Winter 2024 New Mexico Farm and Ranch

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Inside this Issue

06

Good Neighbors Burl and Karen Brown named 2023 Farm Family of the Year

2023 Annual Meeting Recap View highlights from the conference

18

04

Columns

14

NMAITC NMAITC Teacher of the Year News from the Foundation

11

Programs Graduating Boot Camp

09

2024 Legislative Preview What to expect in the 30-day session

22

New Mexico LandLink New resource seeks to address land access

NMF&LB President AFBF President NMF&LB CEO

On the Cover: Burl Brown, along with his two sons, daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren, received the 2023 Farm Family of the Year award.

Winter 2024 3

NMF&LB President’s Column From the President

By Larry Reagan

Stay Involved during the 2024 Legislative Session It seems like the last legislative session just ended, but here we are, about to start another. The 2024 session will be starting January 16th and run through February 15th. It will be a 30-day session which means it is supposed to be limited to budget items and whatever the Governor puts on the call.

That doesn’t mean we get to relax. Previous sessions have shown that there is always a possibility that bills introduced will be detrimental to agriculture and some will be beneficial to agriculture. We have to show up and be involved. The “other side” is organized and they show up in numbers. I cannot stress enough how important it is for us to make our voices heard. We need cowboy boots in the Roundhouse. All bills go through committee hearings on their way to the floor. Testimony from farmers and ranchers is invaluable in these committee hearings

Reagan cont. on page 20

AFBF President’s Column The Zipline

By Zippy Duvall

Time to Get to Work in 2024 There’s nothing quite like the fresh start of a new year to charge forward in getting work done.

After all the holiday decorations are put away and the college bowl games have wrapped up, many of us start making our resolutions for the year ahead. Just like with any big task, it’s important to get started right away—or the work may never get done. That’s why when it comes to our policy resolutions and priorities, Farm Bureau is calling on Congress to get right to work this January for agriculture and our nation’s food supply.

Top of our resolutions list for Congress is a new farm bill in 2024. While we are certainly grateful for the extension of the 2018 farm bill, that is a temporary fix, and we cannot afford further delays in getting an updated farm bill that addresses the needs of farmers and ranchers across the country. The farm bill matters well beyond the farm. From food security to sustain-

Duvall cont. on page 20

NMF&LB CEO’s Column Field Notes

By Elizabeth Foster

NMF&LB New Year’s Resolutions Every new year, people set resolutions or goals to strive toward in the coming year. The staff at NMFLB are no exception and have set their goals and objectives for the 2024 year. We are always thinking of the strategic plan and our mission statement in everything we do. Our mission statement for the organization is to, “Strengthen and serve agriculture to enrich the lives of all New Mexicans.” Several of our annual programs strive to accomplish our mission statement every year. As we begin this new year, each department shared their goals with their fellow employees so we can assist and partner in areas that cross department lines.

As the Chief Executive Officer, my goals for the organization are to increase our funding, increase our member involvement in major events and areas such as annual meeting and advocacy, and provide more leadership opportunities to members and county boards for develop-

4 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

Foster cont. on page 21

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Good Neighbors Burl and Karen Brown Named 2023 Farm Family of the Year Burl and Karen Brown, residents of Union County, were named as the 2023 New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau (NMF&LB) Farm Family of the Year during the 106th NMF&LB Annual Meeting November 16 and 17 in Albuquerque, NM. “The Brown family is a steadfast and dedicated advocate and leader for our organization and the agricultural industry,” said NMF&LB CEO Elizabeth Foster. “At our core, NMF&LB is about families, and the Brown family has not only engaged in everything we offer as an organization but have jumped in to help make our organization and their local community better for others. We are honored to recognize Burl and Karen for their time and contributions to Farm Bureau at a county, state, and national level.”

Burl and Karen Brown have been members of NMF&LB for more than 40 years. Like many in Farm Bureau, their involvement started with a simple invitation to a county Farm Bureau meeting, said Burl. They credit John Gard, Bill Brockman, and Jack Boggs with getting them involved and supporting them through their Farm Bureau career, said the Browns.

“They were so encouraging and so excited to get young people involved,” said Karen. “The rest of the board were quite

a bit older than Burl and me, so them inviting us to be on the board and appreciating our input and supporting us like they did really gave us a good start in Farm Bureau.”

