New Mexico’s Economic Development Department (EDD) has awarded $25,000 in taxpayer funding to an Albuquerque-based farming operation, Ashokra Farm, under the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) program. But what at first glance appeared to be a minor example of questionable spending has become a window into the state’s support for increasingly radical and political causes.
According to a press release from EDD, Ashokra Farm was given the grant “to support agricultural and community-based initiatives,” and was praised for being a “culturally significant okra farm.”
That descriptor alone raised eyebrows at the Rio Grande Foundation (RGF), a non-partisan research institute focused on limited government in New Mexico. “We thought it was a funny story involving a (relatively) small amount of wasteful spending,” RGF noted in a commentary, “until we were alerted to the Farm’s Facebook page.”
The farm, according to its own promotional materials and a profile in The Guardian, identifies as a “queer and people of color farm.” Its mission includes protecting people from “homophobia, transphobia, racism, and sexism.” While the rhetoric might appeal to progressive circles, critics argue that such identity-based messaging has little to do with economic development or agriculture, and even less with responsible use of public funds.
But the concerns go deeper than identity politics. On Ashokra Farm’s Facebook page, the farm posted a call to “boycott these companies in support of a FREE PALESTINE AND END TO THE GENOCIDE that is currently being funded by Israel and the United States.” The post goes on to name several agricultural firms with ties to Israel, calling for a boycott of companies allegedly connected to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
In the current global context, where violent anti-Israel protests and campus takeovers have been dominating headlines, the farm’s stance reads not merely as political but explicitly partisan and inflammatory.
The taxpayer-funded grant has thus become a flashpoint. “If you are concerned about your tax dollars going to radical causes like this,” RGF urged in its Errors of Enchantment post, “I’d recommend sharing this story with your local newspaper or TV station.”
The issue raises broader questions about how EDD evaluates grantees and whether ideological agendas are being subsidized by public money. The department is led by Secretary Rob Black, who can be contacted by concerned citizens at rob.black@edd.nm.gov.
This incident follows mounting criticism of the Lujan Grisham administration’s selective funding of politically aligned organizations under the guise of economic development. The grant to Ashokra Farm highlights what some see as a growing trend of activist causes being quietly bankrolled by taxpayers.
As New Mexico approaches the 2026 gubernatorial election, voters may increasingly demand greater accountability over how economic development dollars are allocated—and whether they’re being used to support agriculture or activism.
Thank you, Secretary Rob Black, @rob.black@edd.nm.gov. for the work that you’re doing to foster justice in New Mexico…
Great coverage from the Pinon Post…thanks, guys and gals…
Dem voters are fine with this. They are from another planet where logic and common sense are extinct. NM going down the tubes. Wait until Deb Haaland is governor. its sad how stupid the voters are here. we truly are as bad as calif.
Decrying Nazi-ism is not anti-German.
Decrying Zionism and genocide has nothing to do with “hating Israel”.
How very sophomoric and, in fact, plain stupid.
Armando, accusing Israel of genocide and comparing Zionism with naziism is the cruelest possible slander of a people who themselves have historically been targeted for genocide and annihilation. Why should my taxpayer dollars fund any organization making such terroristic declarations on social media?
Oh, so you support Israel?
You are correct Armando. Conflating criticism of Zionism with hate is a trick to shut people up from commenting about the genocide. Zionism is not a religion contrary to popular belief. It is a political movement masked as religion. It was founded by Theodore Hertzle in the 1800 s I believe.
DEMOCRATS LOVE HELPING FAGS
This is clearly a government grant awarded by an extremist to an extremist communofascist organization to promote a single radical political agenda.
Who put their signatures on this?
This is fraud waste and abuse – I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!
Go woke, go broke.
Go Israel!
Can we call this the NPR of farms?
Big Farma
Why is there always an agenda? I am personally for Isreal, I know many Palestinians are brain washed like our democrat party. I personally for funds going to help smaller farms to start making a profit. I do not care if you are black, white or brown, I do not care who you sleep with, but if you make it your main point in life, it should cost you. I think it is like Michael Jordon, a democrat that does not make politics his business and folks asked him why, he said republicans buy shoes! My wife are discussing if we will move out of NM because of the majority of there right wing beliefs. Well for now we are staying and trying to show that most NMs conservatives (which they are) but we gave to show them so we can make NM be on the right side of US history.