Quivira Coalition’s Soil to Supper Project helps Southwest livestock producers adopt practices that improve soil and water health while strengthening their bottom line.
Program Update – 5/15/26
After a nearly year-long hiatus from enrolling new producers, the Soil to Supper program is coming back! Quivira recently signed an amendment allowing us to continue our Soil to Supper program under the NRCS Advancing Markets for Producers program. We have significantly modified our project and incentive structure, and will be making updates to this website with the new project structure by the end of June.
Our updated project will help 50 livestock producers in the Southwest build financial resilience and market access through practices that improve soil and water health. The project will run through September 2028, and will provide a total of $2.5M in incentive payments directly to producers. Stay tuned for more information!
Soil to Supper Project funds will help 13 livestock producers transform agricultural and wood waste, finish livestock and poultry on grass, and help enhance biodiversity and potential carbon sequestration on the land.
Livestock producers will receive financial assistance and technical support from regional experts, and will become part of a network of people supporting this important work. This may happen through the following focus areas, as applicable:
Compost or biochar production
We will help livestock producers transform manure, woody waste, green waste, and other organic amendments into valuable compost and biochar that can be used to improve soil and forage.
Grazing plans
Grazing management experts will help livestock producers create prescribed grazing plans that optimize soil health and forage production for grass-finishing.
Compost or biochar amendment*
We will support amendment of rangelands with compost or biochar aligned with the pasture plans.
Business planning
Livestock producers will receive business-focused planning support and other resources to help sell directly to consumers in regional markets (i.e. how to optimize carcass use).
Marketing
Producers will receive support in marketing grass-finished livestock products through marketing toolkits and will have access to professionals during office hours.
In-field workshops*
Livestock producers will network with neighbors and experts in the topics above to share knowledge.
* These focus area components are required to receive funding.
Soil to Supper livestock producers will receive financial assistance, receive technical support from regional experts, and become part of a network of people supporting this important work.
Every ranch/farm in the Soil to Supper project:
- Must manage at least 10 acres of rangeland and apply compost or biochar amendment to a portion of this. The ranch/farm can either produce compost or biochar on site, or purchase from a vendor; $2000 is available to offset costs of making or purchasing compost or biochar. We will also cover soil sampling costs which is approximately $950.
- Provide information on soil health indicators and changes. The Soil to Supper team will collect soil samples to measure soil organic carbon and other soil health indicators. Results will be provided to producer partners in a final report document.
- Optional: Host an in-field educational event. The producer will receive $500 for hosting. This is not mandatory and is funding dependent.
The ranch/farm may receive personalized technical support in the following areas from Soil to Supper partners and contractors:
- to make compost or biochar (up to 60 hours) from nuisance wood, agricultural, or food waste
- to add compost or biochar to the operation and monitor the results (up to 200 hours)
- to make a pasture plan to best utilize the compost or biochar amended locations (up to 6h)
- to make a business plan of how best to manage and process the livestock for financial benefit (up to 5 hours)
- to make a marketing plan for how to connect with consumers (up to 15 hours)
This technical support is valued at >$22,000
Soil to Supper
1413 Second Street, Suite 1
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
505-820-2544