NMS August 23

NEW MEXICO STOCKMAN

P.O. Box 7127, Albuquerque, NM 87194

505-243-9515 Fax: 505-349-3060

E-mail: caren@aaalivestock.com

Official publication of ...

n New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association nmcga20@gmail.com

P.O. Box 850, Moriarty NM 87035

Office: 505.247.0584 , Fax: 505.842.1766

Physical Location:

809 First Street, Moriarty NM 87035 President, Loren Patterson

n New Mexico Wool Growers, Inc. nmwgi@nmagriculture.org

P.O. Box 2822, Moriarty NM 87035 Office: 505.247.0584 , Fax: 505.842.1766

Physical Location 809 First Street, Moriarty NM 87035 President James Duffy

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING

Publisher: Caren Cowan

Publisher Emeritus: Chuck Stocks

Advertising Representatives: Chris Martinez

Melinda Martinez

Contributing Editors: Carol Wilson Callie Gnatkowski-Gibson

Howard Hutchinson

Lee Pitts

PRODUCTION

Production Coordinator: Carol Pendleton

Editorial & Advertising Design: Kristy Hinds

ADVERTISING SALES

Chris Martinez at 505-243-9515 or chris@aaalivestock.com

New Mexico Stockman (USPS 381-580) is published monthly by Caren Cowan, 2231 Rio Grande, NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104-2529

Subscription price: 1 year - $30 / 2 years - $40

Single issue price $10, Directory price $30

Subscriptions are non-refundable

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Mexico Stockman, P.O. Box 7127, Albuquerque, NM 87194. Periodicals Postage paid at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and additional mailing offices. Copyright© 2015 by New Mexico Stockman. Material may not be used without permission of the publisher. Deadline for editorial and advertising copy, changes and cancellations is the 10th of the month preceding publication. Advertising rates on request.

DEPARTMENTS

10 NMCGA President’s Message by Loren Patterson, President

34 Horse Feature

12 Just the Facts ... and Then Some by Caren Cowan, Publisher New Mexico Stockman

16 New Mexico CowBelles Jingle Jangle

22 News Update: CES, Interns, Farm Bill

37 New Mexico Beef Council Bullhorn

41 New Mexico Federal Lands Council News by Frank DuBois

42 In the Arena by Sage Faulkner

46 Riding Herd by Lee Pitts

48 In Memoriam

50 View From the Backside by Barry Denton

50 Food & Fodder by Deanna Dickinson McCall

57 New Mexico’s Old

62

FEATURES

16 New Mexico CowBelles Select 2023 Pat Nowlin Scholarship Recipients

24 Stocking Rate and Grazing Management by Charles R. Hart & Bruce B. Carpenter, Associate Professor & Extension Range Specialist, Assistant Professor & Extension Livestock Specialist, the Texas A&M University System

27 Managing Early Weaned Calves by Karla H. Wilke UNL Cow/Calf Systems & Stocker Management

28

AUGUST 2023

32 Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Held for NMDA State Laboratory Buildings

34 Managing Your Horses During Drought Conditions by Moira McGhee, Horse Illustrated

38 Horse Management Practices, Sleep Quality & Performance by Tanja Bornmann, The Horse

38 Livestock Water Quality Likely to be Impacted by Drought

Source: North Dakota State University

41 Lab Grown Artificial ‘Meat’ May Actually Be Worse for the Environment by Bryan Jung, Epoch Times

48 Animal Agriculture Alliance Updates Reports Covering Animal Rights Extremist Connections & Tactics

52 Three Cheers for Refrigeration — and Four, Once Everyone Has It by Ben Lieberman, Competitive Enterprise Institute

54 US Economic Slowdown Likely Ahead as Monetary Policy Actions Begin to Take Effect

Source: CoBank

56 Supreme Court’s Embrace of This Legal Theory Means Sweeping Electric Vehicles Plans Could Be Unconstitutional by Katelynn Richardson, Contributor, Daily Caller News Foundation

58 Supreme Court Defines EPA Power to Enforce Clean Water Act by Robert Barnes, Timothy Puko & Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post

60 “Eminent Domain” Hijacked by Environmental Extremists to Seize & Control Land

Source: Protect the Harvest

78 Are We Finally Heading Toward ESG Sanity by Craig Rucker, CFACT

80 Financial Assistance Application Process Opens for USDA Farm Loan Borrowers Who Have Faced Discrimination

82 FWS Agrees to Issue Listing Decisions for Dozens of Species by Hannah Gover, NM Political Report

on the cover

“Mountain Menagerie” by Edna Harper depicts the great horse flesh in New Mexico. Edna Harper grew up in a world of cowboys, horses, western tack, and broad mountain vistas under a big sky. This is reflected in the images she paints and draws in her oils, watercolors, pastels, and pencil drawings. One of six daughters of a western New Mexico ranch family, Edna lived in Quemado, New Mexico as a child. There she absorbed the imagery of the West. While she taught herself to draw and paint, Edna was encouraged by family and friends to enter her work in the local county fair. The rest is history. For prints of this and Edna’s other work, please visit ednaharper.com or email her at edna@ednaharper.com. Edna now lives in Elephant Butte.

For Sale Private Treaty

• All of our nutritionally dense products come completely fortified with mineral packages designed for the desert southwest

• Our Suther Pallisade probiotic yields +7% total diet efficiency and is ALL NATURAL

• We have solutions for the absolute lowest daily cost,,winter protein program, on the market, ask abo uFORAGE MAX

• We design cubes, concentrated protein/mineral blocks, tubs and loose mineral built specifically for the southwest

• You can choose high-fat offerings in both cube (8%) and tubs (10%) to balance your energy needs

• We are experts in natural cattle programs

• You can choose from bulk, tote, bag with delivery or local pick-up

• We are committed to consistent quality, the fastest delivery and reliable local service

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Loren Patterson NMCGA President

Loren Patterson President Corona

Bronson Corn President-Elect Roswell

Dave Kenneke NW Vice President Cimarron

Cliff Copeland NE Vice President Nara Visa

Jeff Decker SE

Vice President Lovington

Roy Farr SW Vice President Datil

Joe Culbertson

Vice President at Large Amistad

Chalk Up a Win for Our Side!

Ihave reserved comment on the Sackett v. EPA Supreme Court ruling because New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association (NMCGA) has had a long ongoing legal case in regards to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rules. First, it has long been held by our association that the intermittent water bodies were not under the jurisdiction of the EPA and not “navigable” in any shape or form.

Second, if there was any regulatory authority, it was not held at the federal level but reserved by the state. Finally, the “significant nexus” standard was vague and through rule making gave EPA overwhelming regulatory powers on any wetlands or waterbodies that might be relatively near a navigable waterway, stream, or lake. What we know from the Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision is, we stood on firm ground fighting for our stance as an Association. NMCGA is the only one in the state that has held our ground on this. Hats off to our Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Litigation Committee.

You might ask, “Is the fight over?” Unfortunately not. The EPA is already working on revising the WOTUS rules to reflect the decisions handed down in the Sackett Case. The EPA has no intention of allowing public comment or starting over with the WOTUS Rules and will release the revisions in September.

We will have to wait on those revisions to know where we go from here. As for the NMCGA lawsuit, it has been decided by the Litigation Committee that the Supreme Court Ruling has accomplished the purpose. Thank you Pacific Legal for all of the representation, our members appreciate your dedication to the cause.

What is immediately apparent is that many of the environmental non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) in the state are already pushing for regulatory laws and rules here within the state. The “sky is falling” editorials are being published weekly in our state newspapers, demanding strict and broad actions.

Our agriculture waters and diversions are under the crosshairs as well as the state water policy in general. This might be the perfect time to mention how important your vote is!

For the last couple of years, NMCGA has proudly sponsored the Working Ranch Cowboy Association’s (WRCA) Estancia Valley Ranch Rodeo. As NMCGA protects our industry and way of life, we also love to celebrate the dedication to our heritage and craft.

Shacey

Sullivan Secretary / Treasurer Peralta

Randell Major Immediate Past President Magadalena

Tom Sidwell Past President Quay

It has never been an easy craft, and carries with it the knowledge that tragic events can happen at any time. I would like to extend to the family and team of Jackson Taylor our condolences. Jackson was involved in an accident during the rodeo and rode into a new range a few hours later. Although I did not know Jackson personally, many of my friends did, and from all accounts he was a shining example of our “Cowboy Code”.

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (Matthew 24:36).

Pray your neighbor gets rain!

Loren Patterson

JUST THE FACTS ... & THEN SOME

by Caren Cowan, Publisher New Mexico Stockman

Support Your Local Sheriff

We who live or grew up in rural areas, and in the West, have a different appreciation for law enforcement than those in urban areas. When you live in the country and rarely see anyone from law enforcement, even if there is no crisis, it is a welcome site.

When you lived at the end of the road, there wasn’t often a reason for the County Sheriff or his deputies to come by unless invited. We did see the game warden that lived over the hill more often.

With the non-existent border with Mexico, it is the local sheriffs who are bearing the brunt of border protection and the crime that comes with illegal crossings. With more urbanites using rural lands for recreation, there are additional burdens on local law enforcement as people are lost or injured.

As this additional workload increases, everything is more expensive and budgets get tighter. So, it is no wonder that the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) took up an offer for free training of officers across the nation on how to investigate illegal animal cruelty and its connection with crimes against people.

It is true that there is a correlation between animal abusers and those who go on to become involved in violent crimes, child and elder abuse, and sexual abuse, according to Protect the Harvest. This makes knowing how to deal with animal cruelty cases imperative for local law enforcement.

The problem is who is offering the training. Should the training come from an organization that promotes reducing consumption of meat and other animal-based foods? From an organization that advocates replacing meat and other animal-based foods in the diet with plant-based foods?

Figured out who this benevolent trainer is yet? None other than the Human Society of the United States (HSUS).

HSUS is not an animal welfare organization. They don’t own, run or operate animal shelters. They are animal rights extremists. They use donations to write and push legislation. They also use it for marketing, advertising, fundraising, salaries, retirement plans, for investments in offshore bank accounts and publicly traded securities.

There are countless stories of HSUS and their operatives secretly filming animal agriculture operations but not reporting the abuse until it suits their purpose. They also cause illegal confiscations of animals often

by the law enforcement officers they have trained, according to Protect the Harvest.

When I first read about this, I was sure that the NSA was an eastern based group that just didn’t understand what they were doing. Much to my surprise I learned that this is truly a nationwide organization. One of its officers is from a rural New Mexico county. I tried to reach out to that sheriff but haven’t been favored by a return call.

When there is an opportunity, we each need to visit with our sheriffs. It is highly likely that they are unaware of the real danger to one of their counties’ primary economic drivers.

I stress that this isn’t a call to action. We need our sheriffs and we respect them.

Try That In A Small Town…

County music star Jason Aldean is among the latest celebrities the woke mob tried to cancel. The ire is because of his latest hit “Try That In A Small Town” that skewers the riots that burned American cities in 2020 and the rampant crime that continues today.

