Off-Farm Income Increasingly Important for Agricultural & Rural Economy Source: grainnet.com
counties that have remained farm-dependent and have been less able to diversify their economies. Counties that were farm-dependent in 2015 had seen population decline by four percent from 1974 to 2019, on average.
Conversely, counties that were not farm-dependent in 2015 had grown 55 percent in population over the same period. Off-farm jobs are especially critical for young and beginning farmers as they build
Storage Tank
Hay Saver Hay Wagon Spider
Loading Chute
PUNCHY CATTLE COMPANY
(575) 502-0013 • Anthony, New Mexico • www.punchycattlecompanyandtanksupply.com facebook.com/Punchy-Cattle-Company-Tank-Supply-1416734078350487
animal ANIMAL & & range RANGE sS CC iI eE nN CC eE sS The TheDepartment DepartmentofofAnimal Animal&&Range RangeSciences Sciencesisispart partofofthe the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental College of Agricultural, Consumer & EnvironmentalSciences Sciences
Four on-campus animal facilities house: beeF CaTTle/horses/swine/sheep Students can major in Animal or Rangeland Resources and are provided with the very best of “hands on” academic instruction by our faculty. Fully equipped labs allow students access to cutting-edge research in: LIVESTOCK NUTRITION / GENETICS / PHYSIOLOGY / ENDOCRINOLOGY / MEAT SCIENCE / WOOL / TOXICOLOGY / WATERSHED & RANGELAND ECOLOGY / WEED & BRUSH CONTROL / PLANT SYSTEMATICS / GRAZING MANAGEMENT
The Department also offers pre-veterinary studies – our graduates have a high acceptance rate into veterinary medicine programs. We offer graduate degrees at the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy levels. The M.S. or Ph.D. in Animal Science can emphasize nutrition or physiology, and offers a Ph.D. in Range Science to study range management, range ecology and watershed management.
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO OPERATES
U
.S. farmers’ and ranchers’ increasing dependence on off-farm employment and income reveals the growing economic interconnection of rural communities and surrounding cities. According to a study by researchers at the University of Missouri, 82 percent of U.S. farm household income now comes from offfarm sources. The study was commissioned by CoBank and completed in partnership with CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. Most farmers cited reliable income as the top reason for off-farm employment, as onehalf of farm households have negative farm income in a typical year. Health and retirement benefits were also cited as keys reasons for off-farm jobs within farm households. Among the study’s key findings is that rural communities have increasingly diverse economies, and success within a rural community’s agricultural sector is largely dependent on other sectors of the regional economy at large. Today, only 6.5 percent of workers in rural counties are employed in agriculture, compared to 15.4 percent in 1970. The largest single source of employment in rural areas is the service sector, which accounts for 57.4 percent of all jobs. The majority of residents in farm-dependent counties are commuting to jobs outside of their home counties. As a result, rural and urban communities have grown economically closer as workers and businesses engage with each other across multiple counties. “The rural economy has become more diverse and more complex than it was even 15 years ago,” said Dan Kowalski, vice president of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “What that means for those of us who serve rural communities is we have to evolve our understanding of what fuels rural economies and what these communities need to succeed and thrive. In many cases, the historical concept of ‘rural’ no longer applies.” The 2019 population of non-metro, or rural, counties was 46 million, or 14 percent of the U.S. population. Most of that population, 30 million or 65 percent, lived in counties adjacent to metro areas. The close ties between metro and non-metro counties reflects how the nation’s urban and rural communities have grown economically, and geographically, closer over the past 50 years. Population loss has been a challenge for
• The Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (The College Ranch) – 64,000 acre ranch just outside of Las Cruces • The Corona Range & Livestock Research Center – 28,000 acre ranch & facilities in Corona, NM • Student organizations, including a Block & Bridle Club, Pre-Vet Club, Range Club, Horsemen’s Association, Therapeutic Riding Club, & Judging Teams • Clayton Research Center hosts research on shipping protocols, particularly evaluating the health and performance of newly received cattle, and nutrition and management from feedlot to slaughter
Dr. John Campbell hallford––575-646-6180 575-646-2515 Dr. Shanna Ivey––575/646-6180 575-646-2515 /• Dr. Dr. Dennis John Campbell http://aces.nmsu.edu/academics/anrs/ http://aces.nmsu.edu/academics/anrs
OCTOBER 2022
55