Grazing Residue: Having your cake and eating it too

Grazing Residue: Having your cake and eating it too By Warren Rusche, iGrow October 24, 2015 | 9:46 am E Integrating crop and livestock enterprises represents an incredible competitive advantage for farmers and ranchers. Increased acres of corn result in greater quantities of residue available for feed. Because the land cost is charged to the crop enterprise, crop residues are much less costly than either summer pasture or harvested feeds. When to Consider Residue Grazing Crop residue grazing works extremely well for cows in mid-gestation. Because cows will select the higher quality husks, leaves, and any whole ears left in the field they should not require additional energy or protein supplementation as long as they are not forced to consume poor-quality portions of the plant (i.e. the stalk). Even cattle with greater nutrient requirements such as growing calves or replacement heifers will perform well grazing stalks when provided supplemental protein. Effects on Next Year's Crop? What about the effects of grazing corn stalks on next year’s crop? One of the barriers to greater use of corn stalk grazing is the belief in some circles that grazing stalks will reduce yield the next year resulting in less net income. The University of Nebraska recently published the results of a 10-year study on the effects of grazing corn stalks in the fall on soybean yields the next year in a no-till system. In those studies soybeans planted after corn stalks were grazed in the fall yielded about 3 bushels more compared to ungrazed corn stalks. The same pattern was shown in a one-year comparison at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm, although those differences were not statistically significant (Table 1). Table 1. Comparison: Soybean yields following corn Impact on Soil Organic Matter Another common concern is that grazing stalks will remove too much residue and greatly affect soil organic matter. The long-term yield results from Nebraska would suggest that this has not been a significant problem in that system, but it is possible to estimate the quantity removed compared to the amount of residue produced. For every bushel of corn, there is approximately 45 pounds of residue. The husks and leaves represent about 16 pounds of that total. If a 1400-pound cow consumes 2.5% of bodyweight per day, in thirty days she would eat about 1050 pounds of husks and leaves. However, not all of that organic matter leaves the field. Forty to fifty percent of the husks and leaves are indigestible, meaning that of the 1050 pounds consumed, about 400 pounds return to the field as manure for a net removal of 650 pounds. A field that yields 150 bushels per acre will produce 6750 pounds of total residue. In that case, the 650 pounds removed represents only about 10% of the total. Keep in mind that if the field is not grazed or tilled, the husks and leaves are more likely to be blown into the ditch or fenceline. Integrated Crops & Livestock: A "win-win" Residue grazing is an example of how integrating crops and livestock results in a “win-win”. Corn stalk grazing represents an opportunity to cut feed costs for ranchers, or serve as a source of supplemental income for crop farmers, without hurting yields next year.

Get BQA certified

Commentary: Get BQA certified By John Maday, Editor, Bovine Veterinarian October 26, 2015 | 1:39 pm EDT If a room full of agricultural journalists can obtain BQA certification, so can you. And through November 20, you can do so at no cost, thanks to a partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI). The journalists received their Beef Quality Assurance training during a media conference sponsored by BIVI in mid-October. Kansas State University veterinarian and director of the Beef Cattle Institute Dan Thomson, DVM, PhD, led the session. Thomson notes that the BQA program serves as a cornerstone in the industry’s efforts to ensure consumer trust and document good management practices. In addition to protecting beef quality, the BQA program provides a framework for ensuring and documenting animal welfare. Increasingly, activist groups target retailers and food-service companies, pressuring them to mandate beef-production standards on their suppliers. BQA is the industry’s best tool for showing retailers we already have sound, science-based standards for beef quality, food safety and animal well-being, and that we continuously work toward further improvements. Thomson outlined how BQA standards address the internationally accepted “Five Freedoms” of animal care. The Five Freedoms include: 1. Freedom from hunger or thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor. 2. Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area. 3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment. 4. Freedom to express (most) normal behavior by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind. 5. Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering. In discussing the Five Freedoms, Thomson outlined how BQA includes guidelines and assessments include protocols for providing feed and water, ensuring cattle comfort, preventing injuries and disease and caring for injured or sick cattle, maintaining a good living environment and using animal-handling practices that minimize stress and prohibit all forms of abuse. BQA training has never been so accessible, with online training and documents available through BQA.org and the BIVI sponsorship allowing no-cost certification. Visit BQA.org to learn more and get started. ALSO if you want to have a class with Eddy County contact me or leave your name wit Robin AT EDDY COUNTY EXTENSION 887-6595

November 15 Sales Closing Date Approaches for Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Program

November 15 Sales Closing Date Approaches for Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Program New Mexico producers are reminded of the November 15 sales closing date for the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Program, administered by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). Because November 15 falls on a Sunday in 2015, the effective sales closing date for the 2016 crop year is November 16, 2015. Interested producers are encouraged to visit with their crop insurance agent to learn additional program details, including important program changes for 2016. Specifically, for 2016, producers in all 48 contiguous states will now be able to purchase the PRF Program. Further, participation in all states will now utilize a Rainfall Index, rather than the Vegetative Index previously used in New Mexico and several other Western states. Full program information is available on RMA’s PRF web page(http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/pasturerangeforage/). An agent locator tool is also available on the RMA website (http://www.RMA.USDA.gov). The PRF program is designed to give forage and livestock producers the ability to buy protection for losses of forage produced for haying and/or grazing. The PRF program is based on a rainfall index that allows producers to personalize their policy by choosing at least two specific 2-month coverage intervals, a coverage level between 70 to 90 percent, and a productivity factor anywhere between 60 and 150 percent of the county base value. When applying for coverage, producers will also need to allocate the percentage of the total value for their operation. History for each grid and interval across covered areas can be found at http://maps.agforceusa.com. Using this tool, producers can see which years and coverage periods would have paid indemnities in past years based on hypothetical coverage levels in selected grids. Producers are strongly encouraged to use this tool to help make purchase and coverage level decisions. Not all acres that are grazed need to be insured, but producers must have an insurable interest in the acres covered. An insurable interest, defined as the right to graze the property, must be documented. To speak with a rancher who has analyzed and purchased this product, producers are encouraged to contact Brett Crosby, President of Wyoming-based Custom Ag Solutions (CAS), at 307-548-9636. Crosby is also a Wyoming rancher who is well versed in the complex risk management decisions facing livestock producers. Custom Ag Solutions works with RMA and other partner organizations to educate New Mexico producers about risk management and Federal crop insurance programs. More information about Federal crop insurance programs, including RMA’s Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Program, can be found at the RMA website, www.rma.usda.gov. To receive information by mail, call CAS at 877-227-8094. USDA, RMA, and CAS are equal opportunity providers.

Senate Actions on WOTUS Rule

Senate Actions on WOTUS Rule TO: PRESIDENTS, SECRETARIES AND/OR ADMINISTRATORS, COORDINATORS OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DIRECTORS OF INFORMATION, DIRECTORS OF COMMODITY ACTIVITIES, COORDINATORS OF NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, FIELD SERVICE DIRECTORS, SCHAUMBURG AND WASHINGTON OFFICE DISTRIBUTION FR: DALE MOORE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PUBLIC POLICY CC: PRESIDENT STALLMAN JULIE ANNA POTTS, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ISSUE: As early as next week, the Senate is expected to schedule debate and votes on legislation to undo the waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule finalized by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Senate is first expected to take up S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act. If that bill fails to garner the necessary 60 votes, we then expect the Senate to take up S.J. Res.22. That resolution will be considered under provisions of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) and thus would require only 51 votes to pass. IMPACT: S. 1140 is bipartisan legislation that requires the EPA and the Corps of Engineers (the agencies) to withdraw the final WOTUS rule and re-propose a new regulation after conducting the prescribed consultations with states and other stakeholders. If the Senate fails to achieve Cloture on S. 1140 (a process that requires 60 votes), the Senate will move to take up S.J. Res. 22, legislation that provides for congressional disapproval of the WOTUS rule. S.J. Res. was introduced by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), with 46 Senate co-sponsors. Under the terms of the CRA, such a resolution is in order subject to certain provisions and customarily only within 60 legislative days of its introduction. The House has already passed H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015, which also requires withdrawal of the WOTUS rule. ACTION State Farm Bureaus are urged to contact their Senators and ask that they vote in favor of S. 1140. You are encouraged to stress that S.1140 provides a means for Congress to guide the development of a new WOTUS rule. AFBF believes a strong vote on either S.1140 or S.J. Res. 22 will strengthen leadership’s ability to include a policy rider on the end of the year spending bill. Farm Bureau members may also send a message to their senators at fbadvocacy.net. (Attachments: v:\PPCommunications-2015\cwa\PPB\wotus-senate-S114015a.1029; v:\PPCommunications-2015\cwa\PPB\wotus-senate-S114015b.1029; v:\PPCommunications-2015\cwa\PPB\wotus-senate-S114015c.1029; v:\PPCommunications-2015\cwa\PPB\wotus-senate-S114015d.1029) Contacts: Don Parrish, 202-406-3667, donp@fb.org; Danielle Quist, 202-406-3618, danielleq@fb.org

