Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached by our efforts during this reporting period Hispanic or Latino Limited resource producers Native American Small farms Although still early to determine success, as defined by: the number of beginning ranchers and farmers that have been able to start ranching and farming operations participants hired to manage ranches or farms improved financial gain from learning about and switching to regenerative agricultural principles There are some indications predictive of success, including: 1. Participants in the BFRDP workshops have repeatedly reported in evaluations and conversations on the amazing quality of the information, knowledge and their resulting increased understanding gained from the programs. Participants have repeatedly asked for MORE information and more subject areas to be addressed in regenerative practices, sound financial skills, and information on local marketing of products. 2. Participants have learned from each other and have been able to discuss the information and skills in the context of what can be applied to Northern New Mexico's soils, water, acequias, and climate. 3. One-on-one meetings with farmers and ranchers have shown the amount of time necessary to understand the needs of each producer, each operation. These meetings have been very helpful to the participant's direction, financial goals, and in making an action plan for the immediate next steps for the production operation. Changes/Problems:No changes as specified in the award terms and conditions The alliances for support and action around regenerative agriculture and generation knowledge transfer have been surprisingly energized, strong and resilient. The willingness for cooperation, sharing of knowledge, experience, tools and equipment is impressive. The enthusiasm and inspiration that has come from the community has been infectious and contagious! In designing the Mentorship Program, it would have been helpful to have two tracks--one for younger people needing the education and internship and one for those ready and willing to become ranchers or farmers in the next few years. There is a different level of education and experience that can be targeted to at least to each of these two groups, if not a third group for persons wanting to work to support ranching and farming but not targeting having their own operation in the near future. The amount of funding for each of these areas is different, and the budgetary categories could have been more carefully mapped to meet the individuals' program needs. With the funding currently available, it is most practical to have one track with limited hours. In that capacity, we hope to see this small program as a catalyst to more robust programs in the future. A challenge of the mentorship program has been the question of insurance--and financially covering liability for the mentors. Ideally, the original grant would have looked into covering some kind of liability like worker's compensation. More clarity on those issues would have benefited the program's planning and design. The staff who wrote the grant, no longer work with the organization. However the new staff has done a great job of working with current constraints, and making notes for improvement in the future. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The overarching goal of the Taos County Economic Development Corporation's (TCEDC) proposed 3-year project "Increasing Production of and Access to Local Meats in Northern New Mexico" is to inspire and empower beginning ranchers to become financially successful while using climate-smart, regenerative practices to produce nutritious meat products in the counties of Taos, Mora, Colfax and Rio Arriba located in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. This project addresses regional food security through intergenerational transfer of culturally-appropriate ranching skills and knowledge. TCEDC's Project Outreach has designed two, year-long mentorship programs with an emphasis on livestock production practices that are climate smart and will preserve and enhance soil, animal, and human health. Partner Alianza-Agricultura de Taos has given six high-quality programs on a large variety of regenerative agriculture, including forest grazing and forest health, watershed health, cover crops and other organic soil amendments, and rotational grazing. The basics to the local details of regenerative agriculture have been offered. TCEDC has offered two workshops designed to increase ranchers' and farmers' financial stability and sustainability through intensive financial management training covering how to structure one's agricultural business, proper record keeping, and tax forms and filing information. We have sponsored two workshops focusing on food safety (especially for farms) and meat marketing in order to increase market opportunities for meat producers. TCEDC has arranged two on-ranch tours and demonstrations of livestock production built on a foundation of soil, animal, human, and environmental health. Key personnel all live in Taos and have strong ties to the farming/ranching community. Project partners partnering with TCEDC to make the presentations this year have been Farmers Outreach Solutions, a minority owned financial management technical assistance provider, Alianza Agri-Cultural de Taos, local advocacy that is very well-connected to a wide variety of local resources and well-known national and international figures in the regenerative agricultural movement, and the New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association, which has presented two workshops. 100% of the requested federal funds have supported the work of nonprofit organizations working with farmers and ranchers in underserved communities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?All results, workshops, training and educational opportunities have been disseminated to communities of interest throgh flyers, handouts, youtube videos, one on one sessions and monthly listening sessions. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?TCEDC will have a comprehensive mentorship plan with classroom and hands-on components ready to implement. Mentee beginning ranchers will be paired with experienced rancher mentors and will work toward completing the year-long mentorship pilot program and will feel confident in operating livestock production operations. Continue to offer workshops, hands-on ranch trainings and other tools to increase ranchers' and consumers' knowledge of production methods and appreciation of the health and environmental benefits of grass-fed and pasture raised meats in Northern New Mexico. Will continue with consumer and rancher educational events around food and agricultural practices that will increase consumer and producer knowledge to benefit the health of the land, water and peoples of Northern New Mexico. TCEDC will work with local ranchers to organize and host Ranch Tours showcasing climate smart, regenerative and environmentally responsible livestock production practices. Continue to work on increasing consumer knowledge of the benefits of local grass-fed and pasture raised meats through fact sheets that will be distributed at all project events and will serve as a marketing tool for ranchers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. BFR's understand holistic and regenerative pasture management, rotational grazing, cover crops, regenerative pasture cropping, organic amendments and Silvopasture techniques. Programs this year offered by TCEDC have offered ranchers understanding of techniques scientifically proven to regenerate soils, retain water, and improve nutrition for people and animals. Staff has recommended and connected producers with NRCS programs such as EQIP for infrastructure improvement, and Taos County Soil and Water for cover crop seeds and services for soil testing. To support knowledge sharing,TCEDC has sponsored farm and ranch tours to connect operations currently using or planning to use climate-smart techniques. 