May 21, 2020 - NMSU Extension Animal Sciences & Natural Resources hosts "Navigating COVID for NM Beef Producers"
A ZOOM Webinar series designed to bring the most current information to NM Beef Producers Thursday, May 28, 6-8:00 pm. Register online: https://nmbeef.nmsu.edu/
A ZOOM Webinar series designed to bring the most current information to NM Beef Producers Thursday, May 28, 6-8:00 pm. Register online: https://nmbeef.nmsu.edu/
May 21, 2020 - Website connects consumers with New Mexico agriculture products LAS CRUCES – Consumers searching for New Mexico agricultural products may find items listed on the New Mexico Department of Agriculture website. “During this unprecedented time, there have been many instances in which we’ve needed to identify food sources quickly,” said New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte. “This new resource allows consumers to connect with agricultural businesses and producers right here in New Mexico.”
As part of the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Agriculture has assisted with identifying sources and securing food in a timely manner, whether it has been for food banks or for New Mexico’s Nations, Tribes and Pueblos. To add to this effort, now consumers can link directly to local producers and agricultural businesses.
“We want to have a central hub for home-grown and produced items,” said Witte. “We’re still working with the ag industry to grow this resource. Products are continuously being added to the list, and we plan to continue this effort post-pandemic.”
As part of the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Agriculture has assisted with identifying sources and securing food in a timely manner, whether it has been for food banks or for New Mexico’s Nations, Tribes and Pueblos. To add to this effort, now consumers can link directly to local producers and agricultural businesses.
“We want to have a central hub for home-grown and produced items,” said Witte. “We’re still working with the ag industry to grow this resource. Products are continuously being added to the list, and we plan to continue this effort post-pandemic.”
Selling Meat Direct to Consumers from the Ranch or Farm by Marcy Ward and Craig Gifford
In order for cattle producers to weather the storm, they are looking for alternative ways to market their beef. This publication will provide information that will help both producers and their customers become educated in direct beef sales off the ranch or farm.
In order for cattle producers to weather the storm, they are looking for alternative ways to market their beef. This publication will provide information that will help both producers and their customers become educated in direct beef sales off the ranch or farm.
| marcyward.pdf |
May 4, 2020 - Application Deadline for Cattle Growers’ Graduate Scholarship Approaching
June 25, 2020 is the deadline to apply for the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association’s (NMCGA’s) Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Committee (YCLC) $1000 Graduate Scholarship. “With this scholarship, we want to help young people who come from an agricultural background further their education,” said Randell Major, NMCGA President, Magdalena. “As they pursue those advanced degrees, we hope to also broaden production agriculture awareness in non-typical agricultural fields.” Applicants must be New Mexico residents, have a background in beef cattle production, and pursuing a post-graduate degree. Financial need will be considered, but is not a prerequisite. Preference will be given to NMCGA members and their families. “We encourage all interested students to apply,” said President Major. “There’s nothing easy – financially or otherwise – about post-graduate studies, and we want to do all we can to help students who are making that effort.”Applications must be received in the NMCGA office by June 25, 2020. They should be sent to: New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, Attention: Graduate Scholarship Committee, P.O. Box 7517, Albuquerque, NM 87194. The scholarship will be awarded July 15th, 2020.
June 25, 2020 is the deadline to apply for the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association’s (NMCGA’s) Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Committee (YCLC) $1000 Graduate Scholarship. “With this scholarship, we want to help young people who come from an agricultural background further their education,” said Randell Major, NMCGA President, Magdalena. “As they pursue those advanced degrees, we hope to also broaden production agriculture awareness in non-typical agricultural fields.” Applicants must be New Mexico residents, have a background in beef cattle production, and pursuing a post-graduate degree. Financial need will be considered, but is not a prerequisite. Preference will be given to NMCGA members and their families. “We encourage all interested students to apply,” said President Major. “There’s nothing easy – financially or otherwise – about post-graduate studies, and we want to do all we can to help students who are making that effort.”Applications must be received in the NMCGA office by June 25, 2020. They should be sent to: New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, Attention: Graduate Scholarship Committee, P.O. Box 7517, Albuquerque, NM 87194. The scholarship will be awarded July 15th, 2020.
| 20graduatescholarship_application_1___5_.pdf |
May 1, 2020 - NMCGA sued the Trump administration Monday over a rollback to an Obama-era water rule they argue is still too strict. At stake is the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. Read the latest: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/494886-ranchers-sue-trump-administration-arguing-water-rollback-is-federal?fbclid=IwAR28DU5ADytmpGEe4PA-64o1Ezm7Fxfters2RTCfK0OCGb9zDAfkZq5loQM
April 27, 2020 -The New Mexico Cattle Growers Association challenged certain provisions of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Navigable Waters Protection Rule today, represented by Pacific Legal Foundation. While the EPA’s new rules for regulating waterways, released last week, are a significant improvement over earlier versions, many farm fields and ranches are still unnecessarily regulated by the federal agency. Read the article: https://pacificlegal.org/press-release/epas-new-navigable-waters-rule-challenged
April 27, 2020 - Absentee voting by mail or in person
Voters may cast an absentee ballot or vote in person at their local County Clerk’s office or an early voting location prior to Election Day. No excuse is required to vote with an absentee ballot. You may now visit www.NMVote.org to request an absentee ballot, find an early voting location, and more!