A G E N D A NEW MEXICO STATE GAME COMMISSION

A G E N D A NEW MEXICO STATE GAME COMMISSION New Mexico Military Institute Pearson Auditorium 101 West College Boulevard Roswell, NM 88201 Thursday, November 19, 2015 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Public testimony and comment: All those interested in providing oral comments are encouraged to prepare a “Speaker’s Card” for each item on which they will comment. These cards assist the Commission Chair to manage more effective public communication. Comments may be allowed on each item at the Commission Chair’s discretion, regardless of card completion. Those who desire to address the Commission and who claim to represent an organization must provide the following information: the number of members in the organization, frequency of the organization’s meeting and either a signed statement from that organization’s president that states the organization has discussed the topic and approved the position that the representative is presenting, or proof that they are a registered lobbyist for the organization. AT THEIR DISCRETION, THE COMMISSION MAY TAKE ACTION ON ANY AGENDA ITEM AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Meeting Called to Order. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Roll Call. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Approval of Agenda. AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Introduction of Guests. AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: Approval of Minutes September 29, 2015, Albuquerque, NM. NEW BUSINESS: AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: Turner Endangered Species Fund Appeals of the Denial of Applications to Import and Possess Mexican Gray Wolves. Presented by Mike Phillips – The Turner Endangered Species Fund (TESF) or their designee will present an appeal of the Department’s denial of the TESF’s application to Import and Possess Mexican Gray Wolves on the Ladder Ranch. No public comment shall be allowed on appeals before the Commission as those matters are quasi-judicial in nature. AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: Renewal Request from Vermejo Ranch to Import and Possess Black Footed Ferrets. Presented by Dustin Long – Vermejo Ranch representatives will present a renewal request to import and possess black footed ferrets into New Mexico. AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: Proposed State Land Easement Agreement 2016 Season. Presented by Mike Perry – The Department will present to the Commission a current update on negotiations on the 2016 State Land Easement Agreement between the Department and the State Land Office to provide continued sportsmen access to State Trust Lands. AGENDA ITEM NO. 10: Revocations. Presented by Robert Griego – The Department will present a list of individuals that meet established criteria for initiation of the suspension process for license privileges. AGENDA ITEM NO. 11: Request to Recognize Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife New Mexico as a Qualified Non-profit to Receive or Submit Youth Recipients for Donated Licenses or Permits. Presented by Robert Griego – The Department will present to the Commission, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife as an organization that can participate in receiving, identifying or submitting recipients for donated licenses as required by rule (19.31.3.11.F NMAC). AGENDA ITEM NO. 12: Final Proposed Adoption of Amendments to the Oryx and Pronghorn Rules Regarding Hunt Date Conflicts on White Sands Missile Range (19.31.15 and 19.31.12 NMAC). Presented by Stewart Liley – WMSR is planning on holding annual Trinity Site Tours for the first weekend in October in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The dates of the Trinity Site Tours are in direct conflict with concurrent Oryx and Pronghorn hunts. The Department will present to the Commission a final recommendation to move the hunt dates outside the tour dates. AGENDA ITEM NO. 13: Final Proposed Amendments to the Fisheries Rule (19.31.4 NMAC) for Designation of Special Trout Waters on the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Presented by Mike Sloane – The Department will present to the Commission final amendments to the Fisheries Rule (19.31.4 NMAC) to designate all waters on the Valles Caldera National Preserve as Special Trout waters with a two fish limit, terminal tackle restrictions, and a fishing season. The Department will also present final changes to the current San Antonio Special Trout Water off of the Preserve. AGENDA ITEM NO. 14: Special Hunt Draw Deadlines for the 2016-2017 Season. Presented by David Rohrbach –The Department will make a recommendation to the Commission regarding the application deadline dates for the lottery draws for the 2016-2017 license year. AGENDA ITEM NO. 15: Gaining Access Into Nature (GAIN) Proposed Rule Revision (19.34.3 NMAC). Presented by Stewart Liley – The Department will present potential amendment changes to the Use of State Game Commission Lands Rule on Wildlife Management Areas (19.34.3 NMAC). GENDA ITEM NO. 16: Proposed Amendments to the Aquatic Invasive Species Rule (19.30.14 NMAC). Presented by James Dominguez –The Department will present proposed amendments to the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) rule specifying that all boats arriving from out of state must be inspected prior to launch, requiring all boats stop at AIS inspection stations, requiring boat owners to remove drain plugs after leaving a waterbody, and creation of a seal program to facilitate inspection/protection of New Mexico’s waters. AGENDA ITEM NO. 17: Bosque Bird Dog Farm Shooting Preserve Application. Presented by Colin Duff – The Department will facilitate a shooting preserve presentation. Tony Bridgman has submitted an application for a shooting preserve permit for the Boys Ranch property located in Socorro County in accordance to 17-3- 35 through 17-3-42, NMSA, 1978 Compilation (Regulated Shooting Preserve Act) and 19.35.3 NMAC, Shooting Preserves. AGENDA ITEM NO. 18: Hunter Education Update Presented by Craig Sanchez – The Department will present an update to the Commission on the Department’s efforts to revise and update the methods of delivering Hunter Education including the introduction of a web-based curriculum and testing option. AGENDA ITEM NO. 19: Bluewater Lake Management Strategy Update Presented by Mike Sloane – The Department will update the Commission on recent surveys at Bluewater Lake and discuss future management actions to maintain the fishery. AGENDA ITEM NO. 20: Commission Approval of the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) Presented by Matt Wunder – The Department will present to the Commission a final revision of the State’s Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). The Department has been in the process of updating the State Wildlife Action Plan which has been compiled to include input from multiple agencies, universities, as well as individuals. AGENDA ITEM NO. 21: Proposed amendments to Hunting and Fishing License Application Rule (NMAC 19.31.3). Presented by Chris Chadwick – The Department will present to the Commission amendments to the hunting and fishing license application rule (NMAC 19.31.3) to allow the Department to develop a verification process for New Mexico veterans and active duty service members to receive a fifty percent discount on licenses, permits, or stamp purchases. AGENDA ITEM NO. 20: Closed Executive Session. The State Game Commission will vote as to whether it will adjourn into Executive Session closed to the public, pursuant to Section 10-15-1(H)(8) NMSA 1978, to discuss the acquisition of real property located in Bernalillo, Chavez and San Juan Counties and pursuant to Section 10-15-1(H)(7) on matters subject to the attorney-client privilege relating to threatened or pending litigation: (LPC, Docket No. 1:15-CV-00252-EGS); (State of Arizona v. Sally Jewell, No. 4:15-cv-245-JGZ, U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona) in which the Commission and/or Department is or may become a participant. AGENDA ITEM NO. 22: General Public Comments (Comments Limited to 3 Minutes) AGENDA ITEM NO. 23: Adjourn. NOTE: The meeting will be adjourned upon completion of the agenda or up to those items that time allows. Any items not discussed will be on the following meeting’s agenda. The Agenda is subject to change up to 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting date and time as deemed necessary by the Chairman. To inquire about agenda changes, please contact the Office of the Director at (505) 476-8008. If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing or meeting, please contact Ms. Angelica Ruiz at (505) 476-8027 at least 3 working days before the meeting date. Public documents, including the Agenda and Minutes can be provided in various accessible forms. Please contact Ms. Ruiz if a summary or other type of accessible form is needed.

James Craig Ogden

James Craig Ogden Obituary James Craig “Jim” Ogden, of Loving, NM, passed away in his home on October 24, 2015 at 94. A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2015 at the First Presbyterian Church in Carlsbad, NM at 2:30 p.m. Private interment will be held prior to the service. Born in Carlsbad in 1921, Jimmie Ogden, as family called him, was the son of Jay Reed Ogden and Pearl Birt Ogden. Jimmie, raised on the family’s farm near Malaga on Black River, attended elementary school in Loving, and graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1938. In the fall of ’38, Jim attended New Mexico A & M (NMSU), crediting his mother's egg and butter money for enabling him to go to college. While at A &M, Jim was a charter member of SAE fraternity, member of Block & Bridle, the Livestock Judging Team and ROTC. Jim worked for the Ag College milking goats and at the sheep barn. In June of 1942, Jim received his diploma in Ag Business & Economics, his commission into the Marine Corps, and his military orders, all on the same day. 2nd Lt James C. Ogden went to Quantico in July 1942 and graduated from OCS in December 1942. James trained at various bases in the United States before shipping out to serve in the Pacific Theater. He was honorably discharged in January, 1946 with the rank of Captain in the United States Marine Corps. Jim married Mary Sue Forehand on December 30, 1945 at the First Presbyterian Church in Carlsbad, NM. Following their marriage, Jim attended the University of California at Berkley for a year before returning to Loving to farm. In the 50's, Jim leased the Roy Forehand ranch on Black River from his mother-in-law, Masie Ussery Forehand, and ultimately purchased it from her. The union of Jim and Sue Ogden, which lasted 68 years, began a farming and ranching operation along Black River that continues today. Farming was Jim’s calling, livelihood, and passion. His drive and desire to improve farming practices led him to work with the NMSU Ag College. Jim cooperated in advancing agricultural procedures and innovations by planting experimental cotton and alfalfa seed varieties, and by improving water use efficiency, to name a few. He was one of the first farmers in the Pecos Valley to own a laser plane. Jim served on the boards of Carlsbad Irrigation District, N.M. Crop Improvement Association, N.M.Cotton Advisory Committee, and was a member of numerous other civic, agriculture, and community organizations. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church Carlsbad and attended FPC Ruidoso, NM while residing in their second home in San Patricio, NM. Jim and Sue were active supporters of NMSU and the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum and received the A J Crawford Pioneer Award in 1995 from the Carlsbad Foundation. In 1981, Jim was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by the College of Agriculture and Home Economics at NMSU. In 1988, on the 100th Anniversary of NMSU, Jim was honored as one of the Ag College’s 100 Outstanding Graduates. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, son Jay Dudley, an infant son, his sister Doris Kimbley, and in 2013 by his wife, Sue. Jim is survived by his children: Susan Ogden Benting, Nashville, TN; Karen Ogden Cortese and her husband, Nick, Ft. Sumner, NM; Alisa Ogden, Loving, NM and Craig William Ogden and his wife, Teresa, Loving, NM. Grandchildren are: Alana Benting Garcia, and husband Ernesto; Jay Cortese and wife Tara; Michael Benting and fiance Diane Hutchinson; Ross Cortese; Brett Cortese; Joseph Ogden and wife Tessa: Linsey Ogden; and Jay Cody Stell. Great-grandchildren: Brady, Kyla, and Joshua Cortese; and Sebastian and Lilly Garcia. Also surviving Jim are: sisters-in-law Ann Langlinais, Elizabeth Smith, brother-in-law Harlen Smith; and nephews Hayden Kimbley and wife Debbie, Reed Kimbley and wife Patricia. His grandchildren will serve as his pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to NMSU Foundation for the James C. and Mary Sue Ogden Scholarship P.O.Box 3590 Las Cruces, NM 88003; N.M. Boys Ranch; First Presbyterian Church, Carlsbad or a charity of your choice. Jim's family offers heartfelt appreciation to his remarkable caregivers, Dawndri, Monica, Tish, Shannon, and especially, Sally Vasquez for their expert care and loving kindness.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden Announces New USDA Commitments to Help Build Up Next Generation of Farmers and Ranchers