CMT, the paid TV network that dominates programming of country music videos, concerts and country-western fare, surrendered almost preemptively to screeching from the left to pull Aldean’s video from its rotation, according to The Western Journal. The next day the song hit No. 1 on the iTunes chart.

“CMT pulled a Bud Light and we won’t forget,” conservative political activist Ryan Fournier wrote in a Twitter post.

Outrage over the song and its accompanying video include the complaints that have almost become trite — it calls for racist violence, it is pro-gun. If you listen to the song or watch the video it is neither.

It is merely a nod to small town and rural values… and the sheriffs who protect them. One of the lyrics is “Round here we take care of our own.”

Without any intent, the song tells a story that didn’t make national news in September 2020. Black Lives Matter (BLM) decided they

would protest in Prescott, Arizona. The BLM was greeted by about 100 locals who were on hand to protect local businesses. The protest ended peacefully.

Speaking of Bud Light, it is reported that the beer and Target have lost $1 billion. It seems there is a “silent” majority.

Protecting Farmland

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly in late July to bar investors from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from buying U.S. farmland and require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review land purchases by investors from any other foreign country totaling more than $5 million or 320 acres, according to Agri-Pulse Communications Inc. Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House, but there has been no movement yet.

Fourteen states, including South Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, currently have laws restricting foreign private investment in agricultural land. Virginia and North Carolina are working on legislation.      ▫

FWS Lists Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl as Threatened

4(d) rule that tailors protections for the owl.

Following a 60-day public comment period, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has listed the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl as a threatened subspecies under the Endangered Species Act, along with a

Service biologists will propose designating critical habitat for the species in a separate rule at a later date.

In response to comments made by stakeholders, partners, and the public, Service

Source: US Fish & Wildlife Service

biologists made additions to this final rule to further explain new information received between the previous not-warranted finding in 2011 and the 2021 proposed listing, as well as incorporated data and information provided during the public comment period, as appropriate.

The pygmy-owl is a 6-inch-tall raptor currently found in southern Arizona, southern Texas, and Mexico. The owl is imperiled throughout its range by activities that reduce and fragment its habitat. These threats include but are not limited to, invasive

species, urbanization, agriculture and forest production, and climate change, according to the FWS.

It has been extirpated from key areas of its historical range in both Arizona and Texas, according to the FWS. Notable declines are also reported in the Mexican portion of the pygmy-owl’s range, especially in Northern Sonora, Mexico.

Pygmy-owl habitat has been protected through conservation planning and habitat acquisition and protection as part of implementing the Pima County Multi-Species •

• Legal For Trade

• Mobile and Stationary Scales

• Durable Construction

• Legal For Trade

• Mobile and Stationary Scales

• Durable Construction

• 12ft - 22ft Length Available

Most sizes available for immediate installation

• 12ft - 22ft Length Available Most sizes available for immediate installation Phone: 806-655-3033

806-655-3033 • 325-554-7434

Conservation Plan. Participation in the plan is voluntary and provides non-federal landowners and industry the opportunity to implement proactive conservation practices that address specific threats to imperiled species.

In turn, the landowner receives assurances that if the species eventually becomes listed under the Endangered Species Act, they can continue to manage their land as outlined in their agreements with no additional requirements. In addition, the Altar Valley Watershed Plan has been developed and will contribute to the enhancement of pygmy-owl habitat in Altar Valley, Arizona.

The FWS developed a species status assessment (SSA) using the best available science and available information from a team of local, state, federal, and Tribal experts, as well as conservation partners, concerning the past, present, and future threats, as well as ongoing conservation efforts.

Based on the analysis in the SSA regarding the projected future condition of the species, the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl is likely to become an endangered species in the foreseeable future primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and climate change.

The 4(d) rule prohibits the same activities as outlined in the Endangered Species Act for an endangered species but allows certain exceptions. These exceptions include specific types of education and outreach activities already allowed under a Migratory Bird Treaty Act permit, surveying and monitoring conducted in Arizona under a state-issued Scientific Collection License, and habitat restoration and enhancement activities that improve habitat conditions and which are coordinated with and approved by the FWS.

Cell: 806-683-4613

Phone: 806-655-3033

Cell: 806-683-4613 • steve@expressscale.com www.expressscale.com

You should have received your quarterly Wrangler by now. Be sure to start working on renewing your memberships, ladies. Take pride in your community of women and make it your priority to ensure your membership knows how important they are. Dues are required to be in Shelly’s possession on October 1st, so no time like the present! I hope you all enjoyed your summer and everyone has had some moisture!

– Vonda Frost NMCB President ▫

Yucca CowBelles and Woolgrowers met in Artesia June 27, 2023. Meeting called to order by President Joan Kincaid, with 16 in attendance. Pledge and Creed recited. Minutes of last meeting read and approved. Treasurer’s report was given by Tricia Monk. Erlene Ellett reported on successful AG Day at Park Jr. High School in Artesia. Sandi Wilkie gave a report on the Women’s Leadership Conference and highly recommends it. Vonda Frost reported on summer meeting. The ANCW Region VI meeting is set for April 11-13, 2024, at NMSU in Las Cruces, with a tour of new feed mill processing plant among other activities. Carol Gutierrez brought the beautiful brand quilt she completed for the raffle at the County Fair. Grammy’s House donations collected to be delivered. Tina Kincaid reported on the ongoing Referendum Project and introduced the Program Speaker, State Rep. Jim Townsend. He spoke to us on a wide range of issues and stressed the importance of the vote and the voting process. The People are the answer, and all need to be more involved in government. Respectfully submitted by Secretary Tina Kincaid.

Powderhorn

CattleWomen met

July 13, 2023, at the home of Sarabelle

Key with nine

members present and one guest, Joyce Hines. Invocation, Pledge and Creed were recited. Minutes of the June meeting were read and approved. The treasurer reported money in the Bank with about $100 outstanding. BBQNext year discussion: less desserts on a table not in the serving line, serve sliced beef, coleslaw, beans and a roll on the plate for $15. The amount of work to do so discussed with bags of pre-shredded coleslaw, coleslaw dressing, and prewashed beans. For drinks either have bottled water or cups with ice for tea, lemonade, and water. Look into a group of kids to help with the drinks next year for a donation to their organization. The group received thank you cards from Fort Sumner Chamber of Commerce for having the Barbecue and Abigail Sleep for her scholarship. Zia fest will be July 21st at Kirtland Air Force base. They need help to feed about 1000 troops. Don’t forget the NMCB Zoom meeting tonight. Ann asked how many responded to the call about BLM Proposed changes. State CowBelles is looking at selling Medical Kits for vehicles to have at brandings and such. More later. Discussion of proposed By-Laws changes. Mary will get them sent out to membership to be voted on in September. Mary will write an article for the papers telling who received the scholarships and the BBQ. The meeting was adjourned, and all enjoyed Beef Kabobs, salads, and desserts. Followed by a tour of the refurbished home that is now an Airbnb. Mary McClain, Secretary

New Mexico CowBelles: Thank you to all who have submitted their news to Jingle Jangle. Please send minutes and/or newsletters to Jingle Jangle, Janet Witte, 1860 Foxboro Ct., Las Cruces, NM 88007 or email: janetwitte@msn.com by the 14th of every month. We understand summer is slow for meetings, yet any event you may have…write up and send and I will do my best to accommodate. Stay safe!

NM CowBelles Select 2023 Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarship Recipients

The New Mexico CowBelles are pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of the Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarships, which honor the memory of Pat Nowlin, the first president of our organization, by awarding $2000 in scholarships to students seeking higher education degrees.

Kenzie Bequette, Fort Sumner and McKenzie Luna, Truth or Consequences were selected as the upperclassmen scholarship winners this year. Bequette, a dean’s list honoree, will continue this fall as a sophomore at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas majoring in agriculture communications and agriculture and Extension education with a minor in journalism.

In writing for the South Plains College newspaper, several of her agriculture-based articles have been selected and published on the South Plains College Texan Mosaic news website, which has national accessibility. She strives to promote and advocate for the agriculture industry, while also maintaining a consistent social media platform to educate others on a variety of agriculture topics and issues. Bequette and her family have been involved in NM ranching and farming for over 100 years with each generation passing on their knowledge and love of the land to the next. In doing so, she has learned how to become a leader, run a business, handle finances, develop public speaking skills and to serve as a strong advocate for the agriculture industry.

McKenzie Luna, our second upperclassman recipient and a 2020-2021 NM CowBelle Beef Ambassador, earned her bachelor’s degree in business management and administration with a minor in entrepreneurship from Western New Mexico University in Silver City. She will begin graduate school at New Mexico State University this fall to begin work on a master’s degree in agriculture communications. Luna currently serves as a co-secretary of the Chamiza CowBelles, secretary for the Hot Springs FFA Alumni Association, co-coordinator of the Miss Fiesta Pageant and is a volunteer for the T or C Rotary Club. In order to advocate for the agriculture industry, Luna has set a career life goal to become the first female Secretary of Agriculture for the State of New Mexico.

Carol Gutierrez brought the beautiful brand quilt she completed for the raffle at the County Fair.

Two additional scholarship winners will each receive $500 as graduating high school seniors.

Dalli Cain, daughter of David and Brenda Cain , Mountainair, plans to attend New Mexico State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry followed by medical school to study anesthesiology. Cain represents the fifth generation to work alongside her family in their ranching operation. As an active 4-H, FFA, National Honor Society and NM High School Rodeo Association (NMHSRA) member, she has served in numerous leadership positions, including (NMHSRA) student director for trap shooting and light rifle and National High School Rodeo voting delegate for the state of New Mexico, as well as Mountainair FFA treasurer and president and Torrance County 4-H Council President.

Previous honors included all-around cowgirl and first in poles and goat tying at the State 4-H rodeo finals, with many years as a qualifier for national rodeo competitions. In an effort to promote agriculture education, Cain and her Mountainair FFA Chapter members taught fifth grade students about agriculture and vet science using curriculum provided through the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program.

Jordan Hisel, daughter of Lewis and Lori Hisel, Yeso, is a Fort Sumner High School graduate planning to pursue a degree in animal science and agriculture business at West Texas A & M in Canyon, Texas. High school leadership positions held include Fort Sumner FFA historian, chaplain and president; De Baca County 4-H County Council president and treasurer; National Honor Society (NHS) vice-president and senior class vice-president. Hisel earned her NM State FFA and Fort Sumner FFA Chapter Farmer degrees; received high point individual honors in the NM State 4-H shotgun competition; was selected to attend NM Girl’s State by the American Legion Auxiliary and received an Algebra 2 certificate of scholar from Fort Sumner High School.

Her strong commitment to community service was evident in her 4-H, FFA and NHS activities. Hisel also showed lambs and goats during her high school years winning grand and reserve champion honors as well as showmanship and herdsman awards with her lamb and goat projects. Showing livestock gave her the opportunity to share her agriculture story with onlookers at fairs and elementary students participating in farm day activities.

Congratulations to each of our scholarship winners!

