New Mexico in Focus; Episode 625 Tape # IF-625 The Future of New Mexico; 625; The Future of New Mexico: Crops, Cattle and Continuation

SRT Captions File Generated by MXFplus >> Kate: FARMING AND RANCHING

BUT AS PROFITS WAIVER, WATER DEVELOPMENT EATS UP RANGELAND, TONIGHT "inFOCUS" ASKS, IS >> Kate: WELCOME TO "inFOCUS." FUTURE IS INCOMPLETE AGRICULTURE IS SOMETHING HELD IT HELPED SHAPE OUR BUT FARMERS AND RANCHERS LAST YEAR, FORMER GOVERNOR QUESTIONED WHETHER AGRICULTURE THAT SOUNDS EXTREME, AND SHRINKING WATER SUPPLIES JOINING ME TO DISCUSS WHETHER

IS FRANK DUBOIS, THE OUTGOING >> Kate: WELCOME TO THE SHOW, LET'S START WITH THAT BIG WHY SHOULD THERE BE >> Frank: WELL, WE'VE HAD SOME AND SO WITH THE COMBINATION WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE AG AND IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY >> Kate: BRIEFLY, TAKE US WHAT SORT OF AGRICULTURE >> Frank: WELL, WE HAVE THEY DIRECTLY EMPLOY 22,000 IF YOU CONSIDER AGRICULTURE TO THE PLATE, THEN ON A CASH RECEIPTS BASIS, IT'S

$1.6 BILLION OF THAT IS OVER HALF OF THAT IS MILK, THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IS A BRIGHT WE ARE CURRENTLY RANK 7th >> Kate: SOME OF THE OTHER >> Frank: OUR FIVE TOP CROPS >> Kate: SOME OF GROWERS AND RANCHERS ARE UP WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER >> Frank: YOU HAVE AG ISSUES, AND WHAT'S REALLY ON THE FRONT A LOT OF AG PRODUCERS ARE >> Kate: THAT HAS COME UP

OVER THE SILVERY MINNOW, WHICH HOW DO YOU SEE THAT PLAYING >> Frank: WELL, IT'S BEEN FROM MY PERSPECTIVE RANCHES AND FARMS ONE, TWO, THE STATE AS A RESULT SO THIS HAS BEEN GOING THE REASON IT IS GAINING NOT ONLY THE FARMERS BUT THE WATER SUPPLY AND THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE EVERY FARMER AND RANCHER IF YOU'RE A PRIVATE LAND BY EPS, AND THE FISH IF YOU'RE ON PUBLIC LANDS,

THEN YOU'RE POTENTIALLY AND IF YOU FIGURE WE ARE IN THE NATION, ONE OUT AND THOSE ACREAGES AREN'T THEY ARE INTERMINGLED SO WHEN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY >> Kate: THIS ISSUE YOU WERE JUST PINNING MOST BUT DON'T WE ALSO HAVE ISSUES GENERATIONAL ISSUES AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER >> Frank: THAT'S CORRECT. WE HAVE CYCLES IN THE AG REMARKABLY, IN THE STATE OF FARMS AND RANCHES HOWEVER, THOSE AREN'T ALWAYS

AND SO FOR THE MOST PART, SURVIVED OVER THE GENERATIONS AND MANAGE THEIR WAY AROUND THAT'S WHY THEY ARE STILL OUT BUT EACH TIME WE FACE ONE >> Kate: ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS IN ALBUQUERQUE WHEN WE TALK IN WHICH ONE SIDE WILL SAY, A FARM ONLY EMPLOYS A COUPLE AND THEN THE REJOINDER IS, HOW TRUE IS THAT OF WHAT WE'RE HOW MUCH OF IT ENDS UP >> Frank: WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO HAVE A BURGEONING FOOD