Burl and Karen were active in the Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) program, sitting on the American Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Committee and attending YF&R conventions throughout the United States. In 1980, they received the state Top Young Farmer and Rancher award, and Karen was the first woman to win the New Mexico YF&R discussion meet competition. She represented New Mexico in the national competition in New Orleans, LA. On a state level, Burl has served on the Union County Farm and Livestock Bureau Board of Directors since 1979 and on the NMF&LB Board of Directors for 17 years. Karen has served on the Union County Farm and Livestock Bureau Board of Directors for more than 20 years and served as the vice chair of the NMF&LB Women’s Leadership Committee.

There were many things about Farm Bureau that encouraged them to get involved and stay involved, said Karen.

“I think one of things we were impressed with when we got started is them encouraging people to get involved in their communities, in the state, and nationally for the betterment of

Left: Burl and Karen Brown hold their two sons when they were children for a family photo. Photo provided by Karen Brown. Right: At the start of their Farm Bureau involvement, Burl attended a YF&R conference in Denver and was so impressed with the speakers and opportunities to network with fellow farmers and ranchers across the country that they continued in the program.

6 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

agriculture,” said Karen. “We were always impressed with Farm Bureau being front runners in the big issues that affect agriculture. We really enjoyed the people. We still have lifelong friends that were on the YF&R committee with us all those years ago.”

Farm Bureau’s focus on family was another component that added to the appeal of the organization, said Burl. Kids were always welcome at the meetings and enjoyed being involved in the organization and learning alongside their parents, said Burl.

“The combination of all that is what made us realize what a great organization it was,” said Karen. “It was very family oriented and very grassroots. It hasn’t changed. Its purpose remains consistent, and I think that is why we have been a part of it for all these years.”

In addition to their involvement in NMF&LB, Burl served as a county commissioner for Union County from 1986 to 1990 and a member of the Union County General Hospital Board of Directors from 1991 to 1995. Karen served 14 years on the Des Moines School Board and as a member of the executive committee of the New Mexico School Board Association.

Their two sons, Damon and Ryan, are active members of the community as well. Damon is currently the president of the Des Moines School Board and is vice-chair of the SGLA, a local grassroots organization of ranchers and landowners. His wife Jennifer, also from a local six generation ranching family,

is the English teacher at Des Moines High School. Damon and Jennifer have a son, John David, and daughter, Katy. Ryan serves on his local town council and was recently elected mayor of the Village of Folsom. He is the auctioneer for Five States Livestock Auction in Clayton, and he and his wife, Pennie, have an auction service that holds online and live auctions throughout a five-state region. They have three daughters: Hayley, Rylan, and Jessa.

“I think it really makes it all worthwhile to see our sons and grandkids here being active in the community, loving the community they are in, and taking leadership roles,” said Karen. “I think that is because Burl and I were able to get the leadership skills and the opportunity to develop those leadership skills and we in turn encouraged our kids to get involved to become part of the process. It is just so important to us.”

For more than 110 years, the Brown family has lived and worked on the high desert plains of northeastern New Mexico.

Once primarily a cow-calf operation, they now focus on yearling production, utilizing conservation practices and animal husbandry methods to improve the land and better care for the livestock.

“Anything we do, we try to make it a little better for the next people along the way,” said Burl.

They are very conscious of soil health and forage, utilizing rotational grazing to increase soil health, said Burl. They

Burl and granddaughters Jessa, Rylan and Hayley shares some laughs.

Winter 2024 7

are currently working on developing the ranch water system to support their rotational grazing including pipelines, storage tanks, and wells, said Burl. Other conservation practices include clearing invasive species to increase forage and wind breaks to reduce erosion, said Karen. These practices not only benefit the land and livestock, but also support the wildlife, said Burl. They acknowledge that although making improvements may not always be the most profitable option, they try to balance profit with other priorities, said Burl.

“You have to have good financial planning, but you also have to look at the health and welfare of your livestock, of your land, and of your family unit too,” said Karen. “You have to take all of that into consideration. I think that is what wealth is all about.”

