Since our inception, the New Mexico Acequia Association has worked to support our communities in their work to protect water and land, grow healthy foods for our families, save and share seeds, and uplift agriculture as a respected and dignified livelihood and way of life.

As part of our larger Acequia Farms, Food and Seeds Program – we are proud to have partnered with the US Department of Agriculture since 2010 to ensure that USDA programs are benefitting acequia farmers and ranchers, who have been historically underserved and excluded 

from federal farm funding. Implementing USDA programs can increase the economic and ecological viability of our farms. This in turn empowers us to maintain agricultural traditions which enable us to protect our acequias by keeping the water running.

FARMER TO FARMER EDUCATION

NMAA’s Farmer to Farmer education program organizes opportunities to exchange wisdom and skills among acequia farmers and ranchers through  seasonal field visits, farm tours and other workshops. By sharing our knowledge with each other, we can strengthen our farms and ranches in the face of a changing climate, and ensure our land based wisdom is passed on. 

USDA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Individual acequia farmers, ranchers, foresters AND acequia associations and regionals are all eligible to tap into funding opportunities offered by USDA. Our team is here to help guide our community through the process of successfully applying for and implementing USDA funding to make on-farm and acequia-wide improvements. 

We primarily assist in applications for the EQIP (Environmental Qualities Incentives Program) and EWP (Emergency Watershed Protection) program – as we have seen them offer the most benefit to our communities!

Common EQIP covered practices you can apply for funding for include: 

  • Constructing hoop houses, high tunnels and other season extension practices.
  • Implementing strategies to build soil health.
  • Improving acequia infrastructure with investments in culverts, diversion dams, etc.
  • Irrigation infrastructure such as gated pipe, alfalfa valves, drip or micro irrigation, pond lining, piping and storage tanks.

HOW CAN NMAA SUPPORT YOU?

  1. Discuss your goals and identify the right program, and help you feel confident and supported to apply for USDA programs. 
  2. Support you in evaluating your capacity and the capital needed for a project (USDA is primarily reimbursement based with ‘cost share’ funding – which means you will need some of your own money up front to get started!). 
  3. Help you complete your FSA farm tract number application process – a prerequisite to accessing any USDA funding.
  4. Help acequias and parciante with their Conservation Plan as required by NRCS.
  5. Get you connected to local agents from FSA and the NRCS, and provide backup to help you communicate and get through all the steps of your process!

KEY TERMS

  • USDA = U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • FSA= Farm Service Agency – a sub-agency of USDA who is responsible for registering farms and issuing you the ‘Farm Tract Number’ that you will need to apply for USDA programs.
  • NRCS= Natural Resources Conservation Service  -is an agency within the USDA which manages great funding opportunities such as EQIP
  • EQIP = Environmental Qualities Incentives Program – one specific program offered by USDA and NRCS which offers many promising funding opportunities for on-farm and acequia improvements.

FIND YOUR LOCAL USDA SERVICE CENTER:

 www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator

CONTACT THE NMAA USDA TEAM:

EMILY@LASACEQUIAS.ORG

(505) 505-995-9644 

805 Early Street Suite 203B Santa Fe, NM 87505 (office open by appointment only)