FOR INSTANCE, AT OUR COUNTRY FAIR, WE HAD OVER 70 NEW AND THERE WERE OVER 700 SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BRIGHT BUT THE REALITY IS, MOST AND THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE >> Kate: TALK WITH US A LITTLE >> Frank: WELL, YOU HAVE YOU HAVE THE ETHICS THE FARM AND RANCH KIDS LEARN AND IN THIS SOCIETY, WHICH IS THOSE KIDS ARE LEARNING THAT

AND SO THEY UNDERSTAND. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER GREEN SPACE. PROTECTING SOME OF >> Kate: WE SAW IN CANADA JUST HOW CONCERNED SHOULD WE BE >> Frank: WELL, WE ALWAYS HAVE BUT I THINK OUR USDA, OUR FOOD SO FAR, THERE HAS NOT BEEN AND SO FAR IN CANADA, THERE IS SO WE WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT BUT IT HAD A DEVASTATING >> Kate: ONE OF THE OTHER

HOW PREPARED ARE WE TO DEAL >> Frank: WELL, I THINK WE ARE THE NEW MEXICO LIVESTOCK BOARD WE AT THE NEW MEXICO WORKED WITH THE USDA, WE ARE STILL TRAINING BUT THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT IF YOU THINK ABOUT EVEN YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL VENDORS YOU EVEN HAVE FARMERS SO THERE ARE SOME PROTOCOLS >> Kate: IT COULD BE WITHIN MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD WHAT ARE THE TOP ISSUES THAT >> Frank: WELL, I THINK A LOT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING

AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL AFTER BUT, YEAH, THE ISSUE WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR I'M SURE THAT WILL BE >> Kate: SHOULD THIS DROUGHT WHO SAY THIS ISN'T A DROUGHT, AND YET OUR GROWTH CONTINUES, DO YOU SEE THE DAY, EVEN WE NO LONGER WILL BE ABLE >> Frank: I CAN'T REALLY THIS IS THE 5th DRIEST YEAR -- BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ON THE GROUND IN NEW MEXICO, HAVE LEARNED TO MANAGE AND THEY HAVE VARIOUS OPTIONS

TO PROTECT THEIR COUNTRY, AND, YOU KNOW, THE DROUGHT, SO THE RANCHERS ARE MANAGING BUT WE HAVE LOST PEOPLE, >> Kate: FRANK DUBOIS, CABINET THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME >> Frank: ENJOYED IT. >> Kate: CONTINUING SAM MONTOYA, A RANCHER EDMUND GOMEZ, PROJECT DIRECTOR SERVICE, RURAL AGRICULTURAL FROM LAS CRUCES, RHONDA AND COURTNEY WHITE, EXECUTIVE THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US. LET'S START THIS WITH A QUICK OF YOU TELLING US WHAT CHALLENGE OR THREAT FACING EDMUND, HOW ABOUT YOU FIRST.

>> Edmund: FIRST OF ALL, KATE, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT AND SINCE EVERYONE IN AGRICULTURE, BECAUSE WE ALL AND GOING ALONG WITH THAT, OR CHALLENGE IS EDUCATING HOW AGRICULTURE IN OUR STATE AND BASICALLY, THE DEEP ROOTS AS WE ALL KNOW, AGRICULTURE OVER A THOUSAND YEARS AGO WE ARE BASICALLY THE BIRTH AND I THINK WE NEED OUR PEOPLE AS TO AND BASICALLY, ALL OF THESE

>> Kate: SO PUBLIC EDUCATION. SAM MONTOYA, BIGGEST THREATS >> Sam: OF COURSE, WATER IS BUT ONE OF THE OTHER BIGGEST EVERYTHING THEY DO TO BE ECONOMICALLY SOUND, THEY CANNOT BE ONLY GOOD THEY HAVE TO EDUCATE THEY HAVE GOT TO EAT THAT FOOD THEY HAVE GOT TO KNOW TAXES, THEY HAVE GOT TO KNOW SO THEY CAN MINIMIZE THE TAXES YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO BE >> Kate: OKAY, BETTER EDUCATED