Burl and Karen are the 57th recipients of the award that recognizes farm and ranch families for their dedication to the betterment of the organization and good stewardship of their land and animals for future generations. Knowing the families

that were awarded before them and the impacts those families had on agriculture makes receiving the award quite an honor, said Karen.

“It really hit home that people do appreciate what you have done,” said Burl. “We really appreciate that too and being recognized as the Farm Bureau Family [of the Year] is amazing.

I can’t hardly believe it yet.”

The Brown family was nominated for the award by Union CF&LB President and NMF&LB Board of Directors member Kim Miller. In her nomination, she called Burl a mainstay of Farm Bureau and credited him as a resource to many in the organization.

“Burl, Karen, their sons, Damon and Ryan, and their families are active and exemplary members of our community, continually serving in leadership positions, and as members in many of our local organizations and for our school, in addition to running a yearling cattle operation,” said Miller. “They are good neighbors to us all.”

Top Left: Burl holds his grandson, John David. Bottom Left: Burl and granddaughter, Katy, enjoying the view. Top Right: Depending on the health of the grass and the size and type of the cattle, the Brown family takes in up to 1,000 head of yearling steers every year.

Bottom Right: Karen, who has a passion for horses, started raising mules when the horse market crashed. Today, they still have a few.

8 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

2024 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW What to expect in the 30-day session

By Tiffany Rivera, NMF&LB Director of Government Affairs The 2024 legislative session will quickly be upon us. The session starts on January 16 and will run for 30 days. During this time, the prime focus of the legislature will be on crafting a state budget and addressing items on the Governor’s call.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham through her State of the State address will announce her priorities and goals for the session which then determines what the legislature will be allowed to discuss and act upon outside of the budget.

The governor has held her cards close in response to what will be included in her call. Through our conversations and observations throughout the interim, we anticipate that in addition to the budget, the legislature will likely focus on education, firearms, oil and gas reform, child welfare, crime, economic development, infrastructure, agency reform, and water.

Budget Developing a budget is one of the largest tasks our state legislators are faced with and requires balance and thorough analysis to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately and wisely. The legislature will once again be presented with a historic amount of new money during the upcoming session largely thanks to oil and gas production. Currently, the state is anticipating a whopping $3.48 billion in “new money” or money that has not been previously allocated for a specific purpose. As many of you are already aware, New Mexico ranks second in the nation in crude oil production, behind Texas, and the sector generates roughly 40% of the state’s general fund dollars.

The largest beneficiaries of state funding include public and higher education institutions and Medicaid. A priority and a continued challenge for the state legislature and the executive has been working to diversify revenue generation through alternative forms of economic development in hopes of decoupling

the state budget with the boom-and-bust nature of the oil and gas sector.

Priorities New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau’s state board has adopted the following for our 2024 legislative priorities.

Support • Re-instating a state meat inspection program. » New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau will work to encourage and support the development of a state meat inspection program. Throughout the last legislative session and this interim, we have had critical conversations with key legislative players to ensure there is overwhelming support for this effort. If enacted, a state meat inspection program would be developed and housed at the NM Livestock Board.

This effort directly aligns with the governor’s efforts to focus on building resilient local food systems and will directly benefit New Mexico livestock producers through the opportunity for increased markets within the state. The development of a state meat inspection program will also offer consumers additional opportunities to purchase locally raised protein. As we head into the 2024 legislative session, it is important to note that the Livestock Board must have legislative authority to enter into an agreement with the United States to implement a state meat inspection program. The legislative authority must establish standards that are at least equal to federal standards.

• Predator Compensation Program » The Mexican wolf re-introduction efforts in southwest New Mexico have had devastating effects on local livestock producers over the years. In response

Winter 2024 9

to these continued impacts and the need for additional coordination and assistance a board called the County Livestock Loss Authority (CLLA) was formed. The board is comprised of 5 members with representation from Catron, Sierra, and Socorro counties, a livestock producer (located in the impacted area), and a non-governmental agency. The group works to facilitate communication between management agencies, establish effective partnerships, and implement cooperative efforts to provide relief to livestock producers. The CLLA is housed in Sierra County. The group will be requesting a legislative appropriation of 3 million dollars to assist in administering the CLLA programs. The administration of the CLLA directly complements efforts that we have been pursuing at the federal level through the WOLF Act to provide additional resources to livestock producers negatively impacted by the reintroduction efforts.