Absentee voting begins on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 for the Primary Election. Request an absentee ballot by filling out an application and returning it to your local County Clerk. Applications can be obtained by:
If you do not receive the absentee ballot, please contact the County Clerk’s Office no later than Monday, June 1, 2020.
Voters may cast an absentee ballot or vote in person at their local County Clerk’s office or an early voting location prior to Election Day. No excuse is required to vote with an absentee ballot. You may now visit www.NMVote.org to request an absentee ballot, find an early voting location, and more!
Absentee voting begins on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 for the Primary Election. Request an absentee ballot by filling out an application and returning it to your local County Clerk. Applications can be obtained by:
- Fill out an application online by Clicking Here
- Contacting your County Clerk’s Office in person, phone, mail or email
- Downloading an Absentee Ballot Application here and mailing it or hand delivering it to your County Clerk’s Office
- Absentee ballot requests through the Secretary of State’s website for the 2020 Primary Election will be accepted until 11:59 PM on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
- Voters can request an absentee ballot for the 2020 primary election from their county clerk through Thursday, May 28, 2020. Requests must be made by this deadline in order for the absentee ballot to be mailed by the appropriate county clerk in a timely manner.
- NOTE: All county clerks in New Mexico will provide early in-person voting on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Because of the nature of postal delivery, the Secretary of State encourages any voter considering making an absentee ballot request on Thursday, May 28, 2020, to consider voting in-person during early voting hours on Saturday, May 30, 2020, or to vote in-person on Election Day, Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
If you do not receive the absentee ballot, please contact the County Clerk’s Office no later than Monday, June 1, 2020.
April 24, 2020 - NMDA aims to connect consumers with NM Agriculture Products
If you are a New Mexico producer/business that wishes to include your food, beverage or agricultural product and contact information on our online products-to-consumer database, please visit http://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/ag-products-to-consumers/. Once you submit your information, the NMDA staff will verify the submission, and once validated, it will be added to the list. Questions? Email ElevateNMAg@nmda.nmsu.edu. If you are interested in being listed in the USDA database, submit your information at the USDA’s Local Food Directory Registration and Update at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional/food-directories-update.
If you are a New Mexico producer/business that wishes to include your food, beverage or agricultural product and contact information on our online products-to-consumer database, please visit http://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/ag-products-to-consumers/. Once you submit your information, the NMDA staff will verify the submission, and once validated, it will be added to the list. Questions? Email ElevateNMAg@nmda.nmsu.edu. If you are interested in being listed in the USDA database, submit your information at the USDA’s Local Food Directory Registration and Update at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional/food-directories-update.
NMCGA withdraws participation from NM Ag & Natural Resource Trust Fund Work Group
| ag__natural_resource_trust_letter.pdf |
April 23, 2020 - NMCGA Mid-Year Meeting Cancelled After careful consultation with our executive committee regarding the health and safety of everyone in our association membership, our exhibitors, and our employees, we have made the difficult decision to cancel NMCGA Mid-Year Meeting at The Ruidoso Convention Center on June 9 -11, 2020.
April 21, 2020 - NMCGA comments on taking of Mexican Gray Wolves in AZ:
https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2020/04/21/feds-kill-4-mexican-gray-wolves-days-after-announcing-population-gains/
https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2020/04/21/feds-kill-4-mexican-gray-wolves-days-after-announcing-population-gains/
| 20_mym_notice-of-cancellation.docx |
April 20, 2020 - Branding and Spring Works Guidelines
These suggestions are intended to give ideas of how to limit the spread of COVID-19 while still getting the work done:
These suggestions are intended to give ideas of how to limit the spread of COVID-19 while still getting the work done:
| springworkguidlinescovid19.pdf |
April 15, 2020- Mexican wolf final 10(j) rule Comments due by June 15, 2020
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a Federal Register notice to open a 60-day public scoping period for the development of a supplemental environmental impact statement as part of our court-ordered revision of the 2015 Mexican wolf final 10(j) rule. The Federal Register notice is attached. Comments are due by June 15, 2020. You may submit written comments by one of the following methods: (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FWS-R2-ES-2020-0007-0001. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2020-0007, which is the docket number for this notice of intent. (2) By hard copy: Submit comments by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2020-0007; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/PERMA (JAO/1N), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a Federal Register notice to open a 60-day public scoping period for the development of a supplemental environmental impact statement as part of our court-ordered revision of the 2015 Mexican wolf final 10(j) rule. The Federal Register notice is attached. Comments are due by June 15, 2020. You may submit written comments by one of the following methods: (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FWS-R2-ES-2020-0007-0001. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2020-0007, which is the docket number for this notice of intent. (2) By hard copy: Submit comments by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2020-0007; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/PERMA (JAO/1N), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
| mexican_wolf_10_j__nepa_scoping_85_fr_20967_april_15_2020.pdf |
April 8, 2020 - SUPERINTENDENT OF INSURANCE, ATTORNEY GENERAL WARN ABOUT COVID-19 SCAMS
Santa Fe, NM - The New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance (“Superintendent”) and
the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General are warning businesses and consumers that conartists
and scammers are taking advantage of the panic, fear and confusion surrounding the
COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) pandemic, and have intensified efforts to defraud and steal....