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden Announces New USDA Commitments to Help Build Up Next Generation of Farmers and Ranchers LOUISVILLE, October 29, 2015—Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden today announced a commitment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prioritize $5.6 billion over the next two years within USDA programs and services that serve new and beginning farmers and ranchers. Deputy Secretary Harden also announced a new, tailored web tool designed to connect burgeoning farm entrepreneurs with programs and resources available to help them get started. “Today’s announcement is symbolic of the evolution of USDA’s efforts to better serve the next generation of farmers and ranchers. What began seven years ago with the recognition that the rapid aging of the American farmer was an emerging challenge, has transformed into a robust, transparent, tech-based strategy to recruit the farmers of the future,” said Harden. “No matter where you’re from, no matter what you look like, no matter your background, we want USDA to be the first stop for anyone who is looking to be a part of the story and legacy of American agriculture.” The new web tool is available at www.usda.gov/newfarmers. The site was designed based on feedback from new and beginning farmers and ranchers around the country, who cited unfamiliarity with programs and resources as a challenge to starting and expanding their operations. The site features advice and guidance on everything a new farm business owner needs to know, from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan to grow their business, to filing taxes as a new small business owner. By answering a series of questions about their operation, farmers can use the site’s Discovery Tool to build a personalized set of recommendations of USDA programs and services that may meet their needs. Using the new web tool and other outreach activities, and operating within its existing resources, USDA has set a new goal of increasing beginning farmer and rancher participation by an additional 6.6 percent across key USDA programs, which were established or strengthened by the 2014 Farm Bill, for a total investment value of approximately $5.6 billion. Programs were targeted for expanded outreach and commitment based on their impact on expanding opportunity for new and beginning farmers and ranchers, including starting or expanding an operation, developing new markets, supporting more effective farming and conservation practices, and having access to relevant training and education opportunities. USDA will provide quarterly updates on its progress towards meeting its goal. A full explanation of the investment targets, benchmarks and outcomes is available at: BFR-Commitment-Factsheet. Deputy Secretary Harden made the announcements during remarks to more than 60,000 attendees at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The National FFA Organization is the largest youth organization in the United States, and focuses on preparing students for a wide range of careers in agriculture, agribusiness and other agriculture-related occupations. As the average age of the American farmer now exceeds 58 years, and data shows that almost 10 percent of farmland in the continental United States will change hands in the next five years, we have no time to lose in getting more new farmers and ranchers established. Equally important is encouraging young people to pursue careers in industries that support American agriculture. According to an employment outlook report released by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University, one of the best fields for new college graduates is agriculture. Nearly 60,000 high-skilled agriculture job openings are expected annually in the United States for the next five years, yet only 35,000 graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture related fields are expected to be available to fill them. The report also shows that women make up more than half of the food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment higher education graduates in the United States. USDA recently released a series of fact sheets showcasing the impact of women in agriculture nationwide. Today’s announcement builds on USDA’s ongoing work to engage its resources to inspire a strong next generation of farmers and ranchers by improving access to land and capital; building market opportunities; extending conservation opportunities; offering appropriate risk management tools; and increasing outreach and technical support. To learn more about USDA’s efforts, visit the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Results Page.

NMSU to host first-ever Military and Veterans Appreciation Week

NMSU to host first-ever Military and Veterans Appreciation Week DATE: 10/28/2015 WRITER: Tiffany Acosta, 575-646-3929, tfrank@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Jacobo Varela, 575-646-6023, jacvarel@nmsu.edu To honor New Mexico State University students, faculty and staff members who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces, NMSU will host the first-ever Military and Veterans Appreciation week on campus, Nov. 7-13. The new tradition is a collaboration between Military and Veterans Programs, Military and Family Communication Team in the College of Arts and Sciences, NMSU Student Veterans Organization along with the Air Force and Army ROTC. “This is the first event of its kind for veterans and military,” said Jacobo Varela, Military and Veterans Programs director. “It allows us to celebrate past, present and future Aggie veterans and let the community learn more about their unique culture. It will provide a variety of opportunities for the community to meet our veterans, learn about research currently being done at NMSU, as well as some entertainment that can also enlighten. One of our end goals is to inform the university and continue to create and foster a friendly and supportive environment for our military and veteran students.” The week begins with the Las Cruces Veterans Day Parade, Saturday, Nov. 7. Military and Veterans Programs and the NMSU Student Veterans Organization will participate in the downtown parade. On Sunday, Nov. 8, the Air Force and Army ROTC will host the Armed Forces 5K End Zone Dash. The obstacle course run begins at 7:30 a.m. at Aggie Memorial Stadium. Online registration is available at http://mvp.nmsu.edu/5k/. On Monday, Nov. 9, an opening and dedication ceremony for the week will be held at 10 a.m. at Aggie Memorial Tower. NMSU Provost and Executive Vice President Daniel J. Howard will be the featured speaker. On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Military and Veterans Programs will host its annual Veterans Day Picnic and Information Fair from 12-3 p.m. at the Garcia Annex Courtyard. NMSU has invited local service organizations to have tables and meet university students. At 5 p.m. Jeanne Flora, NMSU Department of Communication Studies associate professor, will present a talk “Post-Deployment Family Reintegration: Military Family Communication Challenges and Strengths” at the College of Health and Social Services auditorium. “Military service members and their families face serious physical and emotional stressors associated with deployment and family reintegration,” Flora said. “Even though a majority of families show remarkable resiliency, the symptoms and consequences of these stressors can threaten post-deployment family reintegration and prove difficult for partners and children, who face their own set of ongoing challenges related to lengthy periods of family separation and deployment transitions.” “Because good support for military family reintegration has been met with barriers, this talk addresses avenues for support and also invites audience members to offer suggestions,” she noted. At 6 p.m., NMSU will host a faculty and staff Military Veterans banquet at The 3rd Floor Bistro at the Danny Villanueva Victory Club in the Stan Fulton Center. On Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, a free screening of “Fort Bliss” will be held at 5:45 p.m. at Domenici Hall. A reception and discussion along with a question and answer session with the director, Claudia Myers, will follow the screening. Thursday, Nov. 12, consists of several informational day presentations. “Successful Strategies to Support Veterans and Active Duty Military in the Classroom” will be held at 10 a.m. at the Teaching Academy. This session is designed for faculty members who would like to learn more about military families, deployments and problems active duty military and student veterans can have on campus. The panel includes Varela and Candice Gilbert from Military and Veterans Programs, Flora, David Boje, NMSU Department of Management professor, and Josh Dunne, NMSU Student Veterans Organization. Communication Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences is sponsoring three panels at the Health and Social Services auditorium. At 3 p.m., “Alternative Therapies for Warriors and Their Families” will discuss the various therapies used to treat post-deployment stress and adjusting processes. This panel includes Bernie Wazlavekek, chief, behavioral health, McAfee Army Heath Clinic, Corey Vas, NMSU assistant director of student counseling, Maria Bagwell, social worker, and Jacquelyn C. Williams, Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn program manager, El Paso VA Healthcare System. At 4 p.m., “Bonds of brotherhood and matrimony: The dual identities of an American Warrior” will discuss how American Service members often face the prospect of managing their identity as a military member and leader within their own family. Anthony Epperson, NMSU communication studies graduate assistant and second lieutenant, U.S. Army National Guard, will give the presentation. The day concludes at 5 p.m. with “Using Equine and Narratives Re-story Techniques for Stress Management for Warriors and Their Families.” This panel will discuss how horses are used to relax people and help them learn life skills and how storying and re-storying can lower stress. Boje and Grace Rosile, management professor, and Wanda Whittlesey-Jerome, NMSU social work associate professor, will present this panel. “We want to be a veteran-friendly university,” said Boje, a Vietnam veteran and Wells Fargo chair in the Department of Management. “In fact, NMSU ranks 157th among the U.S. News & World Report for best national universities for veterans. There’s always more that we can do to help our student veterans transform the narrative of their lives while they’re here at NMSU.” The week concludes on Friday, Nov. 13, with ROTC/National Guard/Local Recruiters Day, which will include displays, games, demonstration from the BMX stunt riders, climbing wall and information tables. The Air Force ROTC’s annual Veterans Heritage Dinner will be held at 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. For more information on the week’s events visit http://mvp.nmsu.edu/military-and-veterans-appreciation-week/. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

House Agriculture Committee Leaders Support Agreement to Avoid Cuts to Crop Insurance

House Agriculture Committee Leaders Support Agreement to Avoid Cuts to Crop Insurance House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson issued the following statements after announcing an agreement to avoid the cuts to crop insurance which are included in the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2015 scheduled for a vote later today. Chairman Conaway said, “I want to thank my colleagues who have made it very clear over the last 24 hours that the attempt to gut crop insurance in the budget agreement was not acceptable. Our nation's farmers and ranchers did their part in reigning in our nation's debt in the 2014 farm bill, saving an estimated $23 billion. It is imperative that we do not undermine their trust by attacking the primary tool they use to manage the tremendous risks involved in producing food and fiber. “Leadership has heeded our concerns by agreeing to completely reverse this disastrous provision in the upcoming omnibus. Crop insurance is working as intended, and private industry deserves to be lauded, not thrown under the bus. I take our leadership at their word when they committed to me and many of my colleagues that we will eliminate these harmful provisions in the not-so-distant future, which is why I will vote in support of the budget agreement today. I encourage my rural-minded colleagues to follow suit and put their support behind this agreement by passing the budget deal on the floor today. While not the easiest path forward, this is a win for rural America and should be viewed as such. “I will continue fighting against policies that hurt our farmers and ranchers, and I am thankful to leadership for working with us to avoid these harmful cuts.” Ranking Member Collin Peterson said, “I'm pleased that we have an agreement to fix the crop insurance cuts and not open the farm bill. We have assurances that the cuts will be removed and the farm bill will not be raided. We produced a fiscally responsible and bipartisan farm bill in 2014 that saved $23 billion. We've done our part. I can now support the Budget Agreement with these assurances." # # #

Sweet Potato-Poblano Lamb Chili

Sweet Potato-Poblano Lamb Chili takes your chili – and game day party - to the next level! Easy to find, ground lamb contains lean trim from the leg, loin, rib, shoulder, flank, neck, breast or shanks. The naturally mild flavor of ground lamb is complemented by the cumin in this recipe, and plays well with the poblanos, black beans and sweet potatoes.