Oppose • Clean fuel standard » Once again, we anticipate that there will be efforts to establish a clean fuel standard in New Mexico.

A clean fuel standard aims to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation by penalizing the production of certain fuels like gasoline and diesel. The

10 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

approach “effectively taxes high carbon fuels and subsidizes lower carbon fuels” through a system of tradeable credits. These types of policies often result in higher fuel prices.

• Paid family medical leave mandate » Paid family medical leave programs generally provide employees with paid time off to care for family members or a new child. During the last legislative session, a bill was proposed that broadly defined the circumstance under which paid family and medical leave could be taken, required that both employers and employees paid into the program, and offered up to 12 weeks of paid leave.

Member Engagement The success of New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau is a direct result of our member’s advocacy and engagement efforts. As we head into the 2024 legislative session, we strongly encourage you to stay engaged and connected with your state legislators. Your voice matters! Keep your eyes open for our weekly session reports and calls to action. And lastly, please plan on joining us January 16-17 in Santa Fe for our legislative activities.

graduating boot camp

Lessons learned from AFB Women’s Communications Boot Camp

By Carlina Harris, NMF&LB WLC 1st Vice Chair My husband and I farm in San Antonio, NM. I serve on the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee as 1st vice chair. I was one of 15 women chosen for the 19th class of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Communication Boot Camp held October 16th through the 19th in Washington, D.C. The AFB Women’s Leadership Program hosts Boot Camp twice a year and women must apply and be chosen to attend. The program is designed to help women be more confident in being advocates for agricultural.

It is an intense four-day course that features hands-on sessions related to public speaking, working with the media, and messaging.

As part of the course, we had to prepare a 3-minute presentation on a topic we chose and then present to our fellow boot campers. My topic was the farm bill of 2023. The farm bill is

typically renewed every five years, and as of October, the farm bill had not even been presented. There are many programs in this omnibus bill that farmers and ranchers utilize to help their operation. This public speaking session helped us to prepare and present.

We also focused on how to work with the media and speak to them to tell our story. Our media training included mock interviews on the radio that simulated what it would be like if we were being interviewed. We then had one day where we were interviewed on television. This was recorded before we went into another room where we saw our interview. We were critiqued on how we spoke which improved how we present ourselves. It does not hurt for us to take a step back and listen and not be so defensive when we’re fighting for agriculture because this is what the media is looking for. We also had a

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session that prepared us for a visit to Capitol Hill to speak to our senators and representatives.

This program was very helpful for me, and I am thankful I was able to attend. The skills I learned will help me to tell our story and give key points as to why agriculture is so important, not only farmers and ranchers, but to everyone that eats. We had one day where we were able to go up on the Hill and visit with our representatives and senators. We, in Farm Bureau, are very thankful to have Tiffany Rivera because she helped to set up my visits. I did not visit with any of our representatives or senators in person, but instead met with their staff who are just as important. I was able to visit with them about the key issues for agriculture in New Mexico and the things they can help us with and what we can do to help them be a voice for us.

My experience at Boot Camp was not all work! We took a night tour of D.C. and the monuments, which was amazing. We also had a group dinner where we went down to The

Wharf and ate. We got to know one another a little better, and I met some amazing women that I now call my friends for life.

No matter what part of the United States you come from, we all have one goal, and that’s to be a voice for agriculture so we can feed the world and future generations can continue to do the same.

I am so thankful that the NMF&LB Women’s Leadership Program opened the door for me to participate in this program and learn these skills. I am still learning and eager to keep being an advocate for agriculture. I encourage women to be advocates for agriculture in New Mexico and am willing to help them be that voice that we need. AFBF will host two 2024 Boot Camp sessions. The first is scheduled for April 1-4, 2024.

Applications will open toward the end of December and close on January 29, 2024. If you are interested in applying, please reach out to a member of the NMF&LB Women’s Leadership Committee.

Top Left: Carlina Harris and other Boot Camp participants meet with Morgan Walker, AFBF Director of Digital Marketing. Top Right: Carlina Harris prepares for her mock television interview. Bottom: Carlina Harris was one of 15 women selected for the 2023 fall session. L to R: AFB Women’s Leadership Committee Chair Isabella Chism, Carlina Harris, and AFBF Vice President of Communications Terri Moore.

