Spring 2024 New Mexico Farm and Ranch

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NEW MEXICO FARM AND LIVESTOCK BUREAU®

NEW PARTNERS IN AG LITERACY ANNOUNCED

Invenergy, the leading privately held developer, owner, and operator of sustainable energy solutions has generously donated $20,000 to support New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (NMAITC). Invenergy joins NMAITC’s top-tier Platinum Apple sponsors, and their donation will allow NMAITC to increase the number of free educational presentations and workshops for Pre-K-12th grade New Mexico teachers to grow their students’ awareness of agriculture.

"We thank Invenergy for its tremendous support as a new sponsor of NMAITC,” said Elizabeth Foster, CEO of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau and secretary/treasurer of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Foundation. “Invenergy’s support will allow us to continue the expansion of our agricultural literacy initiatives throughout New Mexico, helping to ensure a greater understanding of agriculture. We are grateful for their commitment.”

Invenergy, in partnership with the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (NMRETA), will develop New Mexico North Path (North Path), a direct current (DC) electric transmission line that will deliver up to 4,000 megawatts of clean domestically produced energy from northeastern New Mexico to the Four Corners region, helping power New Mexico and other western states. Invenergy’s prior work in New Mexico includes development of the Sagamore Wind Project, one of the largest wind energy facilities in the state.

"We’re proud to support the great work of New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom,” said Will Consuegra, Director of Transmission Development at Invenergy. “Across America, Invenergy intentionally partners with organizations who are improving the communities where we work and live. We are thrilled to champion NMAITC’s mission to grow agriculture education and we look forward to this partnership creating long-lasting benefits for all New Mexicans.”

About Invenergy

Invenergy drives innovation in energy. Invenergy and affiliated companies develop, own, and operate large-scale renewable and other clean energy generation, transmission and storage facilities in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Invenergy's home office is located in Chicago, and it has regional development offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Japan, Poland, and Scotland. Invenergy and its affiliated companies have successfully developed more than 30,000 megawatts of projects that are in operation, construction or contracted, including wind, solar, transmission infrastructure and natural gas power generation and advanced energy storage projects. Learn about Invenergy at Invenergy.com.

A Great Way to Make a Huge Impact in Your Community

The National Ag in the Classroom Conference will be held in Salt Lake City, UT on June 25-27, 2024. This conference is a wonderful opportunity for K-12 teachers and volunteers who are looking for engaging, hands-on resources and an opportunity to network with educators from across the U.S. See what is possible when you bring “Ag into the Classroom”.

Use your phone camera on the QR code (to the right) to access the National Ag in the Classroom web page that will share with you general information about the conference, as well as a tentative schedule to see what will take place. For questions about this beneficial experience, or if you’d like to attend and need more insight, please reach out to Traci Curry (agclass@nmflb.org), Britney Lardner (agclass1@nmflb.org), or Shae Devers (shaed@nmflb.org). We hope to see you there!

SCHOOL TRAININGS AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Floyd School Teacher In-Service & School Adoption Pilot Program

January 19th, 2024 - PreK-12th Grade

They say, “It takes a village to raise up a child”, and when it comes to bringing professional development to educators in New Mexico, Floyd Municipal Schools is committed to connecting with its’ community to ensure student success at all grade levels. Superintendent, Todd Burleson, and Principal, Adam Terry, were on board and ready for their team to meet with New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom. Traci, Shae, and Britney facilitated a 4-hour teacher development workshop (preK - 12th grade) that included: a large group engagement for the entire staff, breakout sessions to work on specific grade bands and content focus areas, as well as bringing community and ag industry leaders in to show their support and highlight local agricultural careers.

Special thanks goes out to Roosevelt County Farm & Livestock Bureau members, Leon Nall, and the Kinman family (Deena, Wayne, and Ty), for sharing their personal story and passion for agriculture with these educators. We also want to personally thank Philip Salazar and team member, Kaylee, for speaking on behalf of Dairy Farmers of America. We look forward to finding more ways to educate and AGvocate in your community.

This is the starting point for our pilot program that will help create a template for schools (or school districts) that want to be considered a “New Mexico Ag in the Classroom School”. Contact Britney Lardner, at agclass1@nmflb.org, to learn more about becoming an NMAITC school.

