"LEADERSHIP IS NOT POSITION OR TITLE, IT IS ACTION AND EXAMPLE"

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​Randell Major; President
Magdalena, NM 

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Message from The President - Elect
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April 1, 2021

“Your mute is on.”, “You are muted!”, “You are muted on your side!!!”
“Can you hear me?”,  “Let me try something!”….. “How about now?”.
 
This is how every single committee meeting went during the 2021 regular sixty-day legislative session.  For those who have endured an entire year of Zoom meetings, I feel for you!  Despite all of the problems associated with an untraditional legislative session, the NMCGA legislative team adapted and were as effective as any year prior.  I am extremely proud of the work that came out of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association office.  Taylor kept up with press releases, articles and media outreach.  Michelle proved that there is no substitute for experience.  She has “been there and done that” but continues to bring passion to the task every single day!  The association is fortunate to have you both!  I would also like to thank the Ag Group for the cooperation and targeted efforts.  The greater agriculture community of the state is hard to stop when we all work together.  To all of our Past Presidents, Committee Chairs and bill readers all I can say is “Hats Off”!  There were days when we had five legislative committees and a dozen bills we were working on.  Without everybody working together the legislative team couldn’t have made it through those days.  If you are wondering why I have started this letter with my ‘Thanks’; I believe in counting my blessings first because the trials and tribulations seem smaller!

As I write this we have just over sixty hours left in the session.  I hate to even mention some of the bills that have gone off to some dark committee to die, for fear they might resurface like a debt in the Ides of March.  Fortunately, we killed SB 103 (Restricting use of Neonicotinoid Pesticide).  That particular class of pesticide is widely used on crops like chile and alfalfa, as well as to control lice and face flies.  Many of the water bills have also been tabled or lost in committee including: SB 16, HB 30, SB 86 and HB 95.  What we can expect is future attacks on New Mexico Water Law and the State Engineer.  We better study up over the next two years.  SB 312 (Game and Fish and Wildlife Changes) was tabled in Senate Conservation.  This bill took on a fundamental reorganization of the Game and Fish Department and created an in state endangered and threatened species directive.  It reared its ugly head again in SB 419 (Narrow Landowner Animal Takings) which was the complete repeal of the “Jennings Law”.  Once again we were able to get it tabled in the Senate Finance Committee.  A special thanks to Kerri Cox Romero and the New Mexico Council of Outfitters and Guides.   

In closing, if you are reading this letter and are not a member of one of the statewide agriculture organizations, you need to be!  If you run cattle in this state I hope you will join New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association.  If you feel you are more aligned with another organization, join and be active.  Political and social agendas are now more important than good agriculture or economic policy; you can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines.  Senator William Sharer, if you get permission to take that fence down, let me know.  I have some colleagues that are pretty handy with fencing pliers!

See you down the road,

Loren Patterson 
President- Elect

Executive Committee:

​Randell Major, Magdalena – President
Loren Patterson, Corona – President Elect
Joe Culbertson, Datil - Vice President at Large
Jeff Decker, Lovington - SE Vice President 
Roy Farr, Datil - SW Vice President
Cliff Copeland, Nara Vista - NE Vice President 
Dustin Johnson, Farmington – NW Vice President
Shacey Sullivan, Bosque Farms – Secretary/Treasurer
Tom Sidwell, Quay – Past President 
Pat Boone, Elida – Past President

Board of Directors:

