Congratulations to Anita Hand, winner of the WLC fundraiser quilt!  The quilt raffle is a fundraiser for the NMF&LB's Women's Ledership Committee.

NMF&LB Executive Vice-President Matt Rush is pictured with members of New Mexico's 4-H Leadership Team.  NMF&LB donated $1,000 to the youth development group during Ag Fest.

NMF&LB Executive Vice President Matt Rush gives a $500 donation to Geraldine and Denny Calhoun, representatives of Cowboys for Cancer Research.  The Las Cruces based nonprofit started 29 years ago as a team roping to honor a fellow roper’s wife.  The group has grown to hosting year-round activities including a dinner and dance with a silent auction, and a partnership with the NMSU’s Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign.  Last year C4CR raised over $800,000, all of which stayed in New Mexico, and since their inception have raised over 1.5 million dollars for cancer research. For more information please visit http://www.cowboysforcancerresearch.org/

It’s here! New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau was one of five recipients of a My American Farm kiosk made possible through generous funding from Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business.  Chosen from among 45 applicants, the New Mexico Ag in the Classroom program plans to use the mobile exhibit at fairs, ag days and educational venues.  This great agricultural literacy resource is pre-loaded with the thirteen My American Farm games designed for elementary students.  “My American Farm is more than the games and resources, it’s a fun and engaging way to share positive messages about agriculture with the public,” says Dan Durheim, Director of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.  “We were thrilled to be chosen for the kiosk and have plans to take it to all corners of the state, ” says Traci Williams, Director of New Mexico Ag in the Classroom.  

New Department of Labor rules are being proposed that would outlaw traditional farm and ranch work practices.  Listen to our lastest podcast for the details.  The D of L is taking comments until November 1, go to this website to make your opinion known  http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;dct=FR%252BPR%252BN%252BO%252BSR%252BPS;rpp=10;po=0;D=WHD-2011-0001

Calling all farm and ranch kiddos.  We have these great t-shirts for toddlers through teenagers, and they're only $10!  Come pick one up at our Annual Meeting, November 17 - 19 in Albuquerque.

Benjie Segovia, Regional Director for the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau, sets up the booth at the New Mexico State Fair which will run September 9 - 25.  It will be manned by volunteers the entire time so come say hi! 

Along with everything else, the price of a higher education is climbing higher and higher.  County chapters of the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau are doing their part to make sure that students who have a desire to attend college have the means to fulfill their dreams.  Listen to our latest podcast at www.nmfarmbureau.org to hear John York, Grant County Farm Bureau President, explain why scholarships are an important part of the budget for Grant County Farm Bureau.

Lea County Farm Bureau President Danny Groves is pictured with scholarship winners Shawn Rodriguez, Kagan Massey, and Torrie Sewell.  They were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship.  Read our September newsletter to learn about the thousands of dollars worth of scholarships that are awarded by other NM County Farm Bureaus.

We are in the midst of one of the worst droughts in our state’s history.  Due to the lack of rainfall and absence of grass, ranchers are having to spend an enormous amount feeding and watering their cattle.  Some ranchers tried to be prepared for such a situation by purchasing an insurance policy through the United States Department of Agriculture.  Now these forward thinking ranchers are finding out that their policies aren’t paying.  Listen to our latest podcast at www.nmfarmbureau.org

Educator of the Year Award - Every year New Mexico Ag in the classroom selects an educator that has demonstrated success in teaching agricultural concepts in their curriculum.  Nominations are now open for these awards. The nomination guidelines and required forms are included with the downloadable application at the Ag in the Classroom section of the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau website (nmfarmbureau.org). Note that the applications must be received by NMAITC by October 17, 2011.  Thank you for your commitment to advancing agricultural awareness.  For more information please contact Traci Williams at 505-238-2425 or email her at traci.williams@nmfarmbureau.org.

It’s harvest time for New Mexico’s famous green chile and this year consumers can look for a “Grown in New Mexico” label to make sure that they are actually getting New Mexico green chile.  The New Mexico Chile Advertising Act, signed into law by Governor Martinez, makes it illegal to advertise chile as grown in our state - unless it actually is.   Listen to our latest podcast featured on our website www.nmfarmbureau.org, to learn more.

This is the current scene at Sunland Nursery’s color division, but with the arrival of thousands of poinsettias it will soon look much different as they prepare for Christmas.  New Mexico’s greenhouse industry was worth $62 million in 2009 and is our 6th largest agricultural commodity. According to NMSU’s Extension Department, our state has near perfect conditions for a thriving greenhouse industry since it features high winter light intensity, low humidity, moderate winter temperatures, and easy access to markets.

Today is National Milk Chocolate Day! Listen to our latest broadcast to learn how New Mexico's dairy farmers bring you one of life's necessities. 

Quilt makers Donna Barnitz and Colleen Konetzni explain the hand-dyeing process used to create this year's fundraiser quilt for the WLC.  Tickets will be 1 for $5.00 or 3 for $10.00 and the winning ticket will be drawn at Ag Fest, January 24, 2012.

Joel Alderete, NMF&LB Regional Director, presents at the 4-H State Conference.Senior 4-H members can join our Collegiate FB or YF&R program.

This hay from Jim Wood’s farm near Deming is headed to Las Uvas Dairy.  Hay is currently going for around $210 a ton.

According to 2009 USDA statistics, 5,200 acres of onion were planted in New Mexico which were worth over $53 million when harvested.

The onion harvest is running a little late this year due to the cold snap in February and the unusually cool spring.  These will be ready to harvest in a couple of days.  

Yet another year has come and thanks to many in Cibola and McKinley County our up and coming youth are just that much smarter and knowledgeable when it comes to Agriculture. The Grants Rodeo Grounds played host to another great Ag Day and with over 600 students in attendance, well it is safe to say it was yet another successful event. Tanya Ott one of our Farm Bureau Board Members from Cibola/McKinley is the founder of Ag Days and has dedicated 12 years to this event, it is because of her support for Agriculture and the community that the event continues to be successful.

With a variety of vendors and exhibitors in attendance, many topics were covered from skin cancer prevention, soil erosion, feral pigs, guide dogs for the impaired, predator birds and livestock production. Chris Gutierrez our Cibola/McKinley County Farm Bureau President, and Mike Casados our Cibola/McKinley Board member represented the County Farm Bureau and explained to the audience why Agriculture is so important and where our food comes from. Chris explained that over the 12 years he has been doing this event it is amazing at the answers he gets when asking the audience where there food comes from, so folks it is events as such and the dedication of our Farm Bureaus that will continue to educate our youth so that Agriculture remains a viable industry. Thank you to the Cibola/McKinley County Farm Bureau for their efforts and most importantly thank Tanya Ott for your continued service to Agriculture.

*The N.M. Farm and Livestock Bureau this week participated in a national radio network news story that focused on the challenges of effective farm labor programs which included a backwards glance at the successful "bracero" program of the early 1960's.

*The Farm Bureau Prime Timers gathered at the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum to dine and socialize May 11th in Las Cruces. The guest speaker Col. Frank Geisel (Ret.) gave a demonstration on dowsing which involves using a divining rod to find sources of water. The Prime Timers are a group of retired farmers and ranchers who meet once a month to discuss issues and absorb new knowledge.

*In an interview for the NMFB weekly radio program "Newsline" Elephant Butte Irrigation District Manager, Gary Esslinger, noted that while water run-off from the north is flowing into the various lakes in the state he feels like the state is still on a drought footing because while the lakes are "starting to fill....they are not full." He said nothing would be better than a good monsoon season for the state's irrigators but predicting the fickle weather pattern is always a challenge.