RHONDA SKAGGS, BIGGEST Rhonda: I'M REALLY INTERESTED AND IN OUR NEW MEXICO FOOD WE HAVE THIS LONG CULTURE AGRICULTURE, WE SEE THE SAME THAT INCLUDES AN INCREASINGLY FOOD PRODUCERS ARE COMPETITIVENESS, COMPETITION A LOT OF THAT IS COMING SOCIETY, AND SOCIETY IS THOSE INCLUDE STEWARDSHIP, WE TREAT THE ENVIRONMENT, SO WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF THINGS THEY ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY >> Kate: AND FINALLY, COURTNEY >> Courtney: HOW ABOUT ALL

I THINK I'M IN THE SAME CAMP COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION. I SEE A WIDENING GULF BETWEEN I THINK THE FOLKS WHO LIVE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS WATER ISSUES, THERE I THINK CONVERSELY SO THERE IS A BIG I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE EFFORT ON BRIDGING THAT DIVIDE AND IT IS GOING TO CATCH UP. AND IT IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR >> Kate: THERE ALREADY IS. RHONDA SKAGGS, ON THIS ISSUE YOU ARGUED THAT WE COULD STOP TALK TO US ABOUT THAT. >> Rhonda: THE FOOD SYSTEM IS AND GLOBALLY THAT IT IS HARD THE ONE NOTABLE EXCEPTION IS

BUT NEW MEXICO IS A SMALL STATES ARE IN THE SAME AND IT IS BASICALLY TRUE THAT THE AGRICULTURE IN NEW MEXICO IT WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT HAS LOCAL IMPORTANCE, IT ALSO HAS IMPORTANCE AND WITH RESPECT BECAUSE I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE METROPOLITAN AREA THAT AREA IS IMPROVED AND I WOULD CERTAINLY HATE BUT ONE OF MY CONCERNS IF AGRICULTURE IN STATES LIKE AND ITS EXISTENCE ON THE BASIS IT'S GOING TO HAVE A REAL HARD

SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ABLE SIMPLY BECAUSE PEOPLE IN NEW FROM THE NEW MEXICO SYSTEM, >> Kate: THAT SAID, THAT USE COURTNEY WHITE, TALK TO US >> Courtney: I THINK ONE WITH IN OUR COALITION IS I THINK YOU'RE SEEING SOME NEW THERE IS CERTAINLY A LOT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT BUT FROM THE RANCHERS TALKING IN THE CITIES, THEY UNDERSTAND CHANGING IDEAS, NEW KNOWLEDGE, THEY ARE THERE. IT IS A MATTER AND SPREADING THEM IT IS TOUGH. IT IS REALLY >> Kate: ARE WE TALKING

>> Courtney: TO ME, AND I'M COMMUNITY, BUT RANCHING LOOKS ECONOMICALLY, THERE IS A BIG TO RECREATION, NOT COMMODITY HOW DO WE MESH, THEN, THE PUBLIC DEMANDS THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD WE JUST NEED TO SPREAD THAT >> Kate: SAM MONTOYA, YOU'RE HOW COME? >> Sam: THE MARKET BEING IT WAS A GOOD YEAR TO BUY, I AVOID THE RISK, I CAN PAY AND IT IS JUST A SITUATION >> Kate: ARE YOU EMPLOYING >> Sam: I'M DOING WHAT'S

GRAZING WHERE YOU CONSIDER OF HOW MANY CATTLE YOU PUT ON THERE, AND HOW MUCH GRASS SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'M DOING I'M LETTING THE COWS CONVERT FIRST OF ALL, I'M LETTING AND I'M CONVERTING THE MEAT BASIS, OR BY USING MY OWN AND WHEN YOU PUT A PENCIL THE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, CAPITAL I FIGURED IT WOULD HAVE COST BUCKS TO BUY THOSE MACHINES BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET OF THE CATTLE CYCLE AND BUY ALL I DO IS IRRIGATE.