​Linn Blancett  Aztec Trent Bilberry Roswell  Irvin Boyd  Eunice Darrell Brown  Artesia  Ron Burnett  Datil Kendell Buzard  Floyd Michael P. Carrica  Roswell  Jim Ross Caviness  Hobbs Jack Chatfield Mosquero Gerald Chacon  Espanola  Ricky Chavez  Quemado Emery Chee  Bloomfield Kim Chesser  Roswell Brad Christmas  Wagon Mound John Coniff  Las Cruces Pat Copeland  Nara Visa
Mike Corn  Roswell Bronson Corn  Roswell Caren Cowan   Albuquerque  Amanda Culbertson  Amistad  Bruce Davis Springer
Linda Davis Cimarron Troy Daniels  Wagon Mound  Jeff Decker  Lovington Joe Delk  Mesilla Park Matthew Denteclaw  Shiprock 
Lewis Derrick  Artesia  Crystal Runyan Diamond  Truth or Consequences Tommy Dinwiddie  Capitan Tracy Drumond Reserve Wesley Eaton  La Mesa Alden Elkins  Pinon Dan Estrada Trementina Roy Farr  Datil Kevin Floyd  Roswell Wayne Franklin  Tohatchi Cole Gardner  Yeso  Sid Gordon High Rolls  Jim Grider  Carrizozo Anita Hand  Datil  Nolberto Hernandez  Rio Rancho     
Heidi Humphries  Tucumcari Jim Jackson  Albuquerque Stan Jones  Broadview Curtis Kelling  Cuervo
Dave Kenneke Cimarron Garland King  Capulin  Justin Knight Tucumcari  Colton Lee  Alamogordo Boe Lopez   Springer 
Kenneth McKenzie  Encino  Sarah McKenzie  Fort Davis, TX Louis Montoya  La Plata Joe Bill Nunn  Deming Justin Nunn  Deming Tom Paterson  Houston, TX Tom Payne  Roswell  Tate Pruitt Capitan John Richardson  Winston  Bob Ricklefs  Ute Park
Charlie Rogers  Clovis John Romero  Albuquerque Carlos Salazar  Medanales Troy Sauble Maxwell
Becky Spindle  Moriarty Gary Stone   Weed  Troy Stone  Capitan  Felicia Thal  Buena Vista  Jim Thorpe Newkirk Ernie Torrez  La Jara  Bernarr Treat  Roswell  Tom Ulik  Stanley Lance Vicente ​Vaughan Judy Wallin  T or C Mike Wear  Hillsboro Gene Whetten  Magdalena Jimbo Williams  Quemado Marshal Wilson  Mesilla Park Pat Woods Broadview

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Past Presidents:

T.E. Mitchell, Albert *1922-1924        
Hugh L. Hodge, Silver City *1924-1926      
C.M. McDonel, Bell Ranch *1926-1928      
Tom P. Tallé, Las Vegas *1928-1930      
T.A. Spencer, Carrizozo *1930-1932       
Robert H. Royall, Tyrone *1932-1934      
Albert K. Mitchell, Albert *1934-1936       
Lee S. Evans,  Marquez *1936-1938        
A.D. Brownfield, Deming *1938-1939        
Oliver M. Lee, Alamogordo *1939-1941       
Con W. Jackson, Las Vegas *1941-1943      
Tom Clayton,  Spear *1943-1946        
E.G. Hayward,  Cimarron *1946-1948      
George A. Godfrey, Animas *1948-1950      
G.W. Evans,  Magdalena *1950-1952        
Roy Forehand,  Carlsbad *1952-1954       
Ed Heringa, Clayton *1954-1956      
S. Culberson, Lordsburg *1956-1958        
Dick Snyder, Clayton *1958-1960        
W.I. Driggers, Santa Rosa *1960-1962      
John Stark,  Deming *1962-1964        
Will Orndorff, Roswell *1964-1966        
J.L. (Les) Davis, Cimarron *1966-1968      
Noel Rankin,  Silver City *1968-1970       
W.O. Culbertson, Jr.,  Las Vegas *1970-1972 
Reuben E. Pankey, Santa Fe *1974-1976 
Charlie T. Lee,  Alamogordo *1976-1978  
Albert J. Mitchell, Albert *1978-1980      
Phil Harvey, Sr.,   Cave Creek, AZ 1980-1982 
Phillip Bidegain,   Tucumcari *1982-1984       
Bob Jones,  Crow Flat 1984-1985        
Don Hofman Tucumcari *1985-1987       
Peter T. Mocho Belen *1987-1989      
W.F. (Dub) Martin Santa Fe *1989-1991      
H.W. (Bud) Eppers Roswell 1991-1993       
Bill King  Stanley 1993-1995         
Wesley Grau, Grady 1995-1997         
William Humphries, Tucumcari 1997-1999    
Bob Frost, San Jon *1999-2001      
Jimmy R. Bason,  Hillsboro 2001-2003      
Phil H. Bidegain,  Tucumcari 2003-2005      
Don L. Bebo Lee,  Alamogordo 2005-2007     
Bill Sauble,  Maxwell 2007-2009      
Alisa Ogden, Loving 2009-2011        
Bert Ancell, Wagon Mound 2011-2013      
Rex Wilson,  Carrizozo 2013-2015        
​Jose Varela Lopez, La Cienguilla 2015-2017    
​Pat Boone, Elida 2017-2019

