NMSU Navajo Sustainable Agriculture Project helps farmers access vital resources

As a farmer in the Navajo Nation since 2009, Gary Clark believes he has a responsibility to the land and its future. 

"The farm has been here since before I got it. It was there before the farmer that was here before me," Clark said. "The dirt is always going to be there; it's just the people that are coming in. I try to make it better for them, and better than it was before I got it. We have to be good stewards of the land." 

On his 15-acre farm near Shiprock, New Mexico, Clark grows mostly alfalfa, corn and hay grazer. He is a client of the Navajo Sustainable Agriculture Project, a New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service initiative that helps Navajo farmers and ranchers in northwest New Mexico. 

The NSA Project team works with Clark and other area producers to develop conservation plans so they can transfer or renew land-use permits for their operations, which is required by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and needed to access U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and resources. 

The NSA Project is a collaboration that brings together the Diné College Land Grant Office, the Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment Program, and NMSU Extension offices in San Juan, McKinley and Cibola counties. It is funded by the USDA's Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program.

"The Navajo Sustainable Agriculture Project reflects the very best of what Cooperative Extension strives to do," College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Associate Dean and Extension Director Jon Boren said. "By working side by side with producers, listening to their needs, and helping them access vital resources, we're strengthening agricultural operations and supporting healthier, more resilient communities across the Navajo Nation. The dedication of our team and partners ensures that producers have the tools and knowledge they need to thrive for generations to come."

Clark said he appreciated how easy and uncomplicated the process of working with the NSA Project team was, not only on his conservation plan but also on a USDA Farm Service Agency loan, which helped him purchase a hay mower and corn planter. 

"I'm going to tell as many farmers as I can about the experience I had with the Navajo Sustainable Agriculture Project and the help I got," he said. 

Established in 2012, the NSA Project has provided Navajo farmers and ranchers with education, training, mentoring and technical assistance through workshops, on-farm and ranch demonstrations, webinars, guides and written materials on key information and practices for improving the profitability and sustainability of farming and livestock operations and increasing the supply of healthy food. 

"The Navajo Nation is classified as a food desert by the USDA, with one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the United States, contributing to chronic poor health conditions," said Michael Patrick, Extension community resource and economic development specialist and NSA Project director. "Years of prolonged drought and overgrazing now threaten the sustainability of the Navajo Nation agroecosystem and the future of Navajo farm and ranch operations."

In the 13 years of the program, NSA Project personnel and activities have been funded by 18 competitive grants totaling $2.1 million. For his work on the NSA Project, Patrick was honored with the Community Engagement, Extension and Outreach Award at NMSU's spring 2026 convocation. 

The NSA Project team helps Navajo producers access information, government funding and projects while providing technical assistance. 

"Our producers are willing to learn and go the extra step," said Shirley Tolth, NSA Project specialist. "I really enjoy working with producers, my people and using my own language to help my community." 

Terrill Yazzie, another NSA Project specialist, added: "A lot of our producers are wanting to get their conservation plan done so that they can restart the agricultural practices, and they don't really know where to start. They're sort of roadmaps. They're a historical piece. They're a scientific piece. It's not just a document for them to get a piece of paper in their name, it's something more."

Of the 200 completed plans assisted by NSA Project staff, 113 have received land-use permit renewals or new permits.

"Our core center is guiding these adults to learn confidence, gain practical skills and feel valued in their agriculture journey," said Mikelle Silversmith, NSA Project coordinator. "We really try our best as educators to not just share information but to instill that positivity and create a learning environment during these workshops where these producers feel welcomed, respected and, overall, they feel determined to grow." 

Cecil Werito, a cattle rancher near Huerfano, New Mexico, has worked with the NSA Project team on his conservation plan and often attends related workshops, which he said have been very helpful. 

"More ranchers need to come to the classes," he said. "It's free. You have to take advantage of it."

With area producers dealing with environmental issues and labor shortages in the region, Werito credited the NSA Project courses with offering vital information. 

"We've had quite a few classes about vaccinating and how to handle cattle," he said. "When we have questions about vaccinations, in the area where we are in, veterinarians are hard to get."

For more information about NMSU's Navajo Sustainable Agriculture Project, visit www.nsa.nmsu.edu.  

A version of this story appears in the spring 2026 issue of ACES Magazine. For more stories, visit https://nmsu.news/ACES-Magazine-Spring-2026. 

The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-navajo-sustainable-agriculture-project-helps-farmers-access-vital-resources/s/7df6ce89-6355-431a-a617-6ad9145a0ae9