Jordan Hisel of Yeso receives $500 Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarship from the NM CowBelles.

Kenzie Bequette, 2023 upperclassman winner of the $500 Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarship from the NM CowBelles.

(top left) Dalli Cain, of Mountainair, receives 2023 Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarship from the NM CowBelles.

(top right) McKenzie Luna, NM CowBelle upperclassman recipient of the 2023 Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarship.

(middle left) NM CowBelle Scholarship Chair, Shelly Hathorn, with Jordan Hisel of Yeso, and Vonda Frost, NM CowBelle President.

(middle right) Jordan Hisel of Yeso receives $500 Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarship from the NM CowBelles.

(left) Kenzie Bequette, 2023 upperclassman winner of the $500 Pat Nowlin Memorial Scholarship from the NM CowBelles.

There’s no escaping change. Especially when you’re trying to keep pace with a growing nation. So when the time comes to buy new equipment, purchase land or expand your operation, Ag New Mexico Farm Credit will be there. We give rural New Mexico access to the financial support it needs to never stop growing.

BE SET IN YOUR WAYS OR SET ON IMPROVING THEM.

2023 U.S. BEEF ACADEMY DEEMED A SUCCESS

The 2023 US Beef Academy was held June 18-24 at the Southwest Center for Rangeland Sustainability on the NMSU Corona Range and Livestock Research Center in Corona, NM. This was the tenth year that the CRLRC has hosted the event. This year’s student class consisted of four veterinary students, eight graduate students (both Master’s and PhD candidates), and four undergraduate students. They come from the states of Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. The academy is capped at 16 students each year. The event is a collaborative effort between NMSU Department of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Agri- Life Extension and the University of Tennessee Institute of

Agriculture. Many university faculty members joined multiple industry experts in presenting topics to the students that included current research in the areas of meat science, beef carcass breakdown and value, cattle health and well-being, immunology and vaccinology, cattle handling, rumen structure and function, ration formulation, cattle breeding and reproduction, estrus synchronization, innovations in semen technology and in- vitro

Once again, the New Mexico Beef Council was a sponsor of the 2023 US Dairy Education and Training Consortium (USDETC) The Consortium just completed its 15th year adding another 53 students to the growing list of industry professionals.

USDETC was established in 2008 to provide a unique educational opportunity through both classroom and experiential learning experiences. Since its inception, 610 students have completed the 6-week program. A 2022 survey of the former students was conducted (34% response rate) to determine the impact the consortium had on their future and the impact the classes and hands-on experiences had on their professional career. Of the 206 respondents, 47 are currently still in school, while 159 are employed. Of the former students which have entered the job market, 81% are employed in agriculture and 28% have found employment on a dairy, and 24% in the dairy allied industry, while 15% have continued to become veterinarians. Only 19% are not employed in agriculture, which means that 4 out 5 students attending the Consortium receive valuable guidance

fertilization, palpation and ultrasounding of cows, and marketing of cattle. The top student award went to Naomi Lucero of El Paso, TX, a Masters student studying ruminant nutrition at NMSU under Dr. Sergio Soto-Navarro. She received a print donated by western artist Robert (Shoofly) Shufelt and his wife Julie. The Academy is supported by many, including Title Sponsor Zoetis Animal Health, Book and Bag Sponsor Reprologix and day sponsors New Mexico Beef Council, Purina Animal Nutrition, American Breeder Services, Where Food Comes From and beef donor Hurt Cattle Co. of Deming, NM. To date, the Academy has hosted students from 23 states and Mexico. The 2024 US Beef Academy will be held May 19- 25 in Corona, NM. 

and instruction for their future careers in agriculture. The importance of the program is clearly shown in the following responses from former students. When asked “To what extent did the Consortium help you decide which direction to go in your career,” over 61% said, “opened a new door,” “definitely made a change” or “made me completely change gears.” When asked “What impact did the consortium have on other courses you have taken,” 60% gave a score 8 or higher (out of 10), indicating many students revisited their degree programs as a result of attending the Consortium. When asked “Did attending the Consortium assist you in your career development, 81% scored 8 or higher. When the 2022 class was asked if the program met their expectations, 96% scored an 8 or higher. When asked “Would you recommend this program to another student, 96% gave an 8 or higher. However, more importantly, a total 51% of the students have moved into a dairy or dairy related profession. The Dairy Consortium is attracting students that are continuing into the dairy profession. 

The Consortium provides hands-on training

DAIRY CONSORTIUM CELEBRATES 15 YEARS OF EDUCATING, TRAINING NEXT GEN

Consortium Class of 2023

YOUTH RANCH MANAGEMENT CAMP

The New Mexico Beef Council is proud to be one of the original sponsors of our state’s Youth Ranch Management Camp. This collaboration is between NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, the New Mexico Beef Council as well as other beef industry partners. This camp is truly life altering for the students and lives up to its mission of educating tomorrow’s leaders in ranch management today.

Extension Specialists, County Extension Agents, and members of the ranching community came together to provide an opportunity for youth to learn about the many different aspects of the ranching industry. Participants were taught about both the production and reproduction side of the beef industry, the importance of managing finances and marketing, the potential of utilizing the wildlife within the land, and how to properly manage the rangeland and it resources. At the end of it all, participants got to present their ranch plans, which were developed throughout the week as their knowledge increased. A panel of judges and other guests were presented ranch plans from five teams that were competing for top honors. The winning team this year was, Blue Creek Cattle Co. which consisted of Justyn Nevarez, McKinley Dyer, Brenden Lyday, Sterlin Mitchell, James Hurt, and Alejandra Lopez. Congratulations to the winning team. “The Beef Council is grateful for NMSU College of ACES Cooperative Extension Service for their commitment to creating this educational opportunity for New Mexico teens,” commented Cole Gardner, NMBC Chairman. 

NMBC & 94 ROCK GRILL IN THE 505

NMBC teamed up with Albuquerque radio station, 94 Rock, for a summer grilling competition. Bryan Frei took first place with his Brisket Pizza winning a $500 Albertson’s gift certificate + Disc It Grill; second place went to Charlie Maes with his assorted tamales, winning $250 Albertson’s gift card, third place went to Jason Zigler and his “shotgun shells” earning him a$100 Albertson’s gift card for third place. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

SEPTEMBER

7-17 New Mexico State Fair

NMBC Sponsored Happy Hours dates September 8th and 9th from 3:00-8:00 p.m., Albuquerque, NM

28 NMBC Meeting

9:00 a.m., Albuquerque, NM

OCTOBER 2023

6-10 Food and Nutrition Conference Expo (FNCE), Denver, CO

16-19 Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism Management Beef Culinary Classes, New Mexico State University, L as Cruces, NM

TBD Central New Mexico Community College, Culinary Program Beef Training

Albuquerque, NM

DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dina Chacon-Reitzel 505-841-9407

CHAIRPERSON Cole Gardner (Producer) 575-910-8952

VICECHAIRPERSON

Dan Bell (Producer) 575-799-0763

SECRETARY

Marjorie Lantana (Producer) 505-860-5859

Sarah Fitzgerald (Feeder) 830-739-3450

NMBC DIRECTORS: Nancy Phelps, (Producer) 575-740-0957

John Heckendorn (Purebred Producer) 505-379-8212

Jim Hill (Feeder) 575-993-9950

BEEF BOARD DIRECTOR

Boe Lopez (Feeder) 505-469-9055

Kimberly Stone (Producer) 202-812-0219

Joel Van Dam (Dairy Representative) 575-714-3244

FEDERATION DIRECTOR Cole Gardner (Producer) 575-910-8952

USMEF DIRECTOR

Kenneth McKenzie (Producer) 575-760-3260

Sid Gordon, Otero County Extension Agent, and Wes Stribling, Ranch Camp Chairman provide hands-on instruction to students at the Camp.

More than 50 contestants entered the grilling contest The judges, Theo from Nomad BBQ, Nevin from Disc-It and Chef Maria from My Mom’s had a tough job deciding on the winners

ROSWELL LIVESTOCK AUCTION SALES, INC.

& ROSWELL LIVESTOCK AUCTION TRUCKING, INC.

900 North Garden · P.O. Box 2041 Roswell, New Mexico 88201

575-622-5580

www.roswelllivestockauction.com

CATTLE SALES: MONDAYS • HORSE SALES

BENNY WOOTON CELL 575-626-4754

SMILEY WOOTON CELL 575-626-6253

Producers hauling cattle to Roswell Livestock New Mexico Receiving Stations need to call our toll-free number for a Transportation Permit number before leaving home. The Hauling Permit number 1-800-748-1541 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Trucks are available 7 days a week / 24 hours a day

Roswell livestock Auction Receiving stAtions

ATTENTION RECEIVNG STATION CUSTOMERS, To be able to schedule trucking, all cattle need to be permitted by 1:00 p.m.

LORDSBURG, NM

20 Bar Livestock Highway #90 at NM #3 – East side of highway. Receiving cattle for transport 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month. Smiley Wooton, 575-622-5580 office, 575626-6253 cell.

PECOS, TX

Jason Heritage is now receiving cattle every Sunday. For information to unload contact Jason Heritage 575-8409544 or Smiley Wooton 575-626-6253. Receiving cattle every Sunday.

VAN HORN, TX

800 West 2nd, 5 blocks west of Courthouse. Bob Kinford, 432/284-1553. Receiving cattle 1st & 3rd Sundays.

MORIARTY, NM

Two blocks east and one block south of Tillery Chevrolet. Smiley Wooton 575-622-5580 office, 575-626-6253 mobile. Receiving cattle every Sunday

SAN ANTONIO, NM

River Cattle Co. Nine miles east of San Antonio on U.S. 380. Receiving cattle for transport 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month. Michael Taylor 575-418-7398.

NEW RECEIVING STATION ANTHONY, NM

923 Cox Farm Road, Anthony, NM 88021. Receiving Cattle 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month. Call in advance for details & consignments. Smiley Wooton 575-626-6253 office 575-6225580. Genea Caldwell – 575-543-5736

by Labradoodle Bennington, III

Dr. Allen Malone, NMSU Associate Director for CES

Dr. Allen Malone starts as the new Associate Director for the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service on June 15th. Dr. Malone received his B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Prairie View A&M University, and Doctorate of Agricultural Education & Leadership from Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University. Dr. Malone began his professional Extension career as an Extension Agent, then as a Program Specialist for Agriculture, and later as the Assistant to the Dean of the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences at Prairie View A&M University.

Dr. Malone then served in several counties, including County Extension Director of Harris County, in the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Dr. Malone’s latest employment was with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System where he served as the 1890 Extension Administrator and Director at Alabama A&M University. As you can see, Dr. Malone has a wealth of experiences in the 1890 and 1862 Land-Grant University Extension systems. Dr. Malone also has served on several national Extension Committee on Organization and Policy positions.      ▫

NMCGA Seeking Interns

New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association (NMCGA) Allied Industry Committee will be hosting college interns at the upcoming 2023 Joint Stockmen’s Convention. The purpose for the internship is to encourage college students to network with our NMCGA membership and allied industry partners. Interns will have the opportunity to shadow NMCGA Leadership and Allied Industry Partners.