Antibiotics law, consumers shift livestock industry: California first in nation to require veterinarian oversight

Woods note: It has been about 20 years now that I had a graduate student for the summer from Germany University. He was amazed that I could legally castrate my own animals, that I could legally do minor surgery to repair an injury. He could not believe we could buy over the counter antibiotic, and vaccines. In Europe animal medicine is socialized just as human medicine is. Antibiotics law, consumers shift livestock industry: California first in nation to require veterinarian oversight October 26, 2015, 05:00 AM By Samantha Weigel Daily Journal In the wake of a local legislator’s years-long efforts to curb the proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria, California has become the first in the nation to enact strict regulations over how its livestock industry administers antibiotics. With the public tuning in and becoming more informed on how their food is produced, consumers are also causing a shift in the market as several major fast food chains recently announcing they’ll stop serving antibiotic-fed meat. State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, spent two sessions pushing bills to curb the overuse of antibiotics in California-raised livestock. For years, several interest groups and even Gov. Jerry Brown called for Hill to strengthen his proposal before they’d support his plan. A sticking point related to whether antibiotics can be used to treat animals that aren’t sick — ultimately, changing the bill to prevent regular and widespread use on healthy animals pushed it into law. As Brown signed Hill’s legislation into law this month, California will be the first in the nation to require strict veterinary oversight of antibiotics in livestock and forbid the pharmaceuticals from being used to promote growth beginning January 2018. With 70 percent of the nation’s supply used on animals and 97 percent of that obtained over the counter, Hill said having medical professionals oversee the administration of antibiotics will change industry practices for the better. Hill said he was prompted to act by fear of a return to the days before live-saving discoveries like penicillin were made. According to the Centers for Disease Control, antibiotic-resistant bacteria is responsible for killing nearly 23,000 Americans a year and sickening another 2 million. “People are becoming conscious and aware of the problem as more publicity occurs and I think they know we need to change our behavior,” Hill said. Although Hill received some initial pushback from groups that sought stricter regulations, amendments to the law ensuring antibiotics could not continuously be used to prevent disease in healthy animals earned praise from many. The California Public Interest Group applauded Hill’s leadership and was pleased to support the bill once it set stronger parameters around antibiotics used to prevent diseases in animals that aren’t sick, said Jason Pfeifle, a public health advocate with CALPIRG. “We are hopeful that California’s new law will set a model for other states to follow and, with stronger legislation in other states, then we can begin to make significant progress on curbing antibiotic resistant bacteria,” Pfeifle said. Consumers and laws such as California’s could help to reshape the livestock industry and fast food industry. This week, Subway announced it would phase out antibiotic-fed meats and earlier this year, McDonald’s said it would stop serving chicken or poultry treated with the drugs, Pfeifle said. “The marketplace is beginning to change in that regard; more and more consumers are demanding food and meats that haven’t been raised with antibiotics and because of that, large fast food companies like McDonald’s and Subway are beginning to meet consumer demands. And those moves by those companies will certainly put additional pressure on the livestock industry,” Pfeifle said. The California Cattlemen’s Association remained neutral on the law and representatives noted they support antibiotics being used judiciously, said Justin Oldfield, vice president of government relations with the association. While industry practices must change with new federal regulations requiring veterinary oversight for antibiotics administered through feed and water; California’s law goes a step further by regulating all antibiotics, such as those administered through an injection, Oldfield said. “That’s a pretty significant step. No other state in the country will have that type of regulation. Our association does support all ranchers having a relationship with a large animal veterinarian. … But for those that do not and those that live in very rural areas and may have a hard time accessing pharmacies where these drugs are sold, we’re concerned about having antibiotics made available to them on a timely basis,” Oldfield said. Ranchers will have to ensure they have plans in place with their veterinarians, particularly in advance of certain seasons during which cattle are more apt to become ill, Oldfield said. For those who have relied on their local feed stores to buy antibiotics and may be several hours away from pharmacies or vets, they’ll undoubtedly be impacted once the new law goes into effect, Oldfield said. “There’s definitely going to be an adjustment and that’s why we’re concerned about folks that are in more rural areas,” Oldfield said. “We’re going to need to have a plan, because letting animals suffer or not dealing with those issues, for us, that’s not acceptable.” Hill agreed there are certain circumstances in which using antibiotics for preventative means, such as after surgery, is reasonable amongst both livestock and humans. While the Federal Food and Drug Administration issued voluntary measures on how antibiotics are used in livestock in 2013, Hill said it’s important to codify the rules. Plus, it could ultimately improve the way livestock are raised, he added. “In many cases, it’s been argued the reason they do use antibiotics for preventative and prophylactic use is because of the unsanitary living conditions for these animals and that’s promoting diseases and microbial infections,” Hill said. “So the fact that they can’t use antibiotics any longer, may cause a healthier environment for the animals as well.” samantha@smdailyjournal.com (650) 344-5200 ext. 106

Someone is stealing prime cuts of beef from live cows in Canada

Someone is stealing prime cuts of beef from live cows in Canada With beef prices at record highs, some cattle rustlers are wreaking havoc on Canadian cattle ranches. Police and cattle ranch owners in the North Okanagan region of British Columbia are reporting that criminals have been shooting roaming cattle and butchering them right in the field to take out prime cuts of meat, reports CBC News. Last Tuesday, rancher Jeremy Wasylyszyn said that someone shot a cow and her calf along a logging road then left the carcasses to rot after cutting out prime tenderloin sections from the bovines. "Her and her calf were standing there alive as ever," Wasylyszyn told CBC News. "We'd come back about two and a half, three hours later to find her and her calf shot and the tenderloin taken out of the back of the cow and the calf." Wasylyszyn believes that the thieves were likely after more meat. "Two strips of meat on either side of the spine. They've cut them out of the cow and the calf … I think they totally had intentions of taking more, but I don't think they realized how much traffic was on the road." He is offering a $10,000 (USD $7,600) reward for any information about the butchering thieves that leads to an arrest and conviction. But Wasylyszyn isn’t the only rancher in the area whose experienced the gruesome crime. Earlier this fall, three cattle were found on Coldstream Ranch property in the North Okanaga region with their hindquarters completely removed...more

Circular 676: Interpreting Soil Tests

The following new CES publication is now available online in PDF format. Circular 676: Interpreting Soil Tests: Unlock the Secrets of Your Soil By Robert Flynn (Extension Agronomist, Dept. of Extension Plant Sciences) http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR676.pdf

NMSU’s Hallford named to National Top 20 Animal Science Professors List

NMSU’s Hallford named to National Top 20 Animal Science Professors List DATE: 10/26/2015 WRITER: Kristie Garcia, 575-646-4211, kmgarcia@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Dennis Hallford , 575-646-1004, dhallfor@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Michael Hubbert, 575-374-2566, mhubbert@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Glenn Duff, 575-646-2515, glennd@nmsu.edu The New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is home to one of the top 20 animal science professors in the nation. Regents Professor Dennis Hallford was named to the list by VetTechColleges.com. “I had no idea I was considered being named to the top 20 list,” Hallford said. “I know most of the people on the list, and I am very humbled.” Hallford has been teaching at NMSU for 40 years. He graduated from Tarleton State University in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in general agriculture. He received his master’s degree in animal science in 1973 and his doctorate in animal breeding/physiology in 1975, both from Oklahoma State University. He started his career at NMSU that same year, teaching anatomy and physiology of farm animals, during a time when the university was developing a doctoral program in animal and range science. NMSU’s Animal and Range Sciences Department Head Glenn Duff is not only Hallford’s colleague but was once his student. “This honor brings national recognition to our program at NMSU and shows that we have such quality faculty in the department,” Duff said. “It is quite the recognition, if you look at the faculty that made the top 20 list.” Mike Hubbert, researcher and superintendent of the Clayton Livestock Research Center, agrees that this honor is huge for NMSU. “The best thing to look at is graduate student success and where those students are now,” he said. “For example, if you look at schools such as Montana State, much of the faculty came from NMSU.” Hubbert added that Hallford sets the standard for NMSU’s animal science students. During his time at NMSU, Hallford has received numerous awards and honors, including the university’s and the college’s highest teaching awards. But he is most proud of his students. “Working with students – either in the classroom or in the laboratory setting – has been extremely rewarding,” he said. Hallford keeps track of the number of students he has had since his first year in 1975. He has taught several thousand undergraduate students, and he just had his 62nd student receive a master’s degree. He chuckled as he admitted, “I can tell you where most of my students are now.” Hallford’s former students agree that he had an impact on their lives. “Dr. Hallford was the best faculty instructor I had in my career,” Duff said. “He makes you work hard, has a high expectation and has the desire and passion for students to succeed.” Duff added that Hallford’s enthusiasm and passion for the discipline are what really set him apart from other instructors. “His courses were rigorous, and you knew you had to work hard,” he said. Hubbert studied under Hallford when he came to the NMSU animal science graduate program in 1978. “He is a great teacher because he cares,” Hubbert said. “He helps students understand, and he has a positive impact on his students because of his personality and the family atmosphere he creates with everybody.” To say Hallford is proud of his students is an understatement. “Many students have developed into faculty members in various departments in the college,” Hallford said. “Other students have gone on to become faculty members in animal science at other institutions.” He added that some graduates have worked their way into department head and dean positions, while others have gone on to become successful veterinarians. Hubbert simply stated that, “Dennis’ legacy is all the great students that have come out of the program.” In addition to his teaching career, Hallford has a long list of accolades as a researcher, specializing in the evaluation of endocrine influences on the reproductive function in domestic animals. “There are two or three things in my career over the last 40 years regarding research that have had a major impact on livestock production,” Hallford explained. “I was involved in FDA studies to make available for sheep producers a new method for synchronizing estrus in sheep, which determines when they will breed.” The results of the studies reflected that the meat from animals taking part in this process was safe for human consumption. When asked about the changes he has seen in the college during his tenure at NMSU, Hallford instead emphasized what has not changed. He could not hide his pride about the continuous success in the college. “It’s been remarkably stable in terms of quality education, and we’ve been successful in placing the students after graduation,” he said. “Close relationships between students and faculty are established, and it’s a very personal experience for the students.” Another aspect that has not changed is the quality faculty, according to Hallford. “We hire young faculty members who are excited about teaching and conducting research,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch this program grow, and it’s developed into one of the best in the nation.” NMSU’s animal science graduate program was ranked sixth in the country on Graduate Programs’ spring 2015 list. Graduate Programs is a website geared toward prospective graduate students. NMSU was also named the fifth best pre-veterinary college in the nation by VetTechColleges.com in 2014. This semester Hallford is teaching a graduate level endocrinology class, as well as an anatomy and physiology undergraduate level class. He will need to add quite a few names to his growing list of undergraduate and graduate students whom he plans to keep track of and know where they will be in the future.

