New Mexico’s Agriculture Secretary invites participation in National Agriculture Day
It may not have quite the same ring to it that “International Talk Like a Pirate Day” has, but then again, it’s a lot easier to observe.
I’m talking about National Agriculture Day, which we celebrate across the U.S. today. And even if you’re not a farmer or rancher, you will no doubt participate in agriculture today just as you do every other day of the year. With every cotton article of clothing you put on, with every newspaper page you turn, with every dish you add green chile to…with every food and fiber purchase you make, you solidify your role as a participant within the grand scheme of agriculture.
Of course, the level of participation in agriculture is greatest among our farmers and ranchers. Today, each American farmer feeds nearly 150 people. The need beyond our own borders for the food produced in the United States is enough that agriculture is this country’s No. 1 export. That tells you a lot about the importance of agriculture in sustaining a healthy economy.
Zooming in on New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers in particular, the fruits of their labor amounted to a $4 billion contribution to New Mexico’s economy in 2011, the latest year for which such data are available from USDA. That figure reflects the value of the raw agricultural commodities before they were turned into value-added products, such as when milk is made into cheese and chile into salsa.
Indeed, milk and chile are both important commodities produced in New Mexico. So is beef…and so are pecans, corn, onions, lettuce, cabbage, pumpkins, lamb, wheat, potatoes, apples, watermelons, peanuts, and beans. The diversity is so great that when I’m out talking with different groups, I sum things up by saying that in New Mexico, we produce the plate. Even the pickiest eater can find a palate-pleaser among all the things we grow. But not all of what’s produced in New Mexico will wind up on your plate: for instance, hay, cotton, and nursery crops are among the state’s top 10 cash-producing commodities.
There is plenty to celebrate about New Mexico agriculture. But I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the very real challenges New Mexico farmers and ranchers face. For one: they’re not getting any younger. The last time USDA did a nationwide count of farmers and ranchers and their businesses (in 2007), the average age of farmers and ranchers across New Mexico was 59.6 years old, the highest average of any state in the nation. That’s why organizations like 4H and FFA are so important: They’re a platform for young people to build their knowledge of agriculture, as well as the relationships that foster the continuation of the knowledge.
Looming more immediately on the horizon is the impact the drought is having and will continue to have for the foreseeable future on farmers and ranchers in New Mexico. That challenge especially reminds us that agriculture is no easy life. It requires adapation and resiliency. More than that, a life in agriculture requires hope, faith in yourself and what you’re producing, and a sense of humor.
That’s why Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.”
When you fill your plate on National Agriculture Day, I encourage you to think of the farmer and the rancher who set that process in motion. Think about those who harvest, transport, and sell the rich bounty of the land. I encourage you to think about yourself, too – as a participant in agriculture.
Happy National Agriculture Day, New Mexico!
Jeff Witte
New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture
NMDA’s FOUNDATION:
“There shall be a Department of Agriculture which shall be under the control of the Board of Regents of the College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts…”
