriculture by the year 2040. This legislation will also make ambitious investments to help New Mexico farmers and producers improve soil health, expand conservation programs, increase research into climate agricultural practices, and support on-farm renewable energy projects.