Santa Fe, NM - The New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance (“Superintendent”) and
the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General are warning businesses and consumers that conartists
and scammers are taking advantage of the panic, fear and confusion surrounding the
COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) pandemic, and have intensified efforts to defraud and steal....
| press_release_covid_fraud_.pdf |
April 6, 2020- NMCCGA Requests Investigation into Price Gouging
| 20_beef_price_fixing-letter_nm_ag.pdf |
April 6, 2020
Attorney General Hector Balderas
408 Galisteo Street
Villagra Bulding
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Dear Attorney General Balderas:
On behalf of New Mexico Cattle Growers Association (NMCGA), and our agriculture organization partners we thank you for your previous actions on price fixing. Your commitment to hold those who abuse the free market system accountable is appreciated by agriculture. Agriculture operates under supply and demand principle and need the assurance of fair markets. The beef industry in our state needs your help and requests that you investigate the current beef price gouging in the state.
In New Mexico it is against the law for anyone to misrepresent the price of goods or services to take advantage of our consumers. We appreciate that you have taken the position to prosecute anyone that increases price in order to profit from the current emergency of COVID.
During this difficult time producers have seen the prices for beef plummet 3.5%, this during a time when demand in the grocery stores has climbed. US Senator Chuck Grassley is calling for a federal investigation.
“Beef is flying off grocery shelves but farmers are seeing prices go down. If packers are illegally manipulating markets during crisis we need USDA & DOJ & CFTC to investigate + help farmers. 4 companies control 80% of market & they’re taking advantage”— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) March 27, 2020
Established in 1921, the Packers and Stockyards Act was created to “assure fair competition” in the livestock, meat, and poultry industries and to “safeguard ranchers and farmers from unfair, deceptive, unjustly discriminatory and monopolistic practices.” But the Act has lacked the teeth it needs to provide the most basic protections to ranchers and farmers. As a result, they have been subject to discrimination, price fixing, predatory contracts, and other unfair treatment. “The Packers and Stockyards Act is supposed to protect ranchers and farmers from corporations, not the other way around.
In closing, we urge you to investigate the current beef price gouging that is taking place to ensure that our producers and consumers are treated fairly as we navigate through this state of emergency. We thank you for your continued support during this challenging time. We are here to further support New Mexico and a thriving agriculture community; we look forward to additional future discussions with you and our staff and are here to assist in any way we can.
Respectfully,
Randell Major, President New Mexico Cattle Growers Association
Attorney General Hector Balderas
408 Galisteo Street
Villagra Bulding
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Dear Attorney General Balderas:
On behalf of New Mexico Cattle Growers Association (NMCGA), and our agriculture organization partners we thank you for your previous actions on price fixing. Your commitment to hold those who abuse the free market system accountable is appreciated by agriculture. Agriculture operates under supply and demand principle and need the assurance of fair markets. The beef industry in our state needs your help and requests that you investigate the current beef price gouging in the state.
In New Mexico it is against the law for anyone to misrepresent the price of goods or services to take advantage of our consumers. We appreciate that you have taken the position to prosecute anyone that increases price in order to profit from the current emergency of COVID.
During this difficult time producers have seen the prices for beef plummet 3.5%, this during a time when demand in the grocery stores has climbed. US Senator Chuck Grassley is calling for a federal investigation.
“Beef is flying off grocery shelves but farmers are seeing prices go down. If packers are illegally manipulating markets during crisis we need USDA & DOJ & CFTC to investigate + help farmers. 4 companies control 80% of market & they’re taking advantage”— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) March 27, 2020
Established in 1921, the Packers and Stockyards Act was created to “assure fair competition” in the livestock, meat, and poultry industries and to “safeguard ranchers and farmers from unfair, deceptive, unjustly discriminatory and monopolistic practices.” But the Act has lacked the teeth it needs to provide the most basic protections to ranchers and farmers. As a result, they have been subject to discrimination, price fixing, predatory contracts, and other unfair treatment. “The Packers and Stockyards Act is supposed to protect ranchers and farmers from corporations, not the other way around.
In closing, we urge you to investigate the current beef price gouging that is taking place to ensure that our producers and consumers are treated fairly as we navigate through this state of emergency. We thank you for your continued support during this challenging time. We are here to further support New Mexico and a thriving agriculture community; we look forward to additional future discussions with you and our staff and are here to assist in any way we can.
Respectfully,
Randell Major, President New Mexico Cattle Growers Association