NEW PARTNERS IN AG LITERACY ANNOUNCED

Apex Clean Energy is the newest sponsor of New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (NMAITC). They have given NMAITC a generous $10,000 grant which allows NMAITC to reach more Pre-K-12th grade New Mexico classroom teachers and their students with crucial agricultural and food literacy instruction.

"The support that we received from Apex Clean Energy is very much appreciated,” said Elizabeth Foster, CEO of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau and secretary/treasurer of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Foundation. “Because of their support, we will be able to enhance our agricultural and food literacy instruction for students in New Mexico classrooms.”

“Agriculture and clean energy are important partners, and Apex Clean Energy is proud to support the important work of New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom,” said Drew Christensen, Director of Public Engagement at Apex. “As our presence in New Mexico grows, we are excited to share the benefits of clean energy with community organizations in the state.”

Apex Clean Energy was founded with a singular focus: to accelerate the shift to clean energy. Through origination, construction, and operation of utility-scale wind, solar, and storage facilities, distributed energy resources, and green fuel technologies, Apex is expanding the renewable frontier across North America. Their mission-driven team of more than 400 professionals uses a data-focused approach and an unrivaled portfolio of projects to create solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking customers. Website: www.apexcleanenergy.com

*For a complete list of all sponsors, visit newmexico.agclassroom.org/about/donate/

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NMF&LB + FBFS Joint NMF&LB + FBFS Joint summer conference summer conference

Back to Our Roots

Back to Our Roots

INN OF THE INN OF THE MOUNTAIN GODS MOUNTAIN GODS RESORT & CASINO RESORT & CASINO

JULY 17-19, JULY 17-19, 2024 2024

By Paul Schneider Jr., AG-USA

Is there anything that farmers can do to retain moisture while at the same time get rid of compaction? Yes! Here is a good way to do just that.

Put fungi to work

When I traveled to Albertville, Alabama to attend the South Poll Cattle Association meeting there, one of the speakers stated that it’s best to have a ratio of 50% bacteria to 50% fungi in the soil.

In fact, fungi are key to helping us get rid of compaction and to highly structuring the soil. Structuring magnifies the soil’s ability to retain moisture.

The bad news is, fungi don’t normally do well in farm land; they do better in wooded areas, where trees constantly sequester sugars to feed them. So, how can we get fungi to thrive where we farm?

Here are some key points of how to do this.

● Remove toxins and salts that inhibit beneficial fungi.

● Bring nutrient balance to the soil.

● Empower the plant to sequester large amounts of sugars in order to feed mycorrhizal fungi.

MycorrPlus is a product designed to do all of these things, and more. It is a bio-stimulant that can:

● Help empower microbes to gobble up toxins.

● Help flush salts from the root zone.

● Help balance soil nutrients.

● Help maximize the amount of sugars sequestered by the plant.

Treated, aerated soil Compacted soil

In short, MycorrPlus (my-core-plus) can help create a friendly environment in the soil where mycorrhizal fungi and a host of other beneficial microbes can feel at home.

Sequester more carbon, retain more moisture

Aerobic microbes require oxygen and moisture to thrive. With the right help, they will build incredible structure into the soil, one where oxygen circulates freely and moisture is stored efficiently. Because this is the same environment needed by plants, plants love to form a partnership with mycorrhizae.

Can our microbes aerate the soil? Yes! As plants sequester sugars to feed the microbes, the microbes use the residues of these sugars as gums and glues to bind soil particles together, creating air compartments about 1/4” to 3/8” in size (see picture above).

As soil is highly structured, rain will soak deeply into the soil instead of just waterlogging the surface, making it possible for a farmer to more quickly get back into the field.

In the picture, in the soil on the left, can you see the small air pockets?

◊ The soil on the left is what soil can look like when it has been highly structured by MycorrPlus. It is aerated and crumbly.

● In the soil on the right, the dirt is tight and clumped together.

◊ In highly structured soil, when it rains, water soaks down into the air pockets and is stored until it is needed.

● In tight soil, the top 6” or so of the soil becomes waterlogged and you will see water standing in the field. When the water evaporates, it leaves the soil dry and hard.

◊ In the highly structured soil, the microbes have created a moist, oxygen-rich environment where they feel right at home.

● In the soil on the right, aerobic microbes don’t have enough air to survive, and anaerobic bacteria dominate the soil.

