The purposes of Soil and Water Districts are many, but an important purpose is the support of production agriculture. When the federal agency Soil Conservation Service, (now the Natural Resources and Conservation Services or NRCS) was first established during the Dust Bowl, it was not well received. Farmers didn't want the government coming to their house and telling them how to farm. The Franklin Roosevelt Administration created the Soil and Water Districts, a publicly elected board of citizens to partner with NRCS and gain the trust of local producers. This partnership, which in New Mexico includes the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, is known as the Conservation Partnership.

The USDA Agricultural Statistics for 2015 determined that overall agricultural cash receipts for Grant County were $31,526,914,000. The bulk of these dollars came from cattle at $24,769,219,000. The remaining $6,768,219,000 was derived from everything from hay sales to commercial hunting to firewood. These agricultural commodities support value added products such as food, fiber and meat processing, as well as local farmers markets. This industry makes Ag tourism possible. Events such as the Cliff-Gila Grant County Fair and the Mimbres Harvest Festival bring dollars to our communities and celebrate the industry. Producers make substantial purchases of local goods and services. Agriculture contributes over 500 jobs in Grant county along with many part-time and family supported jobs and income. Agriculture is at the heart of many local communities' identity. Grant SWCD supports Grant County's ability to supply local food and fiber to our citizens.