Resources

Articles & Fact Sheets

ATTRA –Sustainable Agriculture

A wealth of free publications and other resources. Incluye publicaciones en español.

• ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture: Livestock & Pasture
• ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture: Soils & Compost

NM Healthy Soil: Research and articles

• Adaptive Multi-Paddock or Planned Grazing
• Cover cropping in New Mexico
• More on the NM Healthy Soil Blog

Feedipedia: An on-line encyclopedia of animal feeds

• Feedipedia: is an open access information system on animal feed resources that provides information on nature, occurrence, chemical composition, nutritional value and safe use of nearly 1400 worldwide livestock feeds.

On Pasture: online magazine

• Grazing 101, free e-book on management for soil and pasture health: choosing the right fencing; watering systems, handling facilities and livestock; working smarter, not harder, and actually making a profit.

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

• NMSU’s soil health page
• Principles of Cover Cropping for Arid and Semi-arid Farming Systems (College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University) NMSU Guide A-150 by John Idowu and Kulbhushan Grover. Includes a list of the most common summer and winter cover crops for New Mexico, their characteristics and seeding rates.
• Grazing and Biodiversity (College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University) NMSU Guide CR-686 by Christopher D. Allison and Louis C. Bender: Livestock grazing is not inherently incompatible with maintenance of biodiversity.

Understanding Ag

• Adaptive Grazing Rules —three part series on the Understanding Ag Blog

Holistic Management International (HMI):

• Free downloadable resources include Introduction to Holistic Management, Holistic Grazing Planning and Holistic Financial Planning.
• En Español: Introducción al Manejo Holistica Manual y Planificación Financiera Holística – Planificación para el Éxito Financiero.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

• In English: NRCS–Soil Health
• En Español: NRCS–La Salud De Los Suelos
• Cover Crop Species Selection For Grazing (Fact Sheet)

South Dakota State University Extension: IGrow

• Reduce Feed Costs by Grazing Corn Stalks
• The Value of Crop Residue

University of Nebraska Extension

• Impact of Cattle Grazing Corn Residue

Interactive Tools

• Cover Crop “SmartMix” Calculator (Green Cover Seeds, NE)
• Grazing Cover Crops Calculation Sheet (SD Soil Health Coalition)
• Crop Aftermath and/or Cover Crop Grazing Job Sheet Excel (USDA-NRCS SD)
• Cover Crop Seeding Plan and Record (USDA-NRCS SD)

Contracting Resources

• Guide to Regenerative Grazing Leases: Opportunities for Resilience This guidebook aims to empower private, nonprofit, and public landholders, as well as easement-holders and grazing tenants. It supports leases that incentivize management that fosters and restores diverse and healthy ecosystems, just and thriving communities, and profitable farm and ranch businesses.
• Grazing Contracts For Livestock (ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture-Fact Sheet) – includes Sample Contract Grazing Agreement
• Annual Average Prices Paid For Feeder Livestock- United States 2012-2017 (USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service)
• Rental Agreements For Cover Crop Grazing (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Website Page)
• Rental Agreements For Grazing Corn Residue (University of Nebraska Extension)

Links

Seeding Regenerative Agriculture
The Seeding Regenerative Agriculture project makes sustainable and regenerative agriculture easier to practice by coordinating peer-to-peer networking and knowledge-sharing among New Mexico producers, as well as a range of support services.

Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC)
Land-based agricultural resources are vital to the economic and social welfare of many Native American and Alaskan Tribes. The IAC is devoted to regenerative agriculture, soil health, and regenerative practices.

First Nations Development Institute –Stewarding Native Lands
The goal of the Stewarding Native Lands program is to provide financial and technical assistance to support Native ecological stewardship and improve Native control of and access to ancestral lands and resources.

Soil for Water
Soil for Water, a program of the National Center for Appropriate Technology, is building a dynamic community of people curious about water and soil practices that create resilient, profitable agricultural systems.

Quivira Coalition
The Quivira Coalition builds soil, biodiversity, and resilience on western working landscapes through education, innovation, and collaboration.

Holistic Management International
Based in Albuquerque, Holistic Management International promotes the practice of Holistic Decision Making & Management to realize healthy, resilient lands and thriving communities.

New Mexico Department of Agriculture: Healthy Soil Program
Created after the Healthy Soil Act was signed into law in 2019, the Healthy Soil Program offers grant funding for projects aimed at improving soil health, as well as related education and outreach efforts.

New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (NMACD)
Gateway to New Mexico’s 47 Soil and Water Conservation Districts. NMACD facilitates the conservation of natural resources in New Mexico by providing opportunities and support to local conservation districts and partners.

NMSU Cooperative Extension Service
33 County Extension Offices and two Tribal Extension Programs provide New Mexicans with practical, research-based knowledge and programs to improve their quality of life.

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS): New Mexico
NRCS offers voluntary programs to eligible landowners and agricultural producers to provide financial and technical assistance to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Soil Health Academy
Learn how to increase profitability, build resiliency into the land, decrease input costs and improve nutrient density of food and agricultural products.Links