Plants like to feed the aerobic bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, because plants have a lot to gain from doing so.

MycorrPlus is amazing. By helping to switch on carbon sequestration which feeds mycorrhizal fungi and other microbes, the soil will act like a sponge, soaking in rain and irrigation water.

Please visit www.AG-USA.net to learn more, or call (888) 588-3139 and ask for a free information pack.

Conquer Nature by Cooperating with it

Premium Hay Conditioner

With farm life being beyond busy all the time, putting up hay can feel like the last thing you need to do. Having to wait for it to dry down, baling at night or in the early morning, and then risking rot and mold are all factors that consume time and energy.

All of these problems are eliminated by using AG-USA’s HayMax to treat your hay. With HayMax hay conditioner, you can put up hay when you want to and no longer have to get up at night to bale; it will let you bale in the daytime! It helps work against rot and mold, and the dry-down wait time is greatly diminished.

With HayMax, you’ll have the most beautiful green alfalfa hay of the highest quality, and you will be able to keep all the leaves. Nutrients are in the leaves, so why lose them in the field?

It will provide faster removal, and it will allow you to water sooner for quicker recovery. Getting hay off the field quicker means no more hay growing on both sides of windrows, no more slowing the growth or killing alfalfa.

And HayMax is the best for all grass hay too. Whatever you’re baling, AG-USA will give you the best choice for the best results with HayMax!

● HayMax helps reduce molds and rot while improving the keepability of higher moisture hay.

● Our conditioner will not wick off or evaporate on hot days like others do.

● Unlike other competitors on the market, our HayMax does not contain corrosive propionic acid.

● Our HayMax is made with high-quality grade non-corrosive acid to protect your equipment against corrosion.

● The HayMax exclusive formula uses a different chemical process than other hay conditioners. Because of this perfected formulation, you can bale with moisture as high as 25% and have no problems or regrets!

Your preserved hay will also give better nutrition to the cattle, which in turn gives better beef and milk quality.

Elimination of field losses means more hay to sell or feed. And healthier cattle sell better. Increase your profits with HayMax!

A 5-gallon bucket of HayMax treats 8 ton of hay and is $90 per bucket.

1 to 8 buckets ships to NM for $40 a bucket. 9 to 19 buckets ships to NM for $20 a bucket. 20 to 36 buckets ships flat rate to NM for $400.

A 275 gallon tote treats 440 ton and sells for $15 per gallon by the tote. Shipping a 150 to 300 gallon tote to NM is $400.

Call AG-USA today for more HayMax info. (888) 588-3139

Email us at: info@ag-usa.net

2220 N. Telshor Blvd.

Las Cruces, NM 88011

NMF&LB

2220 N. TELSHOR BLVD. LAS CRUCES, NM 88011

575.532.4700 • nmflb.org

OFFICERS

Larry Reagan

Don Hartman

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ron Baca, Aztec

Kenneth Davis, Clovis

Bud Deerman, La Mesa

Jim Ellett, Hope

Duane Frost, Claunch

Leon Hemann, McDonald

Gary Hathorn, Flora Vista

STAFF

Katie Adams Regional Manager

Marissa Cereceres Marketing Manager

Traci Curry Director of NMAITC

1st Vice President, Deming

Travis Harris

Elizabeth Foster President, Ft. Sumner

2nd Vice President, San Antonio Chief Executive Officer

John Jackson, Lake Arthur

Russell Johnson, Columbus

Deena Kinman, Elida

Donald Martinez, El Rito

Kim Miller, Grenville

Tommy Ortiz, Las Vegas

Troy Sauble, Maxwell

Jamie Viramontes, Deming

Leonard Valerio, Española

Tina Wilson, Las Cruces

Tom Wilton, Ft. Sumner

Connie Rooks, Chair

Women’s Leadership Committee

Joel Ferguson, Chair

Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee

Shae Devers NMAITC Program Coordinator

Cecilia Diaz-Johnson Controller

Britney Lardner NMAITC Sr. Program Coordinator

Kailee Parra Membership Clerk

Tiffany Rivera Director of Government Affairs

Autumn Robertson Regional Manager

Benjie Segovia Regional Manager

Katelin Spradley Director of Communications

Theresa Widner Executive Administrative Assistant