Forage crops important to state agriculture, third in total earnings

Forage crops important to state agriculture, third in total earnings DATE: 10/26/2015 WRITER: Jane Moorman, 505-249-0527, jmoorman@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Mark Marsalis, 505-865-7340, marsalis@nmsu.edu In New Mexico, as well as the entire country, raising forage is an important part of the agricultural industry. Forages comprise the greatest amount of crop acres in the state, and the overall crop value is second to none. Without forage, the $3.16 billion beef cattle and cow milk industry could not feed its animals. Of all the forages grown in New Mexico, alfalfa is by far the most economically important, comprising more than 220,000 acres, worth more than $280 million. New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ forage team strives to help farmers meet the state’s forage needs. The team consists of Cooperative Extension Service specialists and agricultural research faculty. Besides conducting research, the team presents the latest research-based information at conferences and workshops. During the first-ever National Forage Week, June 21-27, promoted by the American Forage & Grassland Council, Mark Marsalis, NMSU Extension forage specialist, reflected on the importance of forage and the work NMSU is doing. “The impact of forage goes well beyond the direct value of the marketed product. The ripple effect of a hay, pasture or silage feed is far-reaching and impacts our daily lives in many different ways that many people may not realize,” Marsalis said. “Forages contribute a significant amount to New Mexico’s economy through support industry job creation; beef, dairy and wool operations; horse, goat and alpaca industries; and even honey production; in addition to providing environmental benefits such as soil protection and improvement of wildlife habitat.” Forage crops in New Mexico include alfalfa and other hay, wheat for pasture, and corn, sorghum and small grain silages. These crops are not only grown as stored feeds, they also are used for livestock pastures that are frequently visited by big game, migratory birds and other wildlife. “Hay acreage remains fairly constant from one year to the next in the state, and the value of New Mexico’s hay per ton is usually higher than the national average,” Marsalis said. “We have the perfect climate in New Mexico to grow excellent, high-quality hay – that is, as long as we have irrigation to do so.” However, dwindling irrigation supplies and recent droughts have severely hindered the producers’ ability to grow alfalfa and other forage crops. It is this urgency of water shortage and future sustainability that drives much of the research conducted by NMSU’s forage team. The research being conducted at NMSU’s facilities includes a wide array of projects that focus on forage species that are either currently raised in the state, such as alfalfa, or alternative species that show promise or are underutilized. “One such species being investigated is perennial cereal rye,” Marsalis said. “This crop, which was developed in Canada, is very similar to the traditionally grown annual cereal rye without the annual input costs and soil disturbance associated with other small grains, such as wheat. It can persist for three or more years and may provide a short-lived perennial pasture for grazing operations.” It may also have higher forage quality than many of the perennial species used currently for pasture. “It is uncertain if it will persist under New Mexico’s growing conditions, so it is being studied at both NMSU’s Agricultural Science Centers at Los Lunas and Tucumcari for persistence and growth characteristics,” he said. Other non-traditional forages are being studied for potential utilization in the challenging environment of New Mexico. These include teff, guar, canola and forage kochia. “It is important to consider other crops to see if they have a fit in the different forage-based systems throughout New Mexico,” Marsalis said. “It is especially critical to identify those species that may be a better fit in severely water-limited conditions or those that diversify an operation to provide greater drought mitigation and economic stability.” NMSU is also doing several research projects that focus on New Mexico’s number one cash crop, alfalfa. These include alfalfa planting-date and irrigation-timing studies, insect and weed pest control, and variety performance trials at several of the science centers. Other forage variety performance tests are conducted on corn, sorghum and small grain silage crops.

USDA Issues Safety-Net Payments to Farmers Facing Market Downturn

USDA Issues Safety-Net Payments to Farmers Facing Market Downturn WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that beginning today, nearly one half of the 1.7 million farms that signed up for either the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will receive safety-net payments for the 2014 crop year. "Unlike the old direct payments program, which paid farmers in good years and bad, the 2014 Farm Bill authorized a new safety-net that protects producers only when market forces or adverse weather cause unexpected drops in crop prices or revenues," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "For example, the corn price for 2014 is 30 percent below the historical benchmark price used by the ARC-County program, and revenues of the farms participating in the ARC-County program are down by about $20 billion from the benchmark during the same period. The nearly $4 billion provided today by the ARC and PLC safety-net programs will give assistance to producers where revenues dropped below normal." The ARC/PLC programs primarily allow producers to continue to produce for the market by making payments on a percentage of historical base production, limiting the impact on production decisions. Nationwide, 96 percent of soybean farms, 91 percent of corn farms, and 66 percent of wheat farms elected the ARC-County coverage option. Ninety-nine percent of long grain rice and peanut farms, and 94 percent of medium grain rice farms elected the PLC option. Overall, 76 percent of participating farm acres are protected by ARC-County, 23 percent by PLC, and 1 percent by ARC-Individual. For data about other crops, as well as state-by-state program election results, final PLC price and payment data, and other program information including frequently asked questions, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc. Crops receiving assistance include barley, corn, grain sorghum, lentils, oats, peanuts, dry peas, soybeans, and wheat. In the upcoming months, disbursements will be made for other crops after marketing year average prices are published by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Any disbursements to participants in ARC-County or PLC for long and medium grain rice (except for temperate Japonica rice) will occur in November, for remaining oilseeds and also chickpeas in December, and temperate Japonica rice in early February 2016. ARC-individual payments will begin in November. Upland cotton is no longer a covered commodity. The Budget Control Act of 2011, passed by Congress, requires USDA to reduce payments by 6.8 percent. For more information, producers are encouraged to visit their local Farm Service Agency office. To find a local Farm Service Agency office, visit https://offices.usda.gov. The Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs were made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill. #

Long-time Eddy County farmer and rancher Jim Ogden passed.

Long-time Eddy County farmer and rancher Jim Ogden passed away last evening. Jim leaves a legacy of leadership in agriculture as the father of past New Mexico Cattle Growers’ president Alisa Ogden and of Craig Ogden, New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau vice president. Jim was a Marine and severed with honor in the Pacific theater in World War II. We were visiting one time and he had just returned from Hawaii, he told the memorial there stated that the his unit of Marines took only a few weeks to take the island of Tewia. He said he thought they were there for three months taking that island. I admired and cherished Jim's council and support. Services will be Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church, 309 W Shaw St, Carlsbad, NM 88220. Cards may be sent to the Jim Ogden Family P.O. Box 94 Loving, NM 88256 Please keep the Ogden family in your thoughts and prayers.

SOIL pH, What is it?

SOIL pH, What is it? Most gardening book at some point will refer to soil pH. So what is it and why is it important? Soil pH is a measurement of free hydrogen ions which determine if a soil is acid or alkaline. A pH of 7.0 is neither or is considered neutral. Areas of the world with limited rainfall like Eddy County NM typically have alkaline soils; areas with high rainfall have acid soils. Unless a person has really worked at amending their soil or imported soil from high rainfall area, the soil in Eddy County will have a soil pH of 7.4 to 8.3. Soils with a pH of 7.5 and higher have high calcium carbonate content (caliche) as free lime. Some of Eddy County soil is 13% calcium carbonate. A quick test is place some acid like vinegar on the soil, if there is free lime it will bubble. Carlsbad Caverns is made of limestone so we should expect a lot of free lime in our soils. In general pH of greater than 8.3 will not support plant life except for some specifically adapted species. Soil from 7.5 to 8.3 pH micro nutrients become unavailable to plants most common is Iron. With a pH of 6.0-7.5 most plants will grow and is the pH that most garden book recommends. Just as there are a few alkali loving plants there are some acid loving plants as well, these include blueberries, azaleas, strawberry, that is why they are difficult to grow in Eddy County. When the pH is lower than 6.8- to 5.5 lime is add to the soil to increase the pH. We do not need to add lime to our soil in Eddy County, our pH is much to high already. Soil pH is important chemical property because it affects the availability of nutrients to plants and activity of soil microorganisms. Iron chlorosis is common in the west and Eddy County due to the alkaline soils. As the pH increases phosphorous, zinc and manganese become less available to most plants. Soils which are moderately in high pH that is above 7.3 to 7.7 or so can be managed by giving extra attention to increasing the organic matter, using organic mulches. Plants are less tolerant of dry soil conditions when the pH is high. Soil with a pH of 7.3 and above have so much free lime that soil cannot be amended for acid plants. Home soil test kits are not reliable in Eddy County alkaline soils, unless they are for specifically alkaline soil. I have had a number of sales people tell me they work, I supply them a sample from my small place which I have laboratory data on and none come close to being accurate. The majority of the market is in high rainfall areas and acid soils. Most cannot read our high pH and will indicate an extremely acid soil and give very bad advice for our soil. One company is sending me one for alkali soil so I will let you know how it tests out. I have had two people, one farmer and one gardener who worked diligently for more than 50 years on their soil, and they had wonderful soil, good tilth, smell and texture. They passed away and their replacements did not keep up the intensive management, within 4 years that soil had reverted back to what it was to start with. If your soil bubbles in vinegar your soil has excess free lime and it cannot effectively lower the pH because it has to high of a buffering capacity. Texas A&M at the El Paso Experiment Station added over 40 tons of sulfuric acid to the soil and changed to pH two tenth for three days then it reverted back to what they started with. This said the soil will benefit from the application of elemental sulfur and the use of sulfate fertilizers. With almost 40 years’ experience as County Agriculture Agent my personal thought are do whatever you can to add organic matter to your soils, use sulfate based fertilizers, supplement micro nutrients in chelated form, and NEVER add lime to our soil. Subscribe to Eddy County Ag news at: http://nmsueddyag.blogspot.com/ Eddy County Extension Service, New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. All programs are available to everyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. New Mexico State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Eddy County Government Cooperating.

