U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) have teamed up with Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) to introduce the Small Farm Conservation Act. This proposed legislation aims to assist small farms in accessing federal conservation programs offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), according to a press release by Luján on June 30, 2023.
“Programs like EQIP have been critical in supporting farmers and conservation efforts in New Mexico. Despite these strides, larger farms have been prioritized while small farmers have fallen through the cracks. In New Mexico, 52% of farms are less than 50 acres, making them less likely to qualify for the current EQIP,” Sen. Luján said in the release.
“That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Small Farm Conservation Act to support small farmers and ranchers and help them access financial and technical assistance.”
According to the release, the EQIP program offers voluntary conservation assistance, providing financial cost-share and technical support for implementing conservation practices on agricultural lands. However, small farms often face challenges navigating these programs, leading to significant payment disparities compared to larger agricultural operations based on acreage. The proposed Small Farm Conservation Act aims to modify EQIP by creating a dedicated subprogram that offers adequate financial and technical assistance to effectively assist small farmers and ranchers. Senators Heinrich and Luján advocate for including this legislation in the upcoming Farm Bill, which reauthorizes USDA agriculture and nutrition programs every five years, with the goal of ensuring small farms receive the necessary support to access and benefit from federal conservation programs and promote sustainable agriculture practices nationwide, according to a press release.
“As our climate crisis worsens, we should be making it easier — not harder — for those who feed our nation to access assistance needed to improve soil health and conserve natural resources on their land,” Sen. Heinrich said in the press release. “This legislation would unlock new financial resources to provide much-needed support for small farmers in New Mexico and across the country, while growing our economy and protecting our environment. The Small Farm Conservation Act works hand in glove with my efforts in the annual Agriculture Appropriations bill to expand access to conservation programs for small farmers and producers, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get these important policies included in the upcoming Farm Bill.”
Alicia Thompson, National Young Farmers Coalition New Mexico organizer, said this comes as New Mexico farmers have always faced some of the "most challenging climate and economic conditions in the country," which have only grown worse in the face of climate change and drought.
“The Small Farm Conservation Act is a necessary step to support small producers from across our state who are already addressing climate change through farming, including Indigenous practices that are in harmony with our state’s harsh climate. With this marker bill, we are championing these land stewards whose steadfast work has not gone unnoticed," Thompson said.
"Their efforts to feed their communities are worthy and their commitments to addressing climate change head-on are not only celebrated, but supported by federal programs with the passage of this critical piece of legislation."