12 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

2024 AFBF YOUNG FARMERS & RANCHERS

COMP E T ITION AWARDS The YF&R program helps young members shape their future and American agriculture through leadership development and personal growth opportunities. Three competitions enable members to showcase their leadership experience, communication skills and successful business plans as they compete against the best of the best from each state Farm Bureau.

As part of the YF&R competitions, the top four competitors in the Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture areas will receive:

1st

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A. Montoya Elementary Teacher Honored as 2023 NMAITC’s Teacher of the Year

Faye Richards, a fourth-grade teacher at A. Montoya Elementary School in Tijeras, was named as the 2023 New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (NMAITC) Teacher of the Year during the 106th NMF&LB Annual Meeting. The award recognizes a New Mexico teacher or teacher team for their integrated efforts to teach students about the importance of agriculture.

“It is very rewarding to provide a teacher such as Faye Richards with the recognition and accolades she so richly deserves,” said NMAITC Director Traci Curry. “ She is the epitome of what this award seeks to honor, which is that agriculture belongs in the classroom and that it is lush with never-ending opportunities to learn right alongside the students while providing rich community connections that help students understand the importance of where their food originates while helping them see the value of being life-long learners.”

In 2021, Richards received a Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grant to establish a school garden that now includes a wide variety of native and drought-tolerant perennial plants, Sub Pod worm bins, various tools, new raised beds, mulch, and compost. She also attended the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) School Garden Conference, co-hosted

by NMAITC, where she networked with other teachers who connected her with resources to start a school-wide composting program. Through the composting program, the school diverts 10 to 20 pounds of waste from landfills each day.

Through her efforts, the entire school and community has enjoyed learning in the school garden. Her students made pizza utilizing items grown in the garden to enjoy a direct farm-to-

table experience in their own classroom. Richards has hosted professional development sessions with fellow teachers utilizing lesson plans from the Whole Kids Foundation and NMAITC. She has hosted a “School Garden Party” where 30 volunteers assisted in the garden and local businesses, including Roots Farm Café, Polk’s Folly Farm, Food is Free, Houghton Landscaping, and other businesses provided donations.

“Ms. Richards took an empty space behind our school in 2019 and created a working, outdoor classroom,” said Doreen Trotz, principal at A. Montoya Elementary School. “This space is the school garden and is enjoyed by students, teachers and staff throughout the year.”

Richards incorporates agricultural literacy into other parts of her curriculum. For the past three years, Richards’ students have participated in the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program and learned from guest teachers from the New Mexico Acequia Association and NMAITC. “Through their stewardship, every student in our school is beginning a journey of understanding where their food comes from, and where it goes,” said Richards in her application.

“Students will be armed with the knowledge, attitude, and skills applicable at school, at home, and potentially for agricultural careers in this ever-changing world.”

As the 2023 NMAITC Teacher of the Year, Richards will attend the 2024 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference and will be entered into the National Ag in the Classroom Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture award program.

L to R: New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau (NMF&LB) Foundation board member Patty Waid, New Mexico Ag in the Classroom (NMAITC) Program Coordinator Shae Devers, A. Montoya Elementary School Principal Doreen Trotz, NMF&LB President Larry Reagan, Faye Richards, NMAITC Director Traci Curry, and NMAITC Senior Program Coordinator Britney Lardner.

14 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

News from the Foundation

New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom Welcomes Chevron as Gold Apple Sponsor

New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (NMAITC) is pleased to announce that Chevron is a new Gold Apple Sponsor, providing $15,000 in support in 2023. A portion of Chevron’s support was earmarked to NMAITC for exhibiting at the “Science, Technology & Environmental Day” at the 2023 New Mexico State Fair where more than 3,000 New Mexico youth were reached with educational materials. Their support is also helping NMAITC to reach more Pre-K-12th grade New Mexico classroom teachers and their students with crucial agricultural and natural resource literacy instruction.

“We sincerely appreciate this support from Chevron and their commitment to New Mexico agriculture,” said Elizabeth Foster, CEO of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau and secretary/treasurer of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Foundation. “Their support helped NMAITC in having a significant presence and impact at the 2023 New Mexico State Fair and is increasing our impact in New Mexico classrooms across our state.”

