P

O

L

L

I

N

A

T

O

R

S

100’

100’

48’ 4’ 48’

Suggested Yearly Crop Rotation (Organic or Non-Organic)

A-Diverse Cover Crop (grasses, legumes, brassicas, broadleaves) cool and warm season

B-Forage or Small Grains (Harvested for green manure or mulch for weed suppression in plot D)

C-Legume mix (Harvestable crop and nitrogen fixation)

D-Vegetable Crops (Harvestable crop for profit)

Pollinators (Habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects)

Grasses

Forage sorghum, Millet, Rye, Barley, Oats, Triticale, Wheat

Legumes

Cowpeas, Mungbean, Guar, Clovers, Austrian Winter Peas, Black Medic

Brassicas

Radish, Turnip

Broadleaves

Sunflower, Buckwheat

Questions?-Contact New Mexico NRCS Agronomist at kevin.branum@nm.usda.gov

Are you getting the most out of your small acreage?

POLLINATORS

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

A B C D

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

C D A B

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

B C D A

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

D A B C

48’

4’

48’

“The USDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Provider, and Lender.”

New Mexico NRCS

Small Farmer Crop Rotation Plan Guide

4 Principles of Soil Health Management

Manage More by Disturbing Soil Less

Diversify Soil Biota with Plant Diversity

Keep a Living Root Growing Throughout the Year

Keep the Soil Covered as Much as Possible

Dynamic soil quality is how soil changes depending on how it is managed. Management

choices affect the amount of soil organic matter, soil structure, soil depth, and water and

nutrient holding capacity.

NRCS Practices

(320) Field Border

(325) High Tunnel System

(327) Conservation Cover

(328) Conservation Crop Rotation

(329 & 345) Residue and Tillage Management

(340) Cover Crop

(422) Hedgerow Planting

(441) Microirrigation (Drip)

(484) Mulching

(590)Nutrient Management

(595)Pest Management

NRCS Assistance and Programs

Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)

NRCS employees can help you implement management changes or develop designs for

infrastructure without requiring any program involvement or financial assistance.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address

natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and

air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or

improved or created wildlife habitat.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

The Conservation Stewardship Program helps agricultural producers maintain and improve

their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address

priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation

performance—the higher the performance, the higher the payment.

More information can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/nm/home/