NMCGA is working with Allied Industry Partners on this program that will offer businesses the opportunity to bring new ideas and energy into the workplace, discover talent, and potentially build a pipeline for future full-time employees. There are over 15 different agriculture related sectors represented in the trade show that hosts over 50 booths.

Applications are now being accepted through October 6, 2023. To apply please contact NMCGA offices by phone at 505-247-0584 or email nmcga20@gmail.com to request an application be sent to you. Applications should be returned to: New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, P.O. Box 850, Moriarty, NM 87035 or via email to nmcga20@gmail.com.      ▫

Dr. Allen Malone, NMSU Associate Director for Cooperative Extension Service.

The Farm Bill a Necessity

by Lorenzo Alba, Jr., Executive Director Casa de Peregrinos Food Pantry

As the Farm Bill comes up for renewal in Congress, we are reminded again of its critical importance, not only to the New Mexico delegation, but to the entire House and Senate. Food assistance programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as well as funding for the nation’s food insecurity advocates like Feeding America, which are beacons of hope for countless individuals and families facing food insecurity, are funded through this bill, which also leverages state funding for these assistance programs.

But in New Mexico, with its rich history of agriculture, the Farm Bill is also a necessity for many small farmers who need assistance with natural and unforeseen crises that affect their business year to year, and help with equipment and new technology.

Here in New Mexico, where cultural heritage and economic disparities intersect,

food pantries like ours serve as lifelines, bridging the gap between hunger and sustenance. They live out the motto of Casa de Peregrinos, “Food for Today, Hope for Tomorrow.” In the border region, food insecurity and poverty profoundly impact families and communities who are in urgent need of collective action. In Doña Ana County the poverty level has lingered at around 24 percent for many years in some areas of the county as high as 40 percent.

Food banks and food pantries such as ours have a strong intersection with the local agricultural community for fresh produce, not only because we want to purchase locally but also because of the generosity these farmers offer organizations such as ours, with donations and rebates. A robust Farm Bill, driven to improve value added agriculture and a steady food supply chain leads to both a healthy and prosperous local farmer, and food security for hungry families.

Food insecurity is one of the state’s largest social issues because of generational poverty, and legislators and local leaders have long been challenged in addressing it. A strong Farm Bill, which assists food-insecure New Mexicans as well as the New Mexico agricultural community will make a major impact on the lives of thousands of children, seniors,

and our Native American neighbors.

I urge not only the New Mexico delegation to pass a Farm Bill that makes sense for not only our country but for our state, which is sensitive to the cultural differences from community to community and honors the unique dietary needs and traditions of these communities.

I ask you, as the Farm Bill comes up for a vote, not to forget the large numbers of food-insecure New Mexicans that all of you serve, as well as the small farmer in Hatch, the farming family in Array, the dairy farmer in Anthony, and the cattle rancher in northern Doña Ana County.

Put them at the forefront of how you vote and how important this bill is to New Mexicans.      ▫

Stocking Rate and Grazing Management

by Charles R. Hart and Bruce B. Carpenter, Associate Professor and Extension Range Specialist, Assistant Professor and Extension Livestock Specialist; The Texas A&M University System

When dealing with drought, some of a livestock pro- ducer’s most important decisions concern stocking rates and grazing management. The effects of these decisions go far beyond survival of the current drought and can greatly influence recovery afterward.

Because no two ranches are identical, managers need to make stocking rate and grazing management deci- sions that are compatible with the goals of the opera- tion. For example, stock reduction may be a viable option for a commercial cow-calf producer but not for a purebred breeder. These decisions need to be made not only during, but also before and after a drought.

Monitor forage supply and demand

Simply stated, forage supply must meet or exceed livestock demand. If it does not, the

lack of forage base may eventually contribute to the demise of the operation. During a drought, you must constantly evaluate range forage to match supply with demand.

When supply can no longer meet demand, reducing stocking rates pays big dividends: Desirable forage plants incur less damage; supplemental feeding costs are reduced; losses to toxic plants are lowered; and the range recovers more rapidly after the drought.

If stock remain in a pasture too long without adequate forage, long-term carrying capacity for both livestock and wildlife may be severely reduced. Several kinds of ecological damage can result:

Ї More rainfall runs off when there is too little plant and litter cover on the soil surface, leaving less moisture in the ground for plant production.

Ї Erosion increases, removing soil needed for plant production.

Ї Organic matter in the soil decreases.

Ї The plant root mass eventually becomes deplet- ed, reducing the plant’s ability to recover after grazing or extreme environmental conditions.

Ї Undesirable plant species invade.

Equally important is to determine the supply of forage available for livestock consumption. Removing too much forage compromises a plant’s ability to recover after drought. Future forage production depends on having healthy plants that can survive drought and recover quickly when favorable condi- tions return.

To help determine how much forage you have, see Extension publication B-1646, How Much Forage Do You Have? Another Extension publication, E-62, Rangeland Drought

Management for Texans: Livestock Management, in this series also provides information on taking a forage inventory.

To help protect forage resources, you need to maintain a proper stubble height, which is the amount of resid- ual forage left after grazing. Different classes of range- lands have different optimal levels of plant residue (Table 1). Grazing exclosures and permanent photo monitoring sites are effective tools for monitoring residual forage levels. For more information on these tools, see Extension publication L-5216, Range Monitoring With Photo Points.

Use Conservative Stocking Rates

Stocking rate and grazing management decisions made before, during and after a drought can deter- mine whether plants survive. Plants that have been consistently grazed too close before drought are much less likely to survive a drought because of their weak- ened state. Likewise, excessive grazing after a drought does not give plants the rest needed to recover from dry conditions.

If droughts are common in your area (such as in West and South Texas), conservative stocking rates will pro- vide adequate “unused” carryover forage that can be used

when drought occurs. However, in severe droughts, you eventually will have to de-stock or buy feed.

Keep the stocking rate flexible

When developing a plan for reducing stocking rates, the most important factor may be herd mix. Flexibility must be built into the herd if droughts occur often.

In areas where droughts are common, breeding herds should constitute no more than 50 to 70 percent of the total carrying capacity of the ranch during normal years. The rest of the herd should be yearlings or stocker animals.

When drought occurs and forage is scarce, reduce livestock numbers by selling stocker animals or yearlings first, thereby protecting the integrity of the breeding herd. Although your short-term profits will be reduced, the ranch is still yours, it has a higher potential for rapid recovery after the drought, and you can restock more quickly.

Keep accurate records on herd performance so that when the drought becomes even more severe and the breeding herd must be reduced, you can identify the least productive animals and cull them first.

Another option for severe drought is to find alterna- tive feed sources, such as wheat

pasture, crop stubble or leased rangeland. It is generally not financially sound for commercial livestock operators to buy feed to keep animals for a long period.

Manage grazing before, during and after drought

The best time to plan for drought is during non- drought years. A rotational grazing system can improve overall range health by giving plants rest from grazing. Plants will be more vigorous and their root systems better developed if you use a rotational grazing system. When a drought occurs, damages are minimized because the plants are in better condition and have more root reserves.

Provide longer rest periods during drought by increasing either the number of pastures within the system or the length of stay in a single pasture.

During a severe drought, you still may need to reduce the number of grazing animals to prevent overgraz- ing. Even the most sophisticated grazing system can- not overcome an improper stocking rate.

In any grazing system, pay attention to the distribution of livestock in a pasture. Use the entire pasture uniformly during drought to help lengthen the rest for desired forage

plants. You can move animals into areas that are usually not grazed by strategically placing fencing or salt, supplement, mineral and tempo- rary watering facilities. This allows rest for areas used more heavily.

Remember: During drought, plants may go dormant before the end of the growing season. Therefore, they will be dormant for a longer period than normal and will depend on the food stored in the roots earlier in the year. During a drought year, the plants may rely on stored carbohydrates for as long as 9 to 10 months or more, leaving only 2 or 3

months to recharge their root reserves for the coming year.

This makes it even more important for green leaf material to remain long enough to produce and store adequate food reserves.

Summary

Stocking rate and grazing management decisions made during drought affect not only current condi- tions, but also the recovery rate of rangeland plants after drought and, perhaps, whether or not you will remain in business in years to come.

We Know Agriculture...

Keep in mind that the decisions you make before and after a drought are just as important as those made during drought. Consider these strategies when dealing with drought:

Ї Maintain as much carryover forage on the ground as possible.

Ї Keep the herd composition flexible.

Ї Implement a grazing system that allows periodic rest of native pastures.

Ї De-stock as early as possible. Make adjustments before either the range or the livestock suffer.

Ї Balance forage supply and demand before, dur- ing and after drought.

Ї Protect the soil by maintaining minimum forage levels.

Ї Refrain from fully restocking after the drought until the forage has recovered completely.      ▫

Gordon Morris, Chairman of the Board/EVP

Managing Early Weaned Calves

by Karla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management

Early weaning is typically defined as weaning before calves are 150 days of age. In extreme cases beef calves may be weaned at 45 days of age, but more commonly early weaned calves are over 90 days of age. Early weaning may be advantageous in times of drought, when cows are in a confinement system, or as a body condition management tool for very young or old cows.

Once weaning has occurred, the cow, now without the demands of lactation, can be maintained on poor quality forage and little to no supplement. Higher quality feed, which may be in limited supply, can be reserved for the rapidly growing calf.

Nutrition

Milk is a great source of nutrition for the young calf. With the removal of milk in the diet through weaning, another source of high quality nutrition needs to be provided if the same level of daily gain is desired. Although young beef calves begin eating solid food by 30 days of age, the rumen is still small in the young calf.

Therefore, a nutrient dense, highly digestible diet with a fast passage rate will allow the calf to consume, digest, and absorb the nutrients needed. Diets containing residues or low quality hay which are often poorly digested, slow the rate of passage through the digestive tract and therefore, limit intake, which in turn can limit gain.

A mature cow has a large rumen and has the potential to consume enough low quality feed to meet her needs in most cases. A young calf needs to be able to eat small frequent meals, as the rumen is so much smaller.

Supplementing a protein source that is not easily digested by the microbes and is then available at the tissue level can help support gain without the calves depositing fat instead of lean growth. Distillers grains, a by-product of the ethanol industry, is an example of a protein supplement that is a good source of rumen undegradable protein for the young growing calf.

An example diet for a 300-pound calf that would support 2.0 pounds/day gain would be 3 pounds of dried distillers and 7 pounds of a 50:50 blend of oat hay and alfalfa. Zinc and copper are very important minerals for boosting immunity so providing a good vitamin and trace mineral package free choice or in a total mixed ration is important to the young calf as well. Water is also important for the health and wellbeing of the calf and should be clean and accessible at all times.