ASI WEEKLY NEWS FOR SHEEP INDUSTRY LEADERS

ASI WEEKLY NEWS FOR SHEEP INDUSTRY LEADERS ________________________________________ American Sheep Industry Association; 9785 Maroon Circle, Suite 360; Englewood, CO 80112-2692 Phone: (303) 771-3500 Fax: (303) 771-8200 Writer/Editor: Judy Malone E-mail: judym@sheepusa.org Web site: http://www.sheepusa.org ASI is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ________________________________________ Future Dates • Oct. 30-31 - Washington State Convention - www.wssp.org • Nov. 2 - Nonlethal Methods for Predatory Management - Conrad, Mont. - www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/pdfs/nepa/MT%20flyer%20conrad%20REV%2009_28_15.pdf • Nov. 5-7 - West Central States Wool Growers Convention (Utah, Idaho, Wyo. and Nev.) - Park City, Utah - www.idahowool.org • Nov. 5-7 - 21st Dairy Sheep Association of North America Symposium - Madison, Wis. - http://fyi.uwex.edu/wisheepandgoat or 608-263-4306 • Nov. 15 - Let's Grow Application Deadline - www.sheepusa.org/Growourflock_Funding_Application • Nov. 16 - ASI Awards Nominations Due - www.sheepusa.org/About_Awards • Nov. 21-23 - North Dakota Shearing School - Hettinger Fairgrounds - www.ag.ndsu.edu/HettingerREC/sheep-shearing-school • Nov. 21-23 - North Dakota Certified Wool Classing School - Hettinger Armory - www.ag.ndsu.edu/HettingerREC/sheep-shearing-school • Dec. 3-5 - Oregon Sheep Growers Association Annual Convention and Pacific Northwest Lamb and Wool Symposium - Sunriver Resort - www.sheeporegon.com • Dec. 5-6 - Wisconsin Beginning Shearing School - toddtaylor@wisc.edu • Dec. 9-11 - South Dakota Shearing Training - SDSU Sheep Unit, Brookings, SD - Jeffrey.Held@sdstate.edu or 605-690-7033 • Dec. 11-12 - Buckeye Shepherd's Symposium and OSIA Annual Meeting - Shisler Center, Wooster - rhigh@ofbf.org or www.ohiosheep.org/symposium.html • Jan. 9-11 - San Angelo Shearing School - reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu • Jan. 27-30, 2016 - SAVE THE DATE - ASI Annual Convention - Scottsdale, Ariz. - More information will be available soon. • March 14-16, 2016 - Save the Date - ASI Spring Trip - Washington, D.C. ASI Award Nominations Due Nov. 16 Just three weeks remain for you to recognize those who have provided outstanding service to the sheep industry by nominating them for an industry award. Nov. 16 marks the deadline for the submission of nominations to the annual American Sheep Industry Association awards program. Awards will be presented at the ASI Convention, Jan. 27-30, 2016, in Scottsdale, Ariz. There are three award categories available for nomination: • the McClure Silver Ram Award is dedicated to volunteer commitment and service and is presented to a sheep producer who has made substantial contributions to the sheep industry and its organizations in his/her state, region or nation; • the Camptender Award recognizes industry contributions from a professional in a position or field related to sheep production; and • the Distinguished Producer Award, launched in 2014, is a way to recognize an individual who has had a significant long-term impact on the industry including involvement with the National Wool Growers Association or American Sheep Producers Council, the predecessor organizations to ASI. Full details and the applications are available at ASI's website, www.sheepusa.org/About_Awards. Let's Grow Applications Due Nov. 15 To be considered for an ASI Let's Grow grant, applications must be submitted on or before Nov. 15. A total of $325,000 is available for projects to support, promote and ensure the U.S. sheep industry's future through the development of innovative and sustainable initiatives that increase the productivity, profitability and growth of the American sheep industry. Projects should further enhance domestic wool and lamb production. Producers are encouraged to submit proposals that meet the guidelines of the committee in an attempt to compete with not only imported lamb and wool products but with other domestic livestock production. The application is available by clicking on the Let's Grow Program tab on the home page of www.sheepusa.org and then going to Funding. For additional information, contact ASI Let's Grow Coordinator Alan Culham at alan@sheepusa.org or 517-896-7378. ASI Market-App Calculators As fall activities begin to wind down, this is a good time to remind producers of the two calculators that were added to the American Sheep Industry Association Market App - a wool calculator and a gestation calculator. The wool calculator helps a producer calculate total price on a given day by entering micron and estimated yield of the clip. It provides updated international market prices relative to the type of preparation and type of wool in the United States for a specific micron. It also takes into account exchange rates and converts Australian prices to U.S. dollars per pound (instead of kilos). Wool descriptions define the various preparation choices used in the United States and other relevant pricing factors such as length, strength and contamination levels that influence variance in prices for that specific micron diameter. An estimated lambing date can be easily calculated by inputting the service date into the gestation calculator. It also identifies the estimated return date based on an average cycle of 17 days. The calculators are available for both android and iPhone users and can be downloaded through your App Store by searching for ASI Market News. Click on the ASI Tools tab to locate the calculators. Apparel, Textile Industries 'Happy Enough' with TPP Clothing makers and Vietnam - the largest apparel producer in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations - have a few reasons to be pleased with the final trade deal that emerged this month. Chief among those, according to sources, is that the deal would immediately eliminate tariffs on roughly half of apparel trade among the 12 participating countries. The textile industry scored a win with the deal's "yarn-forward" rule, requiring a garment be almost entirely produced in a TPP country in order for it to benefit from the tariff reductions. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman earlier this month touted the final outcome on apparel and textiles in the TPP deal as a delicate balance negotiators were able to achieve. "We worked very closely with both groups of stakeholders to come up with a solution, to come up with an outcome that we think both will be comfortable with and both will be supportive of," Froman said during a teleconference hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. But "comfortable" might be the strongest word that can be used to describe how the U.S. textile industry feels about the deal. Textile manufacturers, which have struggled with the impact of globalization on their industry in recent decades, were braced for the worst this time given how Vietnam was fighting back against the yarn-forward rule - a position the U.S. aggressively staked out at the beginning of the talks. Vietnam initially pushed for tariff benefits under a less extreme "cut and sew" rule. Most garments currently made in Vietnam are cut and sewn from fabric imported primarily from China, which is not a TPP country. Now, under the terms of the deal, major apparel companies will be forced to build new yarn and textile production in Vietnam if they want to get tariffs reduced on garments produced there. Auggie Tantillo, president of the National Council of Textile Organizations, said maintaining those tariffs would be vital for the future of the U.S. domestic textile industry. A huge market access windfall for Vietnam would compel many apparel companies to move their Western Hemisphere production to the Southeast Asian nation where labor costs are even lower and the government provides more subsidies, he said. U.S. textile manufacturers have been able to prop up their domestic industry through trade deals with Mexico and Central American countries. Under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, many apparel producers took advantage of lower labor costs to build garment factories in countries south of the border. The U.S. textile industry seized on the opportunity and established itself as a primary supplier for apparel makers operating in those countries. "It would be a major catastrophe if Vietnam were to have such generous and instant access to the U.S. market," said Tantillo. "That would cut production in this hemisphere by half." Reprinted from Politico Researchers Say Eat More Animal Protein As animal protein gains favor in consumers' eyes, research projects are helping to show the potential for animal-based proteins to improve health. Nutrition researchers and dieticians are also changing their tune about the benefits of increasing protein in our diets. Several findings in the past dozen years or so have really boosted the "stock price" of protein. In review, here are a few of the findings now accepted or gaining acceptance as valid scientific theory: • Higher-protein diets support body weight loss and maintenance of that loss. • Higher-protein diets offer greater satiety (fullness/satisfaction) and decrease snacking. • Distributing protein consumption across all meals in a day appears to improve weight management and appetite control. • The amino acids in animal protein appear better at supplying the "essential" amino acids for humans, meaning those we cannot synthesize and must take in, than are plant proteins. • Early research trials suggest increasing protein intake from middle age forward, together with increased physical activity, may improve retention of muscle mass and reduce frailty. • Animal proteins provide more and higher-quality proteins than can plant-based proteins, and they deliver with fewer total calories. For example, three ounces of lamb contains 23 grams of protein and 175 calories, while six tablespoons of peanut butter contains 25 grams of protein but 564 calories. Reprinted in part from CattleNetwork Video of the Week Watch as sheep rancher and Bureau of Land Management permittee Denis Kowitz takes 1,200 sheep across a 50-year-old wooden bridge. Denis has been crossing the historical bridge for more than 18 years. The bridge hangs 30 feet above the Big Wood River, connecting the Bennett Hills and Timmerman Hills with the Wood River Valley in south central Idaho. Since its construction, it has served as a connector for a major trailing route, allowing sheep to move from lower elevation to higher elevation pastures. Not for the faint of heart, the bridge has been known to swing nearly two feet from side to side while livestock cross it. BLM maintains the bridge to the same standards consistent with footbridges, routinely replacing old sections of wood and tightening up the railings. Twelve bands (25,000 sheep) owned by three different operators will cross the bridge during the year. If you think you have seen this bridge before, it is the very bridge shown on the cover of the October issue of the Sheep Industry News and the winner of the action category in ASI's 2015 photo contest. The photo was taken by Michael Lark of Idaho. Watch the video at www.facebook.com/BLMIdaho/videos/973078109404392/?fref=nf. MARKET NEWS Weekly National Market Prices for Wool The U.S. Department of Agriculture's prices for wool can be accessed at www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_EPAS_Reports/wamrpt091515.pdf. The effective repayment rate is the lower of either the 30-day average or weekly rate. Category 2014 Loan Rate Effective Repayment Rate LDP Rate Week of 10/21/15 Graded Wool CLEAN PRICES in $ per pound <18.6 Micron 3.88 3.71 $.17 LDP Available 18.6-19.5 3.38 3.47 Not Available 19.6-20.5 2.94 3.32 Not Available 20.6-22.0 2.72 3.27 Not Available 22.1-23.5 2.56 3.26 Not Available 23.6-25.9 2.33 3.03 Not Available 26.0-28.9 1.78 1.94 Not Available > 29 Micron 1.38 1.71 Not Available GREASE PRICES in $ per pound Ungraded Wool 40 cents 60 cents Not Available Unshorn Pelt 6.865 lbs x Ungraded Wool LDP Not Available Wool LDPs are not available when the weekly repayment rate is above loan rate. Market Summary, Week ending October 16, 2015 Feeder Prices ($/cwt.), San Angelo: 40-60 lbs. for 200-210, 65 lbs. for 185; 70-90 lbs. for 172-178. Slaughter Prices - Negotiated ($/cwt.), wooled and shorn 115-165 lbs. for 150-167 (wtd avg 158.51). Slaughter Prices - Formula1, 4,278 head at 288.76-324.00 $/cwt. for 72.3 lbs.; 1,305 head at 290.82-312.65 $/cwt. for 77.0 lbs. Equity Electronic Auction, shorn 145 lbs. for 157.75. Cutout Value/Net Carcass Value2, $326.23/cwt. Carcass Price, Choice and Prime, YG 1-4, $/cwt., weighted averages, 1,211 head at 55-65 lbs. for 340.72, 2,347 head at 65-75 lbs. for 326.56, 1,631 head at 75-85 lbs. for 316.11, 678 head at 85 lbs. and up for 309.19. Boxed Lamb, weighted average prices ($/cwt.), Trimmed 4" Loins 526.15, Rack, roast-ready, frenched (cap-on) 1,446.56, Rack, roast-ready, frenched, special (cap-off) 1,784.33, Leg, trotter-off, partial boneless 480.50, Shoulder, square-cut 304.40, Ground lamb 557.22. Imported Boxed Lamb, weighted average prices ($/cwt.), AUS Rack (fresh, frenched, cap-off, 28 oz/up) 999.30, AUS Shoulder (fresh, square-cut) 244.13, AUS Leg (fresh, semi boneless) 428.74, AUS Rack (frozen, frenched, cap-off, 28 oz/up) 736.10, NZ Rack (frozen, frenched, cap-off, 20 oz/up) 769.00, AUS Shoulder (frozen, square-cut) 206.78. Exported Adult Sheep, 0 head Wool, Price ($/pound) Clean, Delivered, June-July prices: 18 micron (Grade 80s) NA, 19 micron (Grade 80s) 4.21, 20 micron (Grade 70s) 4.20, 21 micron (Grade 64-70s) 3.90-3.96, 22 micron (Grade 64s) 3.69, 23 micron (Grade 62s) 3.53, 24 micron (Grade 60-62s) 3.42, 25 micron (Grade 58s) 3.18-3.32, 26 micron (Grade 56-58s) 2.95, 27 micron (Grade 56s) 2.89, 28 micron (Grade 54s) 2.62, 29 micron (Grade 50-54s) NA, 30-34 micron (Grade 44-50s) 1.89. Australian Wool, Clean, delivered FOB warehouse & gross producers ($/pound), 18 micron (Grade 80s) 3.58-4.06, 19 micron (Grade 80s) 3.32-3.77, 20 micron (Grade 70s) 3.18-3.61, 21 micron (Grade 64-70s) 3.15-3.57, 22 micron (Grade 64s) 3.13-3.54, 23 micron (Grade 62s) 3.10-3.51, 24 micron (Grade 60-62s) NA, 25 micron (Grade 58s) 2.82-3.20, 26 micron (Grade 56-58s) 2.63-2.98, 28 micron (Grade 54s) 2.18-2.47, 30 micron (Grade 50s) 2.06-2.34, 32 micron (Grade 46-48s) 1.82-2.06, Merino Clippings 2.75-3.11. 1Prices reported for the two weight categories of the largest volume traded. Second, multiplying the carcass prices by an estimated 50.4% dressing percentage yields live weight prices. 2The cutout value is the same as a net carcass value. It is a composite value that sums the value of the respective lamb cuts multiplied by their weights. It is also the gross carcass value less processing and packaging costs. Source: USDA's AMS

