The Soil to Supper project helps livestock producers in the Southwest adopt practices that enhance land health, livestock performance, and profitability over time.
General Information
- The project runs from September 2026 through September 2028.
- We will be enrolling 50 producers and distributing a total of $2.5 million among them to specifically address management and marketing challenges that affect the long-term health of their land and viability of their livestock operations.
- Applications will be accepted throughout the project, beginning September 2026. Applications received no later than November 20, 2026, will be put into the first pool for ranking. We anticipate a second batching date of February 15, 2027, but we strongly encourage early applications as we anticipate the project may quickly reach capacity.
- Project participants will be selected using an objective, comprehensive scoring rubric designed to ensure the most effective distribution of financial and technical assistance to meet our project purpose.
- Project participants will be required to submit bi-annual data and reporting to Quivira as required by NRCS.
- Project participants will be required to implement at least one conservation practice on their own or through Soil to Supper funds, and also implement at least one market or business development activity or educational activity.
- Project participants will work with Soil to Supper staff to develop a grazing management plan as part of their Soil to Supper project.
- Payments for project activities will be on a reimbursement basis, requiring verified completion of the practice prior to the producer receiving payment.
- Reimbursement-based programs require recipients to pay project expenses before receiving their incentive payments. Bridge financing is a short-term loan that can provide the money needed to cover approved project expenses while you wait for your grant reimbursement. If access to low- or no-interest bridge financing could help you participate in Soil to Supper, please email us at info@soiltosupper.org and we’ll provide a list of U.S. companies offering bridge financing. Quivira does not preference any lending entities. Participation in bridge financing is neither required nor encouraged by Quivira; instead, it is solely at the discretion of each producer whether to pursue bridge funding.
Project Process
1. Producer completes interest form for the Soil to Supper project. The interest form is available here. If you completed the interest form before September 9, 2026, please complete the new form, which includes additional information to assess your eligibility for the program.
2. To be considered for the first sign-up period, producer interest forms must be received by Quivira on or before November 6, 2026. Note that while we anticipate holding a second sign-up period in February 2027, it is highly recommended to submit interest forms by November 6, 2026. Note too that producers need to submit completed application forms to Quivira on or before November 20, 2026 to be considered in the first sign-up period. Application is a two-step process requiring both the interest and the application forms. Quivira staff are available to help if you encounter issues in applying, but don’t wait until the last day to apply!
3. Quivira staff evaluate the interest form for apparent eligibility of the producer. Producers who appear to be eligible for the program will be supplied with the full application form. That form can be filled out by the applicant, or by a person assisting the applicant. Upon request, Quivira staff can assist applicants in completing the form.
4. The completed application is reviewed by Quivira staff soon after receipt of the application, and a phone interview will be scheduled between the applicant and Quivira at the earliest mutual convenience. The phone interview gives producers and the project staff the opportunity to ask questions and clarify points of confusion.
5. All applications received by Quivira on or before November 20, 2026, will be scored using the comprehensive ranking tool, and the highest scoring applicants will be invited to enroll as participants in the project.
6. Quivira’s technical assistance team will visit enrolled properties to develop site-specific grazing and/or conservation plans. Based on those plans, the producer will propose practices/activities they want to implement through the Soil to Supper project. The proposal must include at least one market development activity, at least one conservation activity, and a grazing management plan.
7. Quivira will review the proposed activities and approve those that best meet the project targets. When approval has been secured, the producer will be contracted by Quivira for those practices and the producer may begin implementation.
8. Upon completion of authorized activities, producers will notify the Quivira staff. Staff will verify completion of practices, and then the producer will invoice Quivira for payment.
9. Payment for completed practices will be issued by Quivira to the producer within 30 days of receipt of the approved invoice.
Practices and Activities Offered
Market access, business enhancement, and educational activities
- Attend commodity market training
- Work toward achieving value-added certification of the commodity you produce
- Secure professional assistance in development of marketing tools/materials
- Attend conferences, field days, workshops, or other events providing pertinent agricultural or conservation training
Conservation planning
- Grazing plans
- Comprehensive whole ranch/farm plans that emphasize practices with high return on investment for building drought resilience, land health, and producer profitability.
Conservation practices and management activities
- Soil carbon amendment application
- Soil health testing
- Temporary fencing, cross fencing, virtual fence
- Implementation of prescribed grazing
- Small, hand-built erosion control structures
- Livestock watering facilities (prioritizing portable systems)
- Brush management and herbaceous weed control to improve grazing lands
- Planting grazing lands to improve productivity, enhance livestock performance, or reduce water demand
- Obstruction removal of soil and vegetation deposited on grazing lands due to wildfire or floods
Soil to Supper
1413 Second Street, Suite 1
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
505-820-2544