This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) in the amount of $1,816,892 to the institute of applied ecology to support their efforts with improving the…

Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 awarded the Institute for Applied Ecology $1,816,892 on January 1, 2026, under the Geographic Programs - Gulf of America Program (CFDA 66.475) to develop and demonstrate how farmers and farmer-led communities can adapt four traditional agricultural practices—production fields, cover crops, hedgerows, and restoration—to native crop technologies for improved water quality in the Gulf of America watershed.

The recipient will introduce and test a native crop toolkit designed to improve watershed health and benefit farmers, establish a Farmer to Farmer Hub connecting farmers with the toolkit, restore habitat for wildlife along the Rio Grande River, and develop a model for ecological management practices on working lands within the Greater Gulf of America Watershed. A subrecipient will monitor changes in pollinator communities, translate communication materials to Spanish, support farmer recruitment, and co-host workshops. The award anticipates 70 percent likelihood of long-term farmer adoption, approximately 50 acres of enhanced, protected, and restored habitat, and eight farming communities increasing resilience. Residents in the Rio Grande-Albuquerque Watershed will benefit from improved water quality and restored habitat.

Performance occurs in New Mexico from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. The assistance type is Project Grant funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) in the amount of $1,816,892 to the institute of applied ecology to support their efforts with improving the water quality of the gulf of america. The purpose of this award is to demonstrate how farmers and farmer-led communities can adapt four traditional agricultural practices (production fields, cover crops, hedgerows, restoration) to native crop technologies. Activities:the activities to be performed include introducing and testing a native crop toolkit designed to improve watershed health and benefit farmers, establishing a farmer to farmer hub as a venue to connect farmers with the toolkit, restoring habitat for wildlife along the RIO grande river, and developing a model for ecological management practices for working lands within the greater gulf of america watershed. Subrecipient:subrecipient activities include monitoring to measure changes in pollinator communities, translating communication materials to spanish, supporting recruitment of farmers, and CO-hosting workshops. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables and expected outcomes include a 70% likelihood of long-term adoption by farmers due to project awareness, approximately 50 acres of habitat being enhanced, protected, and restored and eight farming communities increasing resilience over the life of the project. As the intended beneficiaries, the residents in the RIO grande-albuquerque watershed will benefit from improved water quality and restored habitat.