New Mexico painter recognized for contributions to Western arts

New Mexico painter recognized for contributions to Western arts NMDA presents 2015 Rounders Award to Gary Morton (SANTA FE, N.M.) – A New Mexico painter whose work depicts contemporary cowboy life was honored by the state this week for his longtime contributions to the rich culture of the West. Gary Morton of Sapello, north of Las Vegas, N.M., accepted the 2015 Rounders Award on October 22 during an afternoon presentation hosted at the Governor’s Residence in Santa Fe. New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte presented the award, along with New Mexican writer Max Evans, whose classic western novel and subsequent Hollywood movie The Rounders is the award’s namesake. Created in 1990 at the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, the Rounders Award honors those who “live, promote, and articulate the western way of life.” “Anyone who’s ever walked around the fourth floor of New Mexico’s Capitol Building in Santa Fe will know Gary’s work,” Witte said. “His painting outside the Governor’s Office will take your breath away – not only because of its enormity, but also because of Gary’s detail in showing a cowboy and his horse high upon a ridge, looking out over a beautiful piece of New Mexico countryside.” Witte refers to Morton’s 1991 painting “The Simple Pleasures of New Mexico” (SEE 2ND ATTACHED IMAGE). It’s one of Morton’s many paintings depicting present-day cowboys perfectly content – at home – working among and caring for the land, cattle, and horses. Morton’s art is informed by his own experience in ranching. He worked as a cowboy on different ranches as a teenager, ending up at the state’s historic Bell Ranch. He then spent 25 years as a full-time artist before ranch life called him back. He’s cared for cattle on picturesque pieces of the New Mexico landscape, including 2,000 yearling calves on the Valles Caldera National Preserve in the northern part of the state, and nearly 5,000 yearling calves on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in the southern part. A few years ago, Morton’s life came full circle when he returned to the Bell Division of Silver Spur Ranches in northeastern New Mexico. Life also brought Morton back to the easel. Morton has served four New Mexico governors in various appointments, including chairman of the New Mexico Arts Commission, director of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and director of the Equestrian Facility Design Task Force. He’s also one of the founding directors of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association. Gathered for the presentation were members of Morton’s family, as well as a crowd of approximately 100 New Mexico farmers, ranchers, and others who, in their own small way, have helped secure the culture of the West for future generations.

Wolf fight headed to Roswell

Wolf fight headed to Roswell Written by Stewart McClintic on October 21, 2015 The New Mexico State Game Commission will hold a public hearing in Roswell next month to consider an appeal by media mogul Ted Turner to import and possess Mexican gray wolves at his sprawling ranch in south-central New Mexico. The Game Commission is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. Nov. 19 at Pearson Auditorium on the campus of New Mexico Military Institute. On the agenda, among other items, is an appeal by the Turner Endangered Species Fund, which requested a permit renewal to hold wolves in captivity at the Ladder Ranch. The Ladder Ranch, private property owned by Turner, applied for permits to import and possess Mexican gray wolves at the 156,439-acre ranch property in south central New Mexico, where Turner is raising endangered Mexican wolves and bison. The Game Commission earlier this year voted unanimously to deny the Ladder Ranch wolf applications. Cattle ranchers praised the Game Commission’s decision, while environmental and wildlife groups oppose the decision. Game commissioners have said they couldn’t approve the permit because of the failure of the federal government to update a decades-old recovery plan for the wolves. Officials with the Turner Endangered Species Fund said denying their permit applications will not lead to a new recovery plan. Turner, former owner of CNN, has bought 1.7 million acres in New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Montana and South Dakota since 1987, becoming the largest private landowner in the United States. In New Mexico, the billionaire owns almost 1.1 million acres, or 1.5 percent of the nation’s fifth-largest state. The sprawling Ladder Ranch, in the foothills of the Black Range east of the Gila Mountains and south of Truth or Consequences, is caught in the middle of a dispute between the state and federal wildlife officials over management of the Mexican gray wolf. The seven-member Game Commission on Sept. 29 upheld a previous decision by New Mexico Game and Fish Director Alexa Sandoval to deny the federal government a permit to release Mexican gray wolves in the Gila National Forest. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is appealing the State Game Commission’s Sept. 29 decision at a meeting held in Albuquerque. Dan Williams, spokesman for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, told the Daily Record on Monday that the Game Commission frequently holds hearings across the state, and the Nov. 19 meeting in Roswell has been scheduled in the Alien City for months. “It’s not like they scheduled this one just because of any particular agenda item,” Williams said. “It’s been scheduled since the beginning of the year.” Following the Game Commission’s Sept. 29 decision declining to issue permits to the federal Fish and Wildlife Service, more than three dozen environmental groups asked the federal government to release at least five packs of Mexican gray wolves in New Mexico to bolster the genetics of the endangered predators. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees the wolf recovery effort, noted that improving the gene pool has been a driver for recent decisions aimed at expanding the program and that the agency has an obligation under the Endangered Species Act to recover the subspecies. Members of the New Mexico Game Commission and the director have voiced concerns about new wolf releases because the federal government has yet to update its decades-old recovery plan for the species. The New Mexico Game and Fish Department, which withdrew from the recovery program years ago, also claims federal officials haven’t done enough to analyze the social and economic effects of having more wolves on the landscape. Ranchers have been among the strongest critics, saying their communities and likelihoods are being threatened. Chaves County Commissioner James Duffey, a sheep rancher at East Grand Plains, said wolves were hunted to make ranching possible in the West. “There was a reason they were eradicated to begin with and that’s because of livestock and livestock reduction,” Duffey said. “We’ll probably be back in the same shape again if we get infestation of those things in here again.” Duffey, who has about 150 ewes, said wolves threaten both sheep and cattle ranching. “We have enough problems with coyotes and domesticated dogs, at least I do, and then you put wolves on top of that, it could be devastating to my sheep operation,” Duffey said. “That area for sheep production has gotten smaller and smaller because of predators already. I mean the coyotes have about put those guys out of business, some of them anyway, and it’s gotten smaller and smaller. You throw the wolves on top of it, it won’t be good. Wolves are even tough on cattle.” Despite the Ladder Ranch permit issue, the coordinator of the wolf program said that the federal agency plans to move ahead with wolf releases. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to pursue the reintroduction of wolves within the bounds of the Gila National Forest, to include one additional mating pair with pups, and up to 10 pups for cross-fostering with other parents. Officials say that without the reintroduction of additional wolves, the lack of genetic diversity could damage the successful reintroduction and recovery of the Mexican gray wolf species. At a Sept. 29 Game Commission hearing in Albuquerque, Sherry Barrett, the Mexican wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife offices, said the federal Fish and Wildlife Service continues to wish to work on the recovery of the Mexican wolf. “The population at this time is continuing to grow substantially, adequately on its own,” Barrett said. “We’ve had about a 20 percent growth over the last few years and we do expect to continue to have a 10 percent growth per annual count that we have each year. So the growth is not our goal at this point for release of Mexican wolves, but rather the increase of the genetic health of the wild population.” Barrett said the Mexican wolf is a very recoverable species whose principal enemy is human. “[I]n the case of the Mexican wolf, it was eradicated from the wild as a result of intolerance of humans…,” Barrett said. “But those are things that we can work together to overcome and I would look forward to working with the department into the future to figure out the best ways to recover the Mexican wolf into its native habitat, especially that which must include New Mexico and to get the Mexican wolf eventually recovered, delisted from the Endangered Species Act, which would then again put it back into the management of the state of New Mexico.” There are at least 110 Mexican wolves roaming parts of the Apache National Forest in Arizona and the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. Reintroduction of wolves started in 1998, but the effort has been hampered over the years by politics, illegal killings and other factors. Disputes over the program’s management also have spurred numerous legal actions. The reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf has been fraught with controversy since its inception in the 1970s. Animal advocacy groups — like the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club — have rallied behind the wolf’s return to the Southwest. Opponents have come most vocally from the ranching and herding communities, who claim the cost to their livestock would be too high. Senior Writer Jeff Tucker may be contacted at 575-622-7710, ext. 303, or at reporter01@rdrnews.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ari-Tourism Conference