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Staff:

Michelle Frost-Maynard, Interim Executive Director
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Taylor Riggins, Administrative Manager & Communications Director

Committees:

ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT:
Finance Committee:
Chairman- Tom Sidwell
All past presidents and NMCGA executive committee
 
Litigation Committee:
Chairman- Alisa Ogden
Vice Chairman- Jim Jackson
Howard Hutcherson
Tom Paterson
Bill Suable
Phil Bidegain
Mike Casabonne
 
Nominating Committee:
Chairman- Pat Boone
Vice Chairman- Loren Patterson
Milford Denetclaw,
Mike Casabonne,
all past presidents
 
Bylaws Committee:
Chairman- Alisa Ogden
Vice Chairman- Phil Bidegain
Member- West Eaton
Member- Nikki Hooser
Member- Bebo Lee
Member- Tom Patterson
 
Allied industries Committee:
Chairman- Ryan Perry
Vice Chairman- Susan Navarro
 
Resolutions Committee:
Chairman- Chelsea Wilson 
Vice Chairman - Judy Wallin
 
Feeder Committee:
Chairman- Bruce Davis
Vice Chairman and Treasure- Bill King
 
MEMBERSHIP RELATIONS:
Membership Recruitment Subcommittee:
Chairman- Boe Lopez
Vice Chairman- Heidi Humphries
 
Cross Cultural Subcommittee:
Chairman- John Romero
Vice Chairman- Marjorie Lantana
 
Young Cattlemen's Leadership Subcommittee:
Chairman- Dusti Caviness
Co-Vice Chairman- Trent Bilberry
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JR Subcommittee:
Chairman: Dusti Caviness
Vice Chairman: Trent Bilberry
 
AG POLICY:
Legislative Subcommittee:
Chairman- Loren Patterson
Co Vice Chairman- Nikki Hooser
Co Vice Chairman- Cole Gardner
 
Water Subcommittee:
Chairman- Ernie Torrez
Co Vice Chairman- Carlos Salazar
Co Vice Chairman- Anita Hand
 
Wildlife Subcommittee:
Chairman- Dave Kenneke
Co Vice Chairman- Tom Patterson
Co Vice Chairman- Jimbo Williams
 
Energy, Oil & Gas Subcommittee:
Chairman- Ervin Boyd
Co-Vice Chairman- Bill King
Co-Vice Chair- Jim Bob Burnett
 
Private Lands Subcommittee:
Chairman- Elena Farr
Vice Chairman- Scott Bidegain
 
Federal and Trust Land Subcommittee:
Chairman- John Richardson
Co-Vice Chairman- Gerald Chacon
Co-Vice Chairman- Colton Lee
 
Taxation & Special Issues Subcommittee
Chairman- Tamara Hurt
Vice chairman- Kenneth McKenzie
 
Theft & Health Subcommittee:
Chairman- Tracy Drummond 
Vice Chairman- Dan Estrada
 
Promotion & Marketing Subcommittee:
Chairman- Ron Burnett
Vice Chairman- Amanda Culbertson
 
Research & Improvement Subcommittee:
Chairman- Kendell Wilson
Co-Vice Chairman- Jim Thorpe
Co- Vice Chairman- Sarah McKenzie