SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND
EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO
Since 1988, the Western SARE program has invested over
$1.9 million in research and education projects in New
Mexico. These include 55 grants to researchers, farmers,
ranchers, graduate students and ag professionals.
SARE's vision is an enduring American agriculture of the highest quality. This agriculture is profitable, protects
the nation's land and water and is a force for a rewarding way of life for farmers and ranchers whose quality
products and operations sustain their communities and society.
SARE's mission is to advance - to the whole of American agriculture innovations that improve profitability, stewardship and quality of life by
investing in groundbreaking research and education.
Western SARE’s goal is to foster change through competitive grants that
enable cutting-edge research and education to open windows on
sustainability across the West.
Western SARE is built on a foundation of respect for agricultural producers - the idea that farmers and
ranchers know best what does and does not work on the land. Indeed, farmers and ranchers initiate many
SARE research projects and are involved in nearly all of them as consultants or research coordinators. The
bottom line: SARE supports high quality research and education in sustainable agriculture with minimum
overhead.
Since SARE's inception, a key for evaluating potential funded research is ensuring the inclusion of scientists
and experts in a multi-disciplinary approach. SARE-funded research projects are required to include
educational and outreach components in their designs to ensure that findings reach the target audience. And
they typically integrate economic analysis as a fundamental component of the research and education.
Below are a few examples of successful projects from New Mexico.
Winter Production of Leafy Greens Using High Tunnels
Due to the results from this project, the farmers of northern New Mexico
are finding that vegetables can be successfully grown year-round in high
tunnel greenhouses. With the construction of different designs of high
tunnels in several locations throughout northern New Mexico, the
findings show that vegetables such a spinach and lettuce can be grown in
an inexpensive manner on a year-round basis. As a result of this project,
several more high tunnel greenhouses have been constructed in northern
New Mexico. The outcome has been fresh, locally grown produce for
farmers markets and family consumption.
Enhancement of Sustainable Livestock Grazing Through Selection and Training
Livestock distribution is a critical problem for western ranchers. Fencing
and water developments have not resolved all concerns with riparian
management and localized overgrazing. Novel practices are needed to
address this problem, while working with traditional fence-based grazing
systems. Development of cattle adapted to graze extensive and rugged
rangeland will reduce overgrazing of riparian areas and increase use of
undergrazed slopes. This project is evaluating the extent that genetics
influence cattle distribution and whether a cow’s tendency to graze on
rough terrain can be identified in the bull that sired it. The project leaders are using a selection of adapted
cattle to train ranchers to implement site-specific grazing practices. Preliminary results indicate grazing
distribution is heritable. A relatively low cost DNA test to identify favorable genotypes for grazing distribution
is being developed and evaluated.
Pepper Cultivation and Conservation
Landrace chile peppers are descendents of chile peppers historically taken
through the Spanish and Portuguese trading routes in the time period of
1492 to 1590. These seed collections would be good candidates for
sustainable, low input systems. In New Mexico, seed conservation groups
have initiated efforts to stabilize landraces and are collecting historical and
current cultivation data. They are important nutritional and genetic
resources for traditional farmers and also for plant breeders. The landrace
pepper seed banks and the nutritional source for traditional farmers are
currently at risk of being lost, and fewer traditional farmers are growing
these peppers in New Mexico. This research focused on conservation and
the sustainability of traditional food crops and growing landrace varieties
using both certified organic and low input agricultural field areas.
Solar Energy for Sustainable Year-round Production
In northern New Mexico, the leaders of this project had found it difficult
to supply enough produce from a farm and greenhouse to its market
during winter months to stay financially secure, so they went to work
addressing environmental and financial interests. The project team
built a solar energy system to use in its greenhouses, resulting in an
increase in the supply of organic fruits, vegetables and herbs during
winter months through its use of solar energy. The project leaders
shared their work and the system’s environmental and financial effects
with the community.
For more information about Western SARE, please contact Stacie Clary,
831-419-5432, stacie.wsare@charter.net or visit westernsare.org.