“We work with communities and partners to make social investments in programs that promote self-sufficiency, job

growth and economic development,” said Patrick Killen, Senior State Government Affairs Representative for New Mexico.

“NMAITC educational programs strive to foster in students an appreciation of our farmers and ranchers and an understanding of the importance agriculture plays in our everyday lives.”

Chevron Corporation is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. Through its subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide, the company is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom is the educational outreach program of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Foundation. The purpose of NMAITC is to educate the general public, with an emphasis on Pre-K-12th grade students and educators, about the importance of agriculture. Website: www.nmaitc.org

Coterra Energy Sponsors New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom Coterra Energy is a new sponsor of New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (NMAITC), supporting NMAITC at $5,000 in 2023. Coterra Energy’s support is helping NMAITC reach more Pre-K-12th grade New Mexico classroom teachers and their students with crucial agricultural and natural resource literacy instruction.

“We appreciate Coterra Energy for their commitment to New Mexico agriculture,” said Elizabeth Foster, CEO of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau and secretary/treasurer of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Foundation. “Their support allows us to increase our impact in New Mexico classrooms across our state.”

“Agriculture and energy are partners, you can’t have one without the other and we’ve witnessed that in our partnership with New Mexico Ag in the Classroom. Agriculture and Education are two of our pillars of outreach and AITC is a beautiful way to see the two converge,” said Becca Myers, External

16 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

Affairs for Coterra.

Coterra Energy is a premier, diversified energy company. We have some of the best oil and natural gas assets in the country. We embrace innovation, technology and data in the communities where we operate. Our approach is centered on a dedicated, consistent effort toward reducing our footprint. Our operations are primarily concentrated in three operating areas: the Permian Basin in west Texas and southern New Mexico, the Marcellus Shale in northeast Pennsylvania and the Anadarko Basin in the Mid-Continent region in Oklahoma. Website: https://www.coterra.com/ New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom is the educational outreach program of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Foundation. The purpose of NMAITC is to educate the general public, with an emphasis on Pre-K-12th grade students and educators, about the importance of agriculture. Website: https://newmexico.agclassroom.org/

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Left: NMF&LB staff helps Ron Baca and his wife check in and give them a registration bag courtesy of Ford.

Right: The 2023 House of Delegates considered numerous resoutions submitted by county Farm Bureaus.

2023 Annual Meeting Recap More than 150 members from across the state attended the 2023 NMF&LB Annual Meeting November 16 and 17, 2023, in Albuquerque, NM. The theme for this year’s meeting was “Inspire, Connect, Engage.” Attendees inspired by keynote speakers to have a refreshed outlook on life and agriculture, connected with new and old friends, and engaged their voices in the grassroots advocacy central to the organization.

Above: Roosevelt County Farm and Livestock Bureau was awarded the First County to Make Quota award. Bottom Left: The trade show welcomed 21 vendor booths. Bottom Right: The four

18 New Mexico Farm & Ranch

competitors in the final round of the state NMF&LB YF&R Youth Discussion Meet were Mikayla Klinger, Lillian Sloan, Jase Starnes, and Aiden Schwebach.

Top Left: Sharon Luna was recognized as the Top Senior Agent. Top Middle: Javier Correa was recognized as the Top Junior Agent. Top Right: Craig Ogden was awarded the Riding for the Brand Award. He is the eighth individual to receive the award since its inception in 2006.

Above: Marilyn Upchurch with KRQE accepted the Media Person of the Year award alongside her family. Second on the Right: Casey Spradley from Sandoval County received the Volunteer of the Year award. Third on the Right: Monte Anderson received the Top Harvester award for bringing in the most ag members for the year. Bottom Left: The top four competitors in the Collegiate Discussion Meet were Kolby Taylor (3rd), Kate Cooper (1st), Ella Gossett (4th), and Ryan Anderson (2nd). Bottom Right: The Roadrunner District was awarded the Raising the Steaks award.

Winter 2024 19

Reagan from page 4 when the legislators start to make decisions. If you feel you need help with testimony, our excellent staff can help prepare you so it will be easy. If you don’t want to testify, just show up. Sheer numbers in these committee rooms makes a huge difference.