Good Morning, The Small Farm Task Force has asked me to send you the following attachment. They are working on hosting an Ari-Tourism Conference November 12 – 14, 2015 and are requesting that you get this information out to those people in your counties that may be interested or may benefit from this conference. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Augusta Archuleta at (505) 852-2668 or myself. Thank you

Diabetic Cooking Classes in Eddy County

Diabetic Cooking Classes in Eddy County An estimated 173,000 adults in New Mexico have diabetes. New Mexicans with diabetes can learn healthy ways to cook meals and snacks during free, hands-on classes in Eddy County that begin Oct. 27 in Artesia. "People with diabetes don't have to give up all their favorite traditional foods," said Jennah McKinley, Eddy County Home Economist with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service. "They have the option to still cook their favorite meals by preparing them in healthier ways”. The four-part course, "Kitchen Creations: A Cooking School for People with Diabetes and Their Families," allows participants to learn through experience by cooking several dishes during each three-hour class. During the first hour of each class, participants learn about controlling diabetes through healthy diet and exercise. Participants learn to plan meals, eat appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, increase vegetable consumption, replace butter or lard with vegetable oil when cooking and add flavor to food with spices rather than sweeteners or fat. During the following two hours, participants break off into small groups to prepare meals and snacks, such as healthy salads, mixed vegetable dishes and desserts. Extension provides free course materials for participants, including cooking utensils, ingredients and recipe books. Anybody with Type 2 diabetes can participate, as well as relatives or caregivers who prepare meals. Classes are twice a week from Oct. 27 to Nov. 5 at the Eddy County Fairgrounds in Artesia. New Mexico State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educator. If you are an individual with a disability and need an auxiliary aid or service, please contact us Monday through Friday at 575-887-6595. Jennah McKinley, M.Ed. Extension Home Economist Eddy County Extension 1304 W. Stevens Carlsbad, NM 88220 575-887-6595 jennahm@ad.nmsu.edu

WSARE-sponsored NM Sustainable Agriculture Conference

This year’s WSARE-sponsored NM Sustainable Agriculture Conference will be held in Los Lunas on Wednesday, December 16th, from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. The event is free of charge. This year’s conference focuses on: -Building and understanding soil fertility in desert soils -Basics of fertilizing through hydropic systems -Innovative use and considerations for aquaponics in New Mexico. The conference program is: Morning Moderator –Newt McCarty 8:30 am Welcome & Opening Remarks Jeff Witte 8:45 am Water Quality in Aquaponics Systems Rossana Sallenave 9:30 am Sustainable Approaches for Cotton Seed Production Tracey Carrillo 10:15 am Morning Break & Booth Display 10:30 am Effortless Hydroponic Greenhouse Production: Did They Really Say Effortless? Steve Newman 11:30 am Lunch (provided on site) Afternoon Moderator –John Garlisch 12:30 pm Interpreting Soil Tests in NM Robert Flynn 1:30 pm Managing Soils for the Long-Term: Productivity & Sustainability Ron Godin 2:30 pm Afternoon Break & Booth Display 2:45 pm Hydroponics & Aquaponics -Producer Panel & Discussion 4:00 pm Adjourn Please register on-line if you plan to attend: http://rsvp.nmsu.edu/rsvp/2015sare

Register today for a Resilience in New Mexico Agriculture Regional Meeting!

Subject: Register today for a Resilience in New Mexico Agriculture Regional Meeting! Resilience in New Mexico Agriculture Register today for a Resilience in New Mexico Agriculture Regional Meeting in your area! It takes a diverse network of farmers, ranchers, processors, distributors and market organizers to make a difference in the future of agriculture. Join us to discuss your best ideas for ensuring a robust food and agriculture system in New Mexico. Eleven meetings are scheduled from December 2015 through March 2016 to bring together a diverse group of agriculture stakeholders to identify industry trends, challenges and solutions. Who Should Attend? • Farmers & ranchers • Commercial producers & marketers (e.g., process, store, distribute or market agricultural products) • Educators & researchers • Government employees (e.g., extension agent, water and environmental policy, food safety, etc.) • Financial lenders & grant makers (e.g., banker or philanthropist) • Advocates • Policymakers • Consumers Statewide Schedule: • Albuquerque—January 13 • Crownpoint (Tribal)—March 3 • Espanola (Northern Pueblos)—February 10 • Farmington—March 2 • Laguna (Southern Pueblos)—January 14 • Las Cruces—January 7 • Roswell—December 2 • Shiprock (Tribal)—March 4 • Silver City—January 15 • Taos—February 11 • Tucumcari—March 9 Registration There is no registration fee, but space is limited and food needs to be ordered, so reserve your seat now! Lunch will be served at each meeting. To register and learn more, go to the meeting website at http://nmfirst.org/events/resilience-in-new-mexico-agriculture or click here! Questions? Contact us 505-225-2140 or info@nmfirst.org. The meetings are convened by New Mexico First and New Mexico State University-Cooperative Extension Service.

USDA Invests in New Market Opportunities in Local and Regional Food Systems

Fact Sheet: USDA Invests in New Market Opportunities in Local and Regional Food Systems Over the course of the Administration, USDA has created new economic opportunities in the growing market for local and regional foods for new and established farmers, ranchers and small food business entrepreneurs. Through investments at the farm level in the form of production research, credit and conservation assistance; infrastructure investments that connect farmers and consumers; and strategies to increase access to healthy foods in rural and urban communities, USDA has helped the market for local food grow to an estimated $11.7 billion in 2014. Between FY 2009 and FY 2014, USDA invested more than $800 million in more than 29,100 local and regional food businesses and infrastructure projects. Helped Farmers and Ranchers Tap into New, Local Markets • Increased support for farmers and ranchers developing new products to sell locally. Between 2009 and 2014, the number of Value Added Producer Grants awarded to local food projects jumped by more than 500 percent. During the 2013-2014 funding cycle, USDA dedicated nearly $11 million - nearly half of the awarded funds - to 116 unique local food projects through this program. • Helped producers construct nearly 15,000 high tunnels on farms around the country between 2010 and 2015. These low-cost greenhouses extend the growing season, reduce input costs, conserve natural resources and make locally-grown produce available for a greater portion of the year. • Provided nearly 15,000 microloans to farmers and ranchers in all 50 states, many of whom take advantage of local marketing opportunities, since the program was launched in January 2013. This program provides smaller loans of up to $50,000 for small-scale, diversified producers. 70 percent of these loans have gone to beginning farmers. • Expanded consumers' access to information about local food through our National Farmers Market Directory, which now lists nearly 8,500 farmers markets nationwide. USDA has also launched several new Local Food Directories for Community Supported Agriculture enterprises, food hubs, and on-farm stores. • To provide better pricing data to industry, lending institutions and insurers, USDA launched a new program through the Agricultural Marketing Service's Market News to gather and report prices for local food and organic products. USDA is working to ensure that this data can be used by Farm Service Agency loan officers and in the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program risk protection program to provide the right level of coverage for farms selling into these premium markets. Improved Infrastructure to Connect Producers with New Markets • Made over 900 investments in local food infrastructure between FY 2009 and FY 2015- including food hubs, local processing facilities and distribution networks - to help connect farmers and consumers through strong regional supply chains and create jobs along the way. • Supported a near doubling of the number of food hubs between 2009 and 2014, with more than 300 now operational around the country. USDA investments help plan, design and build hubs, while USDA research informs best practices and helps lenders understand how to work with these unique businesses. Food hubs aggregate products from small and midsize farms and distribute them to large-volume buyers, such as grocery stores, in the local region. On average, each food hub supports 20 jobs and generates nearly $4 million in annual sales. • Invested in direct sales opportunities like farmers markets that keep more of the food dollar in farmers' pockets and improve consumer access to fresh, healthy and local food. The number of farmers markets has grown by 81 percent nationally since 2008. Since 2009, USDA has helped more consumers connect directly with farmers through the Farmers Market Promotion Program, providing $60 million in assistance for over 900 projects nationwide between FY 2009 and FY 2015 to grow and expand farmers markets and other direct marketing opportunities. The 2014 Farm Bill expanded FMPP to include the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), which supports other local food marketing channels like food hubs, distribution networks and CSAs. LFPP has funded over 350 projects totaling nearly $25 million since it launched in 2014. Improved Access to Healthy, Local Food • Expanded access to healthy foods in underserved communities by increasing the number of farmers markets that accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Over 6,000 farmers markets and direct marketing farmers now accept EBT, and SNAP redemption at farmers markets nationwide rose from $4 million in 2009 to over $18 million in 2014. • Invested in 221 projects in 49 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands over the past three years that help to create new marketing opportunities for farmers and ranchers in schools through the Farm to School grant program, which began in 2013 and is funded through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. According to preliminary data from USDA's Farm to School Census, schools spent nearly $600 million on local food purchases during the 2013-2014 school year. • Supported communities that use local food as a strategy to reduce food insecurity. Between FY 2009 and FY 2014, USDA has provided $28 million to 154 Community Food Projects in 48 states to help communities improve access to healthy, local food. Sharing USDA's Tools That Support Local Food Systems The Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative (KYF2) coordinates this work across the Department, ensuring that USDA's programs and policies are evolving to meet the needs of this growing sector of agriculture. The KYF2 website is a one-stop shop for resources and information about USDA programs and support for local and regional food systems. In addition to featuring information about relevant grants, loans, research and other tools, the KYF2 website features the Compass, which maps over 4,500 federally funded local food projects on the Compass Map from USDA and 11 other federal agencies between FY 2009 and FY 2014. All of the data on the map are downloadable, searchable and updated annually. #