INTRODUCTION

This study grew out of efforts initiated by the New Mexico Coalition to Enhance Working Lands members to understand how best to support and respond to the needs of farmers and ranchers as they navigated (and continue to navigate) the COVID-19 pandemic In May of 2020, a dozen organizations ranging from NM First, the Quivira Coalition, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NM Farmers Marketing Association, Thornburg Foundation, and others began meeting weekly to share information and updates regarding new government emergency response programs, shifting restrictions that might impact those producing and selling food, and dramatic shifts in processing or distribution that might have long term impacts on farmers and ranchers in the state The group then worked together to translate and disseminate this information through our various networks in an effort to make sure farmers and ranchers had access to information about these programs In September, understanding that the impacts would continue long after the hardest months of the pandemic, we decided to survey farmers and ranchers about their experiences and perspectives of the pandemic, to inform how to tailor our collaborative efforts moving forward