Another way for you to make your voices heard is with phone calls and e-mails. Pay attention to your email inbox.

When there is a call to action from us, make those phone calls and send emails to the legislators on that committee. The session is a busy time for legislators, but even if you do not talk

to a live person, the phone calls and emails are counted and do make a difference.

Lastly, attend your county meetings to stay updated.

Read the legislative emails we send to stay informed and stay involved. It’s the only way we are going to survive. Grassroots advocacy does not end when our resolutions process is complete. It is a continual practice that requires each and every one of us to use our voices and lend a hand. It is astounding to me that we have to fight so hard for the right to grow food to feed people. But that’s the reality we live in. Stay involved.

Duvall from page 4 ability to nutrition programs—this is a critical piece of legislation for the nation as a whole. Farm Bureau has been working across our organization, the agriculture sector and along the food supply chain, and with leaders in Congress to deliver a farm bill, and we’ll build on that work to ensure our farmer and rancher members have the tools they need not just for this year, but for years to come.

Just as critical in protecting our nation’s food supply is addressing the agricultural workforce shortage and unsustainable wage rate hikes. For some farm families, the start of a new year means tough choices about whether their businesses can survive the rising cost of labor—and that is if they can even find labor. We have reached a crisis point when it comes to reforming our guest worker visa program in a way that works for all types of agriculture in all regions of our country. Will it be easy to find a solution? No, but it can be done, and it must be done.

Farmers care about our employees and we understand better than anyone the skills and hard work that the jobs on our farms take. We need a manageable, accessible, and sustainable guest worker program that allows us to keep providing jobs on our farms at competitive wages, as we work alongside our employees to keep our nation’s food supply secure and sustainable.

Another issue that we’re resolved to see addressed for family farm and ranch businesses is tax reform. The estate tax is a burden that has been looming over farm families for far too long. While we have seen helpful exemptions for farms, ranches, and other small businesses, those exemptions always have expiration dates. We expect to see a bill introduced in the

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House of Representatives this month to bury the estate tax once and for all for family businesses. This way, farm families can be free to plan for the future, and the next generation can return to the farm without fear of having to sell off land—or close operations completely—to pay off estate taxes.

Additionally, Congress needs to turn its attention to the looming expiration at the end of 2025 of the many tax reforms that benefited the small business community, farms and ranches included. The Section 199A Small Business Income Deduction and 100% Bonus Depreciation are critical tax provisions to the yearly operations of family businesses and should be made permanent like the corporate provisions were in 2017.

While these are just a few of our priorities that we’re resolved to work with lawmakers on this year, it’s far from our whole list. In this new year, we’re resolved to see USDA complete its steps to reform the dairy marketing system. We’re resolved to work with the administration to expand trade opportunities for agriculture. We’re resolved to keep defending your farms and ranches from burdensome and overreaching regulations. And we’re resolved to continue working across the agriculture and food supply chains to boost the sustainability and resilience of our food, fiber and fuel supplies.

This may seem like an ambitious list, but I have confidence in the strength of our grassroots. I have confidence in our ability to come together, share different viewpoints and find a way forward. And like my dad used to say every morning on the dairy farm, if we don’t start now, we never will.

Foster from page 4 ing leadership skills and building stronger county Farm and Livestock Bureaus. We’ve continued to make a few changes for this next year in planning to meet these goals. A few of these changes include revamping our presence at the New Mexico State Fair and continuing to build the momentum at fairs and other community outreach programs. We will also be inviting county presidents, leaders, and program leaders such as Women’s Leadership Program and Young Farmers and Ranchers to our Washington, D.C., trips to advocate on important issues.

In 2024, our staff will be working to promote stronger relationships with elected officials, FBFS agents, educators, and community leaders. They are also working to provide opportunities to share in programs within the classrooms, assist counties in their community events by helping with promotional

items, and sharing our message of who we are and what we do across communication channels. At the county level, our field service managers want to help new members of county boards and officers with resources and assistance to build stronger and more successful county programs. They will also be delving into urban agriculture and finding resources for our urban counties to use in recruiting and building urban county boards.

Our staff, along with our volunteer leadership, will be working hard to accomplish these goals to fulfill our mission statement. We invite you to join us at any of our events and programs that we have this year and take an opportunity to see what we are about and the various events we have for members to participate in.