Because milk bypasses the rumen and goes straight to the abomasum via closure of the esophageal groove, it is a very digestible source of protein and energy, available to the animal for bone and muscle growth, as opposed to being available as a nitrogen source for the microbial population in the rumen. www.facebook.com/HudsonLivestockSupplements

Management

Providing at least 12 inches of bunk or feeding space per calf allows all the calves access to feed without overcrowding. The early weaned calf is likely smaller than traditionally weaned calves, so making sure the calf can reach the feed in the bunk is critical. This is also true of the water tank.

Making sure the tank is banked well, and the tank fills to the edge quickly so calves always have reachable water is critically important. After weaning, the goal is to increase feed intake as quickly as possible. However, without adequate water access, this process is delayed, as is nutrient intake, which can lead to depressed immunity and growth.

Determining that the pen and bunk line will effectively contain bawling, pacing lightweight calves before weaning will alleviate some headaches later. A pen that traditionally holds 500-700 pound calves may not contain a 300-pound calf as well.

Fenceline weaning, where cows are on one side, and calves on the other, may also be a bit more challenging with the smaller calf who may be able to crawl through the fence.

Space to spread out in a clean pen can also help prevent post-weaning illness. Producers should also visit with their local veterinarian about vaccination schedules and protocols that would be most effective for the early weaned calf as well as developing a protocol for treating illness if it occurs, well before weaning takes place.

Marketing

Even with a price slide for lighter weight calves, the early weaned calf will usually not bring as much as a calf at a traditional

weaning weight. Fortunately, these young calves are very efficient and with proper nutrition can gain as well or better than calves left to nurse the cow.

Evaluating the cost of feed and the predicted value of the calf are critical, especially if early weaning is due to drought, as harvested feed resources are typically expensive in those situations.

Once weaned, these calves may fit well in an annual forage grazing backgrounding program. Additionally, after a short growing period (approximately 90 days) these calves may be put on a finishing diet.

They traditionally are very efficient during the finishing phase and have a high percentage of upper 2/3 choice carcasses. However, as stated earlier, feed and labor costs should be evaluated against the predicted value of the calves at each marketing point.

Early weaning is a strategy that can be advantageous in several scenarios. Feeding, management, and marketing needs to be evaluated prior to weaning so the best options as well as best management practices are selected.

For more information on weaning calves, producers can access NebGuide G2047 Management of Early Weaned Calves or NebGuide G2057 Management, Health, and Nutritional Considerations for Weaned Calves. These can also be found at https:// extensionpubs.unl.edu.

Denny Atchley –Young Advocate for the Beef Industry

by Heather Smith Thomas

Denny Atchley is a multi-generation ranch kid, and past president of the New Mexico FFA. He is currently attending Texas Tech in preparation for a career advocating for the beef industry.

His family runs yearlings on their ranch near the town of Sofia, halfway between Clayton and Springer, in northeastern New Mexico.

“Our family has been ranching there for more than 100 years. We also became involved in the lumber industry as well as cattle, however, and I grew up in Las Cruces because we have a lumber store down there, called L & P Building Supply. I was traveling to and from the ranch all the time but didn’t actually grow up on the ranch,” Denny says.

“I enjoyed helping on the ranch, running the yearlings, so I was probably a half-a-year cowboy. I was keeping the highway busy, but this still gave me quite a bit of ranching experience.”

In high school he became very involved with FFA and ran for state president. He was elected as the FFA New Mexico President for 2019-2020, just as COVID was hitting the country.

“During my time in FFA I got to do a little bit of policy work; I got to go to Santa Fe, and also to Washington, DC at one point. I got to talk to the legislatures and that really interested me—being on the policy side of agriculture,” he says.

After FFA he started college at Texas Tech where he is now working on a double major— one in agricultural and applied economics

and the other major in business administra tion—with a minor in political science.

He became very interested in the policy side, to help advocate for agriculture and the beef industry. The Washington, DC intern ship was for one semester at Texas Tech so he applied for that, and was paired with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

“In the fall of 2022 I spent a semester working for NCBA in their Washington, DC office. It was fascinating to see the policy side and the things they are working on. I learned about many different issues that affect the cattle industry,” Denny says. “This helped me take a step back and look at the bigger picture, and the beef industry as a whole.”

The summer before that, he worked for a registered Angus ranch (TD Angus) near North Platte, Nebraska. This was an intern ship through the Angus Foundation. The Talon Internship program is an opportunity for youth to learn firsthand about managing and operating day-to-day life on a ranch, and, in turn, the participating host ranches get the opportunity to have a hand in mentoring the next generation.

Camron Cooper of Talon Ranch (Twin Bridges, Montana) loved the land and Angus cattle and believed in educating young people and promoting the future of the beef industry. She set up the Angus/Talon Youth Education Learning Program Endowment Fund in 2009, designed to be a holistic edu cational experience for students.

This internship program pairs motivated youth with working registered-Angus breed ers or ranches to give valuable education and work experience during the summer months.

The Talon Intern is compensated by the Angus Foundation through the Angus/Talon Youth Educational Learning Program Endowment Fund.

“They paired me with Trey Wasserburger on the TD Angus ranch,” Denny says. Trey is a young seedstock producer who got his own start in 2017.”

Denny says his internship on that ranch was a very interesting experience, and he also found the Nebraska climate interesting. “Coming from New Mexico and west Texas and going to Nebraska was very different. Their version of dry is not the same as ours! They kept telling me it was a really dry year but they don’t know what a dry year is!”

His internship the next year in Washington DC with the NCBA was the next step in his formative experiences. “They talked about how they’d like to have more college students getting involved in the state associ

Raisers (TSCRA) come talk to us, and most recently we had Colin Woodall, who is the NCBA Chief Executive Officer talk to us.”

With the Collegian Cattlemen’s Association, Denny and the other students have created a fellowship of students within the College of Agriculture—students who are specifically interested in a career in the beef cattle industry.

“We are completely production focused, and talking about all issues from pasture to plate. There are other organizations at the school for the students who are interested in showing livestock and meat judging, so were are sticking specifically to production issues,” he says.

“We are providing the supplemental education—through the guest speakers and various resources—to these students, so that when they graduate they can hit the ground running and have a little more education

Denny Atchley

Orleans, and then we took a larger group to the TSCRA convention in Fort Worth. In the fall and going into next year we will be working on getting these students BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certified. Hopefully we will also be taking them to some Stockmanship and Stewardship events as well,” he says.

“Another function of our group is to act as a liaison between the community, the industry and the students. When producers, industry leaders or associations have job openings, internships, scholarships, parttime or full-time jobs for our graduating seniors, they can contact us and we can present those opportunities directly to the beef cattle kids in the College of Agriculture here at Texas Tech.

“We can match the students to the jobs that will fit them. Our goal is that when those students walk across that graduation stage, they know where they are going and they have it already lined up. They know where their next job is, or how they will be starting their career,” Denny says.

Groups like 4-H and FFA are very helpful in giving young people a good background in preparation for a career in agriculture and the beef industry.

“Because of my experiences in FFA, and the people I met, I was able to become the

state president and go on from there. Growing up showing livestock was a good experience; it was a great community of people, and all the connections made through FFA set me up very well for going into college, and then on to Texas Tech,” Denny explained.

“There are a lot of New Mexico kids at Texas Tech right now and it’s all about those connections we were able to make through showing and through 4-H and FFA.”

He still has one more year to finish at Texas Tech before graduating and is considering continuing on for a Master’s degree.

“I was considering law school at one point but now I see myself possibly working for the NCBA or the Texas Cattle Raisers or one of the other state associations once I finish. I really liked working with the NCBA during that internship because we got to meet so many different people coming into the office,” he says.

His internship was in public policy through NCBA. “During that semester we spent in Washington, DC we were doing a lot of research for the lobbying team, giving them the ammunition they needed to go to Capitol Hill and advocate for those issues,” Denny said.

“We were immersed in the news, and

animal & range sCienCes

ANIMAL & RANGE SCIENCES

The Department of Animal & Range Sciences is part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences

The Department of Animal & Range Sciences is part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences

Four on-campus animal facilities house: beeF CaTTle/horses/swine/sheep

Students can major in Animal or Rangeland Resources and are provided with the very best of “hands on” academic instruction by our faculty. Fully equipped labs allow students access to cutting-edge research in:

LIVESTOCKNUTRITION / GENETICS / PHYSIOLOGY / ENDOCRINOLOGY / MEATSCIENCE / WOOL /

TOXICOLOGY / WATERSHED & RANGELANDECOLOGY / WEED & BRUSHCONTROL / PLANTSYSTEMATICS / GRAZINGMANAGEMENT

The Department also offers pre-veterinary studies –our graduates have a high acceptance rate into veterinary medicine programs. We offer graduate degrees at the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy levels. The M.S. or Ph.D. in Animal Science can emphasize nutrition or physiology, and offers a Ph.D. in Range Science to study range management, range ecology and watershed management.

OPERATES

• The Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (The College Ranch) –64,000 acre ranch just outside of Las Cruces

• The Corona Range & Livestock Research Center – 28,000 acre ranch & facilities in Corona, NM

doing the email publications every day. I was sending out the ones for the Public Lands Council; the Daily Roundup is the one that I was writing every day. We were updating the producers on what was going on in Washington, DC or the news in general. We narrowed it down to what those public lands ranchers were interested in,” Denny says.

One of the nice things about that internship was that he was paired between the NCBA and the Public Lands Council and got to do a lot of work on both sides.

“Aside from those email publications and writing updates, we did a lot of research for the lobbying team, market reports and events coordination. We were able to meet a lot of people that came to the office—everyone from senators and congressmen to industry professionals. I definitely recommend this kind of internship to any young person who is trying to go into a career in the cattle industry. Even if they don’t plan to go up to Washington, DC, it’s pretty neat to see the industry from that point of view.” It definitely provides a broader perspective.

“This is what led into our Collegian Cattlemen’s group and that’s been very exciting. We are looking forward to this next semester but also planning a couple events for this summer.”

This kind of program may spread to other colleges as well. “Recently a young girl from West Texas A&M called me about a project she was working on and I think what we are doing is gaining some attention over there, as well. Some of my buddies at NMSU may start something similar as well,” Denny says.

“Right away we got every member a student membership in the TSCRA. We also try to get as many people as possible to become members of the NCBA, even though it’s a little more expensive. Once we get some fundraising going we might be able to get student memberships for that, as well.”

It’s good to get young people involved in the beef industry, because today the average age of people in agriculture is nearly 60 years old. We don’t have many young people coming into these roles.

• Student organizations, including a Block & Bridle Club, Pre-Vet Club, Range Club, Horsemen’s Association, Therapeutic Riding Club, & Judging Teams

• Clayton Research Center hosts research on shipping protocols, particularly evaluating the health and performance of newly received cattle, and nutrition and management from feedlot to slaughter THE DEPARTMENT ALSO

Dr. John Campbell –575/646-6180 / Dr. Dennis hallford –575-646-2515 http://aces.nmsu.edu/academics/anrs/

“Our goal is to encourage and recruit more young people who can understand the issues and be able to speak about the issues and know what they are talking about. We hope that some will take leadership positions on the association side. We have a lot of New Mexico kids in our group and we want them to become involved with the New Mexico Cattle Growers and the TSCRA, and understand the issues and know how to talk about them.”      ▫

Dr. Shanna Ivey – 575-646-2515 • Dr. John Campbell – 575-646-6180 http://aces.nmsu.edu/academics/anrs

So Many New Ways to Look at Life

New Mexico State University Youth Ranch Management Camp 2023

By McKinley Dyer / Springer, New Mexico

Before I went to the Ranch Management Camp, I had no idea what I had signed up for. It would be an understatement to say I was a little bit scared. Scared of what? Not even I knew.

