NMSu GETS FuNDS for Northwest NM ag restoration project

By tiffaNy acoSta NMSu NewS ceNter

When many New Mexico communities along the Animas and San Juan rivers were negatively impacted by the 2015 Gold King Mine wastewater spill, New Mexico State University assisted not only with the emergency response but also has been conducting longterm monitoring through NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service and agricultural research presence in San Juan County.

Recently, NMSU was awarded approximately $940,000 by the state for agricultural projects in San Juan County. NMSU’s Northwest New Mexico Agricultural Restoration Project will focus on continued farmer, consumer and community education, research and training that will aid in economic development for the agricultural sector of San Juan County and Four Corners region.

“The funding will be utilized to fund educational positions at the San Juan County Extension office and the Farmington Agricultural Science Center, as well as fund project materials, educational supplies and outreach efforts,” said San Juan County Extension Program Director Bonnie Hopkins, who is teaming with Kevin Lombard, superintendent at the Agricultural Science Center at Farmington.

Key objectives include: training for integrated and improved greenhouse and field production practices; on-site business incubator to increase land linkages and access, hands-on training programs with available land, and increased market access; diversity, equity and inclusion agricultural development training around mental health coping skills through agriculture, landscape skills for entrepreneurship, and agricultural production skills and certifications; and infrastructure enhancements for research, demonstration, community development and outreach.

“Finding participants who are ready to hit the ground running in a farm operation is going to be a challenge,” Hopkins said. “I anticipate that we will have to do a lot of educational programs and direct work with participants to help them feel prepared to succeed in their new farm operation. It will be process, but we are up to the challenge. We are excited to work with our community to develop programs to help new farmers get into production.”

In the collaboration, the San Juan County Extension office aims to train new farmers; assist in land restoration of fallow land; continue to build land-linking program to connect landowners and land seekers; expand educational programs for youth and community on Growing Forward Farm; expand farm food safety programs to get 10 local producers on the New Mexicoapproved supplier list; and promote outreach and marketing for food safety and promotion of local food.

The Agricultural Science Center at Farmington plans to enhance and expand rigorous scientific evaluation of controlledenvironment agriculture, including agricultural photovoltaics, high-value specialty crop research and conservation plantings for soil health to help the agricultural community make informed decisions and disseminate results in collaboration with Extension through field days and digital and print publications.