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Winter 2024 21

New Mexico LandLink

New resource seeks to address land access

By Weston Medlock, New Mexico LandLink Program Coordinator New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service has launched a new website to address the critical land access needs in the state by connecting farmers and ranchers with landowners.

New Mexico LandLink provides a platform that allows farmers and ranchers to find land and landowners to find a producer for their property. Both users can create FREE Land-Seeker or Landowner Listings, communicate directly through the website’s secure messaging portal, and discover hundreds of resources!

“Land access continues to be one of the top challenges for New Mexico’s agriculture and addressing these barriers is critical to ensuring a sustainable future for our agriculture. NM LandLink addresses these challenges by providing a robust and user-friendly platform that allows land-seekers and landowners to find each other, connect, and ultimately, achieve land access,” New Mexico LandLink Program Coordinator Weston Medlock said.

The New Mexico LandLink site was created thanks to funding from the Thornburg Foundation, and further program expansion will be supported by a New Mexico Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant.

“If recent trends continue, by the year 2040, over 204,000 acres of farmland will be lost to development, which is more than six times the size of Santa Fe,” Medlock said. “The ultimate goal is to mitigate this loss of agricultural land by creating a land access hub for beginning and expanding farmers and ranchers.”

NM LandLink goes beyond a land-linking website by providing technical land access assistance for farmers, ranchers, and landowners. Often, land-seekers and landowners struggle with knowing where to start when venturing into finding land to lease or finding the right farmer/rancher to steward their land. That’s why NM LandLink is here to educate and support individuals in understanding the various creative options

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that can help them meet their personal goals and make more informed decisions.

The NM LandLink website has been designed to serve the diverse needs of New Mexico’s agricultural land-seekers and landowners. For farmers and ranchers, the platform can be a valuable tool for finding land, regardless of the producer’s experience, desired acreage size, or type of operation. Whether you are a first-year, specialty crop farmer looking for half an acre, or a middle-aged, veteran rancher looking to scale up a few hundred acres, NM LandLink is here to help. Similarly, for landowners, whether you have one irrigated acre, a 100-acre fully operational farm, or a property that’s never been cultivated you’d like to see farmed, NM LandLink can help you find a producer that shares your values and vision.

One of the resources that will soon be available on the NM LandLink site is the New Mexico Land Access Handbook.

This toolkit will include topics such as New Mexico’s agricultural land use, land access agreement types, considerations for landowners leasing their land, considerations for land-seekers leasing land, unique compensation structures, standard land lease agreement components, variables for determining land value, and succession planning.

“The New Mexico Land Access Handbook will be unique in that it will be a comprehensive toolkit for farmers, ranchers, and landowners to help navigate the process of what it looks to have someone farm your land, and what it looks like for you to farm someone else’s land,” Medlock said. Medlock added that the New Mexico LandLink site isn’t a real estate service or legal service website.

To learn more about New Mexico LandLink, visit https:// landlinknm.org, or contact NM LandLink Program Coordinator, Weston Medlock at wmedlock@nmsu.edu or 901-4861344.

Winter 2024 23

Non Profit Organization PRSRT MKT

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PAID

2220 N. Telshor Las Cruces, NM 88011

PERMIT 1152

ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED

Albuquerque, NM

NEW MEXICO FARM & LIVESTOCK BUREAU Since 1917 . . . a Leader in New Mexico

NMF&LB 2220 N. TELSHOR BLVD. LAS CRUCES, NM 88011 575.532.4700 • FAX: 575.532.4710 OFFICERS Larry Reagan President, Ft. Sumner Don Hartman 1st Vice President, Deming Travis Harris 2nd Vice President, San Antonio Elizabeth Foster Chief Executive Officer

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 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

STAFF Marissa Cereceres Marketing Manager Traci Curry Director of NMAITC Shae Devers NMAITC Program Coordinator Cecilia Diaz-Johnson Controller Britney Lardner NMAITC Sr. Program Coordinator Tiffany Rivera Director of Government Affairs Benjie Segovia Regional Manager Katelin Spradley Director of Communications Patrick Torres Regional Manager Theresa Widner Executive Administrative Assistant