Once I arrived, everything was perfect and all my absurd fears vanished. The first thing I noticed was how nice everyone was and instantly, I placed myself among my peers and made lifelong friends.

Over the next few days and through some very long, extensive, but quite worth it presentations I grew closer to this new ranch camp family. Thankfully, with the help of Drew we somehow managed to learn everyone’s name by the first night.

Through every hands-on project and the abundance of information presented to us I know it as a fact I left with enough knowledge to help better prepare me for my future endeavors in the agriculture industry.

Personally, it felt like every single day couldn’t last ANY longer. Fourteen-hourplus days, with people, who on Sunday I would have classified as complete strangers. On Monday I remember thinking this was going to be one of the longest weeks in my life, but surprisingly enough, Friday came before I knew it. If I hadn’t missed my own bed so much, I wouldn’t have wanted the week to end.

The moments we spent outside and directly participating in the activities were definitely ones I’ll remember and cherish. There were so many new experiences and some of the best leaders to guide them.

I learned so many new things that I never could have imagined would directly play a part in today’s agriculture. I am forever grateful for the opportunity that I was given to be a part of and participate in this camp.

So many new ways to look at life through the eyes of a rancher were presented to us. We were shown the good, the bad, and the ugly. Put into the ever so worn boots of a cattle boss and tossed many real-life scenarios.

To say I had an amazing time would be an understatement. Between the knowledge, the friends, and getting to see firsthand how to run a family owned and operated ranch, I

would without a doubt recommend this program to anyone interested.

Thank you NMSU for putting this on for youth all over the world, it’s greatly appreciated.

Goodbye Ranch Camp, forever in our hearts and always missed!

Ranch Camp 2023

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Held for NMDA State Laboratory Buildings

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new state laboratory buildings on the New Mexico State University Las Cruces campus in mid July.

The large, new building houses the State Metrology Lab, State Petroleum Lab and the State Seed Lab. Adjacent to the new building is the State Chemist Lab, which was an existing NMDA structure repurposed to accommodate the lab.

New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte said the new labs will continue to allow NMDA staff to carry out the agency’s mission of promoting a fair marketplace and working cooperatively with the public and private sectors.

“New Mexico consumers and businesses will benefit from these state-of-the-art facilities and will receive timely and accurate results from regulatory testing and service samples,” said Witte. “Whether it’s petro -

leum products, feed, seed, fertilizer, pesticides or the state standards for weights and measurements, these facilities will serve all New Mexico residents, directly or indirectly.”

State Metrology Laboratory

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issues mass and volume standards to all states to provide uniformity throughout the country, and the State Metrology Lab maintains the Official State Standards for New Mexico. The use of these standards ensures a fair and equitable marketplace for producers, sellers and consumers. All mass and volume test standards used by state inspectors, producers and weights and measures repair agencies are certified. This is performed annually with all lab measurements being conducted under conditions and techniques that are recognized as recommended laboratory practices by NIST. The Metrology Lab supports the work of NMDA’s Standards and Consumer Services Division by calibrating weights and measuring devices utilized in inspections and performing calibration services on a fee basis for industry. The laboratory is accredited to the International Organization for Standard-

ization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025:2017 standard, which confirms that lab’s ability to deliver reliable results.

State Petroleum Laboratory

The State Petroleum Laboratory analyzes official samples to enforce petroleum product quality standards and specifications. Samples are collected weekly by petroleum standards inspectors and shipped to the Petroleum Lab for analysis. Turnaround time for analysis is generally one-to-two days, at which time inspectors are notified of results. If problems are encountered, follow-up investigations and samples may be required. Products not meeting state specifications must be corrected immediately, or they will be placed off sale. They will remain off sale until corrections are made and verified by laboratory analysis. The Petroleum Standards Lab is a state-of-the-art facility capable of analyzing in excess of 10,000 samples per year.

State Seed Laboratory

NMSU would like to thank the buyers from the 2023 Annual Horse Sale. 2023 was our highest average to date (average of $6,890.90 on 11 head sold). Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you next year!

2024 Horse Sale end of April TBA Expectingtosell

~ 6 started two-year-old geldings

~ 2 started two-year-old stallions

~ 1 two-year-old mare

~ 2 proven broodmares in foal

"Spanky D Cat"

2012 AQHA Stallion

6 panel N/N

Sire:Pa/o Dura Cat(son of High Brow Cat)

Dam:Oaks Little 5is(daughter of Doc's Oak)

Breeding fee for 2024 $1,000 LFG

For more information on Breeding please contact Joby Priest, priest@nmsu.edu 575-202-3646 Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ANRS.NMSU

Department of Animal and Range Sciences I anrs.nmsu.edu I 575-646-2514

The State Seed Laboratory determines the quality of seed used for planting. Seed testing yields information about seed lots to determine if seed being offered for sale meets the guarantee stated on the label and to provide information to the industry for labeling purposes. The seed laboratory supports the work of NMDA’s Agricultural Production Services Division by analyzing official seed samples collected by inspectors.

State Chemist Laboratory

The State Chemist Laboratory performs a wide variety of tests on feeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Primarily a compliance and regulatory lab, its primary mission is to provide analytical support services to NMDA’s Agricultural & Environmental Services Division. This lab also ensures that New Mexico’s citizens receive quality products, including animal feed (including pet food), commercial fertilizers and commercial pesticides. These services ensure a level playing field for manufacturers and promote responsible environmental stewardship. In support of this effort, the lab analyzes samples of these types collected by NMDA inspectors from across the state. The laboratory is also accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard.

Each new laboratory design has created more efficiencies for handling samples and artifacts and has added new equipment to increase capabilities, especially in the State Metrology and Petroleum Labs. The lab construction project was made possible with

Patronize Our Advertisers

departmental funds, general funds and a severance tax bond for a total amount of $16.2 million. For more information about the function of the labs, visit the NMDA website.

NMDA also held a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for its headquarters building, as the existing building will soon be demolished to make way for the construction of a new building. The construction cost of the new NMDA Headquarters Building will total $21.4 million, including $10.9 million in capital outlay funding and $10.5 million in General Obligation Bond funding voted on by New Mexicans last November. The existing building, which houses the majority of NMDA employees, was constructed between 1973 and 1975.

The NM Dept. of Ag.held a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony 7/13/23 for its new headquarters building on the NMSU Las Cruces campus. Constructed between 1973 and 1975, the existing building (pictured) will soon be demolished.

Photo courtesy New Mexico Department of Agriculture

Managing Your Horses During Drought Conditions

by Moira McGhee, Horse Illustrated

Abnormally hot, dry weather conditions can cause droughts that pose unique challenges for horse owners. Even short-term drought can create a harsh environment that stresses both horses and their pastures. Horses grazing in sparse, droughtstricken pastures can face disastrous results. It’s crucial to be extra attentive to your pastures and your horses during drought conditions.

Healthy Habits for Horses During Drought

One major concern during times of drought is maintaining your horse’s water supply. Natural water sources like ponds and streams dry out and the remaining water can

become stagnant. It’s unhealthy for horses to drink stagnant water due to parasites and bacteria.

“If you use natural sources for your water, obviously you worry about it getting low,” says Kris Hiney, PhD, an assistant professor and Equine Extension Specialist for Oklahoma State University’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences. “You must regularly check for water availability. However, what I think about when there are high temperatures, and a lot of evaporation, is you have to careful about blue/green algae. It can be toxic.”

Hiney prefers horse owners use fresh water to keep horses hydrated. However, the heat on watering tanks can also substantially increase when it’s hot, so horse owners must be much more vigilant about refilling water buckets and tanks.

Pasture Problems During Drought

Horses can graze very low to the ground when a lack of moisture suppresses vegetation growth in a pasture. Overgrazing close to the ground can cause horses to ingest more soil material. Consuming soil poses risks such as obstruction hazard if a horse ingests a stone, or sand colic if the soil contains a lot of sand.

When vegetation becomes sparse, Hiney says horses might also start grazing a little closer to latrine areas that they would normally avoid. If so, they are at risk of picking up more parasites. Besides the risks for horses, there’s also a danger of severely damaging the pasture.

“You really need to keep an eye on what’s happening in your pasture in drought conditions,” Hiney says. “Normally, in the summer, I’m not feeding hay, which saves on my hay budget. But, if you overgraze pastures in a drought, think about how long it takes for pastures to recover. If you have to reseed and try to reclaim pasture that’s been really stressed, all that input cost adds up.

It may seem a little more economically painful at the time, but you’re better off using some of your hay supply to preserve the longevity of your pasture,” Hiney continues. “It can’t handle two stressors at the same time, being overgrazed and under-watered. Think about your pasture as a valuable resource you want to protect. I think that’s the biggest lesson. If you overuse it, it can take years to get it back.”

Hiney suggests contacting a hay supplier sooner when it’s hot and dry because hay sources often become limited. Also, don’t forget to figure the additional expense into

your hay budget for the year. A little preplanning helps you be prepared to pay a bit more than usual.

Grazing Weeds & Toxic Plants

When grasses go dormant, weeds may not because many weeds tend to be more resilient than grasses. Your horse may be ingesting more weeds than usual, some of which might be toxic.

“There are also some plants that become more toxic during drought conditions,” Hiney says. “We tell people to avoid the sorghums. Those plants when they’re stressed can be potentially more toxic to horses.”

If horses come off pasture and are restricted to a dry lot, take a close look at your fence lines and the weeds growing along them. The horses aren’t going to be happy about life without any greens to graze, even if you’re feeding them hay. They’re going to try reaching over and under the fence.

“Is there a hotwire that’s functioning?” Hiney asks. “What’s the two-feet buffer like from the fence? Have you cleared that and are there any weeds? Birds poop out seeds on the fence. That’s why you get such a different variety of weeds along the fence line versus in the pasture. Plus, fence lines are kind of protected from being mowed or eaten. You really want to pay attention because your horses are going to be reaching for a snack.”

Watch out for signs that your horse may have ingested a toxic plant. Unusual salivating, blisters in the mouth, or an alternation in the GI tract, such as diarrhea, could indicate they got into an irritant. Altered motor functions, lethargy, and holding the head differently can also be signs of nervous system trouble. Other possible signs include elevated heart rate, pale gums, labored breathing, and colic.

Exercising Horses in Drought

Besides humans and primates, horses are PREGNANCY DIAGNOSTIC TECHNICIAN

the only mammals that cool themselves primarily by sweating. During hot, humid weather, sweat doesn’t evaporate, and a horse’s body doesn’t cool down as it should. If you’re exercising your horse when it’s extremely hot, heat stress can lead to heat exhaustion or even life-threatening heat stroke.