2. The generational transfer of ranching knowledge will continue to increase traditional regenerative methods that have been practiced for centuries before being labeled regenerative. As the Mentorship program enters Years 2 and 3,, we will have a chance to assess generational transfer of methods. TCEDC staff looks forward to also analyzing which methods are modified or completely adopted to regenerate soils, build crops, and support forage in grazing lands. The TCEDC Outreach and Programs team will document such practices with the intention to emphasize methods that have generational and cultural value. It would be of great value to incorporate and perhaps compare the Indigenous practices, the Hispanic traditions, and today's definition of Regenerative Agriculture. 3. Ranchers and consumers increase their knowledge of the benefits to human and soil health of local, grass-fed and pasture-raised meats using climate-smart pasture management methods. 4. Ranchers/Farmers add or expand climate-smart methods in their operations 5. Project constituents will learn the benefits of soil health to people and animals by using regenerative methods as outlined in 4000 published fact sheets. During year one, 1000 fact sheets were printed called "The Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef." This flier is to educate the public on the benefits of, and increase the demand for grass-fed beef. In the next two years, TCEDC Outreach will design 2 more flyers for community distribution, as a marketing tool for ranchers, and for publication on our website and social media. As the TCEDC Matanza is complete, it will be possible to infuse the local markets with local grass-fed beef. Starting to educate the public on the benefits to local ranchers and consumer health is expected to improve markets for ranchers' products. 6. Ranchers increase skills needed for sound financial management and business planning for their operations. TCEDC offered two workshops in 2024 aimed at educating farmers and ranchers about the importance of financial planning. This workshop presented ideas for how to legally set up an agricultural business, how to track expenses, and how to best complete Schedule F for IRS filing. There is a video of the January workshop available on the TCEDC YouTube called "Farmers and Ranchers Financial Training with Farmers Outreach Solutions". Many ranchers and farmers could benefit from viewing the course online. TCEDC Outreach and Programs team regularly encourages local farmers and ranchers to visit the youtube webpage, and additionally informs folks as to the business planning expert available for no charge through the University of New Mexico's local small business program. 7. Ranchers will establish sound financial management plans for their operations using information learned at our intensive financial management training sessions. A survey has been emailed to all in-person participants asking about the implementation of financial planning in their agricultural operation. In the next two years, TCEDC and Farmers Outreach Solutions would like to offer a business planning workshop where time is allotted for each rancher or farmer to draft a plan individualized for his or her agricultural operation. 8.Ranchers increase their knowledge and skills to market products locally and understand food safety and quality compliance for the New Mexico Grown Approved Supplier Program. The two workshops offered by the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association focused on bringing farms into food safety compliance. NMFMA representatives and TCEDC staff offered all participants farm visits to help with design implementation. The Tier I and Tier II food safety class (given on consecutive Saturdays) was accompanied by online videos stressing each subject of farm food safety. With the submission of a farm plan and outline of the risks of each participants' operation and the completion of the online course, farmers could be added to the New Mexico Grown Approved Supplier's list which enables special priority for purchasing agents in schools, nursing homes, and food banks. This is a huge advantage to those producers who produce even small quantities to access these markets. The second session was targeting meat producers specifically, and although food safety was addressed, the emphasis was placed on access to local markets and how to secure status as a New Mexico Grown Approved Supplier. This can be a huge boon to a local meat producer, even on a small scale, and it goes hand-in-hand with using local meat processing. 9. Ranchers will establish new markets for their products using what they've learned from our marketing intensive training sessions--especially using the New Mexico Grown Program. 10. Ranchers will increase their knowledge of the USDA, state and local regulatory requirements and get familiar with use of the TCEDC slaughter and processing facility. During the year, TCEDC has held public "listening sessions" where farmers and ranchers and the general public have been updated and apprised about the TCEDC Matanza program, the local meat slaughtering and processing facility planned to open in 2025. TCEDC staff have met with 30-35+ ranchers regarding information on USDA regulation and requirements for administrative record keeping and ranch compliance in preparation for the TCEDC Matanza Meat Processing Facility. Increased assistance will be available as time approaches to open the facility. 11. BFRs will begin their new ranching operations using regenerative practices that they learned in the mentorship program. At this time, the plan for the mentorship program has been developed and applications for mentors and mentees have been designed (see enclosed). The application period will open in November, 2024, and the project will open in March of 2025. The basic principles of regenerative agriculture will be thoroughly covered, and practices such as polywire and virtual fencing, grazing on BLM and Forest Service Lands, acequia irrigation, and watershed health in the uplands will add to the richness and scope of the program for both mentees and mentors. Practices such as Landlinking and application for grant and loan programs to help ranchers with land, seed, tools, irrigation hardware, and fencing will be stressed so that beginning ranchers can see a path forward to starting their own operations.

Publications