I GUESS THIS IS THE BY HARD, I MEAN THAT YOU HAVE EASY PHYSICALLY BECAUSE >> Kate: EDMUND GOMEZ, WHAT DO >> Edmund: WE HAVE TO LEARN FROM THE PAST, AND THE PAST WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND YEAR AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE MANAGEMENT THAT'S LANDS AND, BASICALLY, PUBLIC IT IS BASICALLY BASED I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS A LOT

FILL IN THE HOLES WHERE WE NEED TO FIND OUT EXACTLY IN AGRICULTURE, HOW MUCH WATER >> Kate: AND WE DO NOT HAVE FRANK DUBOIS WAS JUST HE SAID ONE OF THE BIGGEST >> Rhonda: I THINK IT IS BUT IF ANYBODY THINKS IT IS IT IS GOING TO GET WORSE. BECAUSE THERE ARE NEW AREAS THOUGHT WERE KIND OF OFF THAT THEY WERE IN THE HANDS AND ONE THING I WOULD MENTION AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE THESE THINGS WEREN'T THEY WILL BE MORE REGULATED AND AGAIN, I DON'T THINK >> Courtney: I THINK IT IS I THINK THERE IS A LOT

FINDING RANCHERS LIKE SAM THERE IS AN EFFORT TO FIND THERE IS AN EFFORT BEING YOU'RE FINDING RANCHERS, THEY HAVE HUNTING, BED YOU HAVE A RISING THE PUBLIC AND OTHER RANCHES ARE MEETING IT. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT NOT >> Kate: THAT SAID, THOUGH, AND THE WATER OFTEN GREATLY MAKING IT VERY TEMPTING HOW CAN WE MAKE THAT BALANCE

>> Courtney: IT'S FUNNY, FOLKS OF RANCHES, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE SO THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS BUT FOLKS DON'T SEEM TO NEED MAYBE EDMUND CAN CORRECT ME SO THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, AND I THINK IT IS A MATTER INTO THE HANDS OF PRODUCERS, >> Kate: RHONDA SKAGGS, FEDERAL SUBSIDIES TO FARMS THOSE AMOUNTED TO $28 BILLION IN EIGHT STATES, THAT WAS 100% THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THAT OF LIFE IS COMING IS IT WORTH IT? >> Rhonda: WELL, YES,

IN NEW MEXICO, SPECIFICALLY, THE EXCEPTIONS THERE WOULD BE AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF GRAINS BUT IN SOME STATES, IT'S REAL TO BASICALLY ALL THE POSITIVE THE 2002 FARM BILL WAS THE REPUBLICANS AND TO DO AS MANY FAVORS I THINK IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT HAS BEEN, AND FROM WHAT WE ARE AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WHEN AROUND, WE WILL RETRENCH BACK BUT ESSENTIALLY, REALLY WHAT AN AGRICULTURE POLICY THAT TAKEN AWAY FROM HIGHER INCOME WITH WHICH THE EXCEPTION

>> Kate: COURTNEY WHITE, >> Courtney: THERE IS A THEORY THAT RANCHING, ESPECIALLY IS PROVIDING A SUBSIDIARY BY STAYING ON THAT LAND TAKING THAT HIGH REAL ESTATE THAT THAT SUBSIDY IS ACTUALLY >> Rhonda: THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD COMMENT OF RESEARCH OUT THERE THAT HAS DECADES THAT SHOWS THAT THERE SPECIFICALLY CATTLE THEY ARE NOT PRICE RESPONSIVE. AND MY THEORY IS THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING A FINANCIAL OBJECTIVE IN IT, YES, THEY ARE ADDITIONAL AND WHEN IT COMES

THE ADDED EFFECT OF KEEPING >> Kate: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE AND JOIN US NEXT WEEK WHEN OUR SUBJECT WILL BE OUR MOST I'M KATE NELSON. FOR EVERYONE AT "inFOCUS," TO RESPOND TO THIS PROGRAM, TO PURCHASE VIDEO CASSETTES CALL 1-800-328-5663, OR WRITE TO THE ADDRESS PLEASE SPECIFY DATE CLOSED CAPTIONING PERFORMED