“If it’s hot and you’re riding, you really have to worry about heat exhaustion,” Hiney says. “Really pay attention to their respiratory rate and heart rate when you’re riding them. If they’re not recovering, stop riding. Get up early to ride. Even if you try to ride late in the evening, it takes a long time for the heat to dissipate, so early morning is going to be your best chance to be able to exercise horses somewhat normally.”

Horses typically drink between 5 and 10 gallons of water daily. On extremely hot days, their water intake can double, even without exercising. When horses sweat, they lose water containing much higher amounts of electrolytes than humans, so it’s critical you replace them.

“They’re losing lots of water and electrolytes,” Hiney says. “We want to make sure there’s a source of salt at a minimum. If it has been really hot, and we’ve been exercising them, I’d definitely recommend doing a little electrolyte replacement.”

JANUARY — Wildlife; Gelbvieh; Joint Stockmen’s Convention Results

FEBRUARY — Beefmasters; Texas Longhorns

MARCH — Limousin; Santa Gertrudis

APRIL — Dairy

MAY — News of the Day

If you would like to see your breed featured email caren@aaalivestock.com To Reserve Advertising Space email chris@aaalivestock.com or call Chris at 505.243.9515, ext. 28

JUNE — Sheepman of the Year

JULY — Directory of Agriculture

AUGUST — The Horse Industry

SEPTEMBER — Charolais; Fairs Across the SW

OCTOBER — Hereford; NM State Fair Results

NOVEMBER — Cattleman of the Year: Joint Stockmen’s Convention Preview: Angus, Brangus, Red Angus

DECEMBER — Bull Buyers Guide

HORSE

Home

175 Esslinger Rd., La Mesa, NM 88044 575-202-0080, 575-312-2291, 642-5589, 970-390-9911 • armstrongequine.com

magazine

CALL

505/262-0224

4836 Hardware Dr. NE Albuquerque, NM 87109

www.NMHorseBreeders.com

Joe B, Josh, Rusty & Ed Armstrong

The New Mexico Bred Program is the best State-Bred Program in the Southwest!

Horse Management Practices, Sleep Quality, & Performance

by Tanja Bornmann, The Horse

Why Do Horses Need ‘Good’ Sleep?

“Sleep is part of every species’ ethogram and vital for the performance and the well-being of an individual, as it serves the physical and psychological regeneration,” says Christine Fuchs, PhD, DVM, of the Animal Hospital Luesche, in Germany. “While the horses sleep, the brain processes the events and information of the preceding hours and days.”

Polyphasic sleep occurs in several stages: light sleep, deep sleep (non-rapid-eye-movement [REM] sleep), and REM sleep (dream sleep), adds Fuchs.

While horses can enter and complete non-REM phases standing upright, they must lie down to complete the REM phase, either on their chest/abdomen (sternal recumbency) with their muzzle resting or flat on one side (lateral recumbency).

“If horses don’t lie down at all for about 10

Livestock Water Quality Likely to be Impacted by Drought

Source: North Dakota State University

Having access to good-quality water is one of the limiting factors for cattle in most grazing systems.

“During a drought, this becomes an even greater challenge for producers as water sources decrease, creating water shortages and the potential for toxicity,” says Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist.

The quality of water has impacts on cattle intake and weight gain. Studies have reported improved gains by as much as 0.24 pound per day in yearlings and 0.33 pound per day in calves drinking good-quality water.

When surface waters become low, the mineral component of the water becomes more concentrated because minerals do

days or more, the lack of REM sleep is so profound that they fall into REM sleep while standing,” Fuchs notes. Acute or chronic pain or inadequate resting areas might cause horses to enter but not complete the REM phase while standing, she says, which usually results in the horse’s collapse due to atonia (a state in which most muscles in the body relax) and can potentially cause serious injuries.

‘Good’ Sleep Is Performance- and Health-Enhancing

Sleep quality and quantity are tightly connected. For instance, a chronic lack of sleep can compromise immunity and even lead to death. “During the REM sleep phase, the brain processes the ‘emotional’ events which occur during the day,” says Fuchs. “If that sleep stage is missing, horses might show changes in their usual behaviors (e.g., an overall stressed demeanor, aggression,

increased sleepiness).” Therefore, “good” sleep contributes to better quality of life and performance.

It can take several weeks or even months to record a significant performance decline due to poor sleep, making it difficult to identify as the underlying cause. Regarding welfare, researchers know these horses suffer immensely, notes Fuchs. Recumbent sleep deprivation is often rooted in inadequate horse husbandry practices, she says, and these horses frequently develop behavioral issues such as cribbing, weaving, or stall-walking.

What Is the Link Between Horse Management Practices, Sleep, & Performance?

Many fundamental stable management practices contribute to horse health and well-being. Environmental factors, such as the size, availability, cleanliness, and location of the resting area, bedding type and depth, exposure to light and stressors such as constant noise, and, if group-housed, the rank of the horses within the herd, can impact sleep behavior. Horses might be reluctant to lie down due to painful conditions such as osteoarthritic joints, back or

continued on page 40 >>

not evaporate with the water. Of particular concern are increased concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS) and sulfates, which can be toxic to livestock. For most classes of grazing livestock, the TDS in the water should be less than 5,000 parts per million (ppm).

Sulfate is part of the TDS. The recommended concentration should be less than 500 ppm for calves and less than 1,000 ppm for adult cattle. High levels of sulfate can reduce copper availability in the diet. Elevated levels of sulfates may cause loose stool, whereas very high levels of sulfate can induce central nervous system problems.

Ranchers should monitor TDS and sulfate levels throughout the grazing season because weather and other factors can influence water quality.

“We recommend the use of hand-held TDS meters as a quick method to screen water samples,” Meehan says. “If the screening indicates the TDS is greater than 4,500 ppm, submit a sample to a lab for additional analysis.”

Sulfate test strips are another tool to screen water samples. Both of these tools

are affordable and easy to use, according to Meehan.

Drought also increases the risk for cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms that can produce toxins that are harmful to livestock, wildlife and people. Toxicity is dependent on the species consuming the water, the concentration of the toxin or toxins and the amount of water ingested.

The best method for monitoring cyanobacteria is visually. However, this can be difficult due to how rapidly a bloom can develop and ranchers’ ability to check water frequently. One potential solution is to use a camera to monitor water locations.

If a bloom is observed, livestock should be removed immediately and a water sample should be submitted for testing. The sample can be evaluated microscopically for potentially toxic species of cyanobacteria, or the water can be analyzed for several of the toxins at commercial labs at a higher cost.

“As you develop your drought plan, it is critical to include strategies to ensure livestock have adequate, good-quality water,” Meehan says.      ▫

sacroiliac pain, gastric ulcers, or severe equine asthma, says Fuchs. Other physiological factors, such as the horse’s core body temperature, can also influence sleep profiles.

Researchers have determined that relaxed horses spend more time in lateral recumbency, which might increase the amount of “good” REM sleep. Making horses feel comfortable by managing their bedding and environment appropriately can improve their sleep, welfare, and performance.

“Research suggests that a deeper bed results in more recumbent behavior (i.e., lying down), which is very important for horses to be able to achieve rapid eye movement sleep,” says Linda Greening, PhD candidate at the University of the West of England and lecturer/researcher in the Equine Department at Hartpury University, in the U.K. “This sleep state is linked to memory consolidation. In terms of training for performance, I would say that providing an environment that encourages horses to lie down can only be a good thing.”

Greening and her team replicated bedding depth research using straw and

shavings in separate studies. “We found that horses tend to lie down more when these bedding types are deeper, and a depth of (more than) 10 centimeters (just under 4 inches) covering at least half of the floor of the stable or stall helps with this,” she adds. When the bedding depth was increased from 4 to 6 inches in the study, horses spent more time in lateral recumbency.

“We are currently investigating the influence of lighting on sleep, Greening adds.

Artificial stable lighting can negatively impact horses’ ability to enter sleep stages and might reduce recumbent resting behavior, she says. Barn managers and owners might need to consider how they perform late-night checks in horse barns because artificial lighting at night might affect melatonin cycles and horses’ sleep patterns.

“We have started to look at (blanketing’s links) to core body temperature, as this is another main sleep cue,” says Greening. Blanketing can impact core body temperature, which, like darkness, is a significant natural cue for sleep. Studies in humans have shown a link between the reduction of core body temperature and the onset of sleep. Blanketing horses is a popular practice, and research on how blankets affect horses’ ability to thermoregulate is still in the early

stages.

“Aside from these factors, age, injury, appropriate lying space (especially during turnout), familiarity with the environment, seasonality, and sex (e.g., a mare with foal at foot) can all influence how horses sleep,” she adds.

Take-Home Message

Researchers say REM sleep is vital for horse health, performance, and well-being. Factors such as bedding depth, resting area size, and management of certain health conditions can positively influence horse sleep and enhance overall cognitive and physical performance in equine athletes. Lighting and the horse’s core body temperature can also influence sleep patterns and are factors to consider in general horse management practices.

About the author: Tanja Bornmann is an equine scientist (MSc, University of Edinburgh, UK), licensed and qualified equestrian coach, writer, and published researcher. Through her business Academic Equitation, she offers her clients a science-based approach to horse training and management.      ▫

by Frank Dubois

Yours Truly Bites the Dust

There are some weird stories going around about me and my absence from this publication.

So let me clarify.

No, I didn’t try to bulldog a buffalo.

No, I didn’t receive these injuries in the largest bar in the world.

I had cataract surgery on my left eye two weeks prior, so on this day I had the procedure done on my right eye.

When I exited the building I remember saying, “I’m blind” because the sun was so bright.

The next thing I knew I went off an escarpment. The wheelchair hit and then turned left, landing on its right side, and throwing me off onto the asphalt. I knew I couldn’t lift myself up, and the nurses and staff at the surgery center said they couldn’t either, so they called an ambulance. The EMTs said they wanted me to go to the hospital, but I declined and requested they pick me up and put me on my wheelchair, which they did and I rode into my van.

To be honest that is the last thing I remember until I woke up in the hospital in Las Cruces. Apparently, I was making no sense and looking much sicker and my daughter and caregiver talked me in to going to the hospital. This was two days after the incident. They found that I had a twisted colon, which had become infected. After two different procedures they had it fixed. They had removed a part of the colon and gave me a colostomy bag.

There were a few setbacks and complications, but I got to come home this week

I hope to kick the blog off this weekend and have a full column for the next edition of this pub.

Lab Grown Artificial ‘Meat’ May Actually Be Worse for the Environment

by Bryan Jung, Epoch Times

Lab grown “meat” may be potentially worse for the environment than actual beef and may have an even larger carbon footprint, according to a recent study.

This follows the USDA’s approval of the FDA’s decision on June 21 to greenlight the sale of lab-grown meat to American consumers.

GOOD Meat, a company that grows cellbased meat in its labs, announced in June the USDA’s approval to sell its products.

Advocates of lab grown meat, which is cultured from animal cells, has been lauded by activists of being more environmentally friendly than beef, as it uses less land, water, and produces no greenhouse gases, compared to raising cattle.

The United States joins Singapore as the only country approving “cell-cultured” meat for human consumption

Only chicken has passed the official government approval process for now, with a “no questions” letter that grants permission for distribution, but pork and beef will have to wait.

However, a pre-print study by researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found that the environmental impacts of labgrown or “cultivated” meat, are likely to be “orders of magnitude” higher than its natural counterpart, based on current and near-term production methods.

Fake Meat May Actually Require More Energy Than Organic Meat

Amy Quinton from UC Davis Department of Food Science announced preliminary results from the study on the environmental impact of lab grown meat in a May 22 report.

The researchers assessed the amount of energy needed and the greenhouse gases emitted to create artificial beef and compared it with traditional organic meat production.

It was found that scaling up production using current lab methods was highly energy intensive.

Lab-grown meat is produced through the use of highly refined or purified growth media, which are the ingredients used to make animal cells multiply and is similar to how biotechnology firms make their drugs.

The UC Davis team found that the global warming potential of lab-based meat using this process, is four to twenty-five times greater than the average for retail beef.

“If companies are having to purify growth media to pharmaceutical levels, it uses more resources, which then increases global warming potential,” stated UC Davis doctoral graduate Derrick Risner, the study’s lead author.

“If this product continues to be produced using the ‘pharma’ approach, it’s going to be worse for the environment and more expensive than conventional beef production,” he added.

Researchers Hope to Make Artificial Meat Production More Energy Efficient

The UC Davis Cultivated Meat Consortium, which led the study, are a group of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and educators researching lab grown meat.

The artificial meat industry plans on creating lab-grown meat using primarily food-grade ingredients or cultures, that use less energy-intensive pharmaceutical grade ingredients and processes in the future.

They hope that improvements in developing the technology, through “pharma to food,” will perfect the production of artificial meat products.

Other goals include the establishment and evaluation of cell lines that could be used to grow meat and to improve the structure in cultured meat.

Risner stated, that if lab-based meat failed to create a more climate-friendly burger, there is still valuable science to be learned from the attempt.

“It may not lead to environmentally friendly commodity meat, but it could lead to less expensive pharmaceuticals, for example,” he added.

“My concern would just be scaling this up too quickly and doing something harmful for the environment.”

US Production Has Begun

Only a few places will be producing cell-cultured meat for public use for now.

Upside Foods and Good Meat, of California, will first be distributing their product at Bar Crenn in San Francisco and celebrity chef José Andrés’ restaurant, China Chilcano, in Washington, D.C.

China Chilcano will first serve Good Meat’s “Anticuchos de Pollo” on the week of July 31 as part of an exclusive tasting menu at $70 per person, by reservation only and then only available in very limited quantities.

Upside Foods COO Amy Chen told Scientific American that their product will display the regular round-shaped USDA inspection label.

Results

Nationals!

Team New Mexico showed up with yellow state flags flying and contestants ready to give it their all. The National High School Rodeo Finals were held in Gillette, Wyoming July 13-22, 2023. 1,785 contestants and their families turned Gillette’s Cam-Plex into a small city with rookie golf cart drivers everywhere and rodeo, all day, every day. Of note for many, was the lack of cell phone and inter-

net coverage, but our knightess in shining armor had us covered on the home front, Ms. Julie Carter; the NMJHSRA and NMHSRA cheerleader extraordinaire, as she watched the streaming coverage for days and managed to record every possible NM contestant’s run.

By the end of the day’s long rodeos, rodeo moms were seen enjoying watching their kids’ events, because they knew back at home, Julie was taping the runs.

On behalf of all the New Mexico rodeo family, thank you, Ms. Julie. You brought us together and reminded us it is important to celebrate every accomplishment.

On that note, congratulations to every single contestant. You make us proud!

Thanks to Acentric Rodeo, Tammi Griego, Tyrone Tsosie, Nikki Schalla for courtesy photos. Thanks to the volunteers and parents helping at every performance!

2023 Champion All-Around Cowboy/Bull Riding Champion

Wacey Schalla hails from Oklahoma but rodeos for New Mexico, and he brought home the All-Around Championship.

Wacey also is the Bull Riding Champion and was 4th high in the Bareback.

Champion Tie

Down Roper

Kyan Wilhite (team Texas) hails from Clovis, NM. Kyan won both the second round and the short go to win the Tie-Down Roping Championship. Reserve Champion Trap Shooting: Lane Helmer Western Horseman Western Lifestyle Trade Show: Justin Anaya, 2nd (for a beautiful set of Arizona Bells)

We want to earn your business. Call for a quote. WRS is committed to offer quality products at a fair price with outstanding customer service.

We have used WRS as a supplier of feed, mineral, hay, trucking, vet supplies and now fencing materials. Their prices are always very competitive. They are always friendly, accommodating and pleasant to do business with.

Rick Hubbell, Hubbell Ranch

Rodeo Roundup

Placings for the NMHSRA

Barrel Racing:

Jordyn Wamel, 18th

Caydence Roberts, 20th

Bareback: Wacey

Schalla, 4th

Bull Riding: Wacey

Schalla, 1st

Girls Cutting:

Danli Valdez, 14th

Reined Cow Horse:

Sterlin Mitchell, 4th

Steer Wrestling:

Tydon Tsosie, 7th

Team Roping:

Lyvan Gonzales/

Cason Hatley, 4th

Tylee DeHerrera/ Kayson Shahan, 15th

Nehemiah Mendoza/Treyden

Gonzales, 20th

Light Rifle:

Zane Cline, 4th

Dalli Cain, 8th

Riley Ybarra, 15th

Trap Shooting:

Lane Helmer, Reserve Champion

Team Placings: New Mexico Girls: 18th

New Mexico Boys: 7th

Team New Mexico: 8th

Division 2:

NM, 3rd

All-Around Cowboy, Wacey Schalla

All Around Rookie Cowgirl, Caydence Roberts, 4th

Cutting: Little Hatrick (Hattie)

Danli Valdez

Performance and Round Placings:

Barrels: Go-Round 1: Jordyn Wamel, 5th and 2nd in Performance 2

Caydence Roberts, 9th and 3rd in Performance 5

Bareback: Go-Round 1:

Wacey Schalla, 1st and High Point Ride of Performance, 11th in Go-Round 2, 5th in short-go

Boys Cutting: Go-Round 2: Chris Carson 8th (tie), Performance 12, 2nd

Sterlin Mitchell, Performance 3, 5th

Breakaway: Evann

Segura, Performance 3, 1st

Bull Riding: Go-Round 2:

AQHA Top Horse by Event in Girls

photos courtesy Acentric Rodeo

Team

(above right) Ashlynn Jones, Barrel Racing, NHSRA Finals (above) Tydon Tsosie, Chute Doggin’, NHSRA Finals

(right) Wacey Schalla, Bull Riding, NHSRA Finals (bottom) Tyra Tsosie, Goat Tying, NHSRA Finals

Wacey Schalla, 2nd and short-go, 2nd

Girls Cutting: Go-Round 1: Danli

Valdez 8th (tie), Performance 3, 3rd and Performance

10, 5th

Caydence Roberts, 18th, Performance

6, 4th (tie)

Goat Tying: Go-Round 1: Wacey Trujillo, 16th , Performance

1, 4th

Tyra Tsosie, 1st in Go-Round 2 and Performance 8, 1st

Reined Cow Horse: Danli Valdez, go-Round 1: 5th, and Performance 1, 1st

Sterlin Mitchell, Go-Round 1, 19th (tie), Go-Round 2, 17th (tie), Short-Go, 1st

Steer Wrestling:

Zane Cline, Go-Round 1, 16th, Performance 6, 2nd

Tydon Tsosie, Go-Round 2, 2nd, Performance 11, 1st, Short-Go, 7th

Saddle Bronc: Monte Faulkner, Go-Round 1, 14th (tie), Performance 3, 3rd

Team Roping: Lyvan Gonzales/ Cason Hatley, Performance 6, 1st, Short-go, 1st Nehemiah Mendoza/Treyden

Gonzales, Performance 4, 4th

Tie-Down Roping: Treyden Gonzales, Go-Round 1, 12th, Performance 6, 3rd

Cutter Pareo, Go-Round 2, 18th, Performance 12, 3rd

Diné Duo Finish as Reserve World Champs at Jr. High Finals

By Quentin Jodie, Navajo Times

The ribbon roping combo of John Boyd IV and Cauleen Segay hit it out of the park in June’s National Junior High Finals Rodeo in Perry, Georgia. The duo finished as the reserve world champions by completing three runs in 23.34 seconds.

“We were solid all the way around,” Boyd said while noting he was feeling confident heading into the short round.

“I already knew what my job was and I felt like I was ready because we already roped our first two draws,” he said. “We just had to be fast on our next one.”

The pair finished fourth in the opening round with a 7.11 run and they added a seventh place run of 8.93 in the next round. In the short round, they took fourth with a 7.3 run.

“We just stayed consistent,” Segay said. “I had a lot of confidence in him and his roping. He just caught it right there outside of the box for me.”

Segay said the runner-up finish helped

ease her disappointment of not making the nationals in the breakaway event the past two years as she finished one spot out of qualifying at fifth place both times.

“It’s really satisfying,” she said.

Segay’s mother, Vanessa, said she was real proud of what Boyd and her daughter accomplished.

“They have a good partnership,” she said. “They’re always communicating, even outside of rodeo. They keep in contact just making sure each other are staying focused.”

Vanessa said Cauleen’s finish at the state and national level has brought some muchneeded joy to her daughter.

“It was hard on her for coming up short two years in a row for breakaway,” the matriarch said. “But her finish with John as the state champs made everything good for her.”

As for taking second at nationals, Vanessa said she’s elated that her daughter got to experience this.

“It really shined a light for her,” she said.

With one year of eligibility at the junior high level, Cauleen is looking to earn multiple qualifications in barrels, breakaway, poles, team roping and ribbon roping at next year’s nationals.

“My goal is to make it to nationals in all of my events,” she said. “I’m going to work real hard.”

Rodeo Roundup

For Boyd, this was his last year competing at the junior high finals as he is set to enroll at Casa Grande Union High School next month as a freshman.

The 15-year-old cowboy made the most of his final trip to the junior high finals by placing seventh overall in the tie-down roping, which put him in the all-around race.

“It was great to be in the top 10 in two events,” Boyd said. “I had to work really hard to get where I am right now. That is how I was able to finish that high.”

In the opening round, Boyd took 17th overall in the tie-down roping with a 15.88 run and then he added a 10th place finish in the second round with a much faster run of 13.76 seconds. He later added a 13.18 run in the short round.

“My horse worked pretty well over there,” Boyd said of Odee. “He pulled my rope tight and he pulled all my calves toward me. He got out like he’s supposed to and he did his job.”

Of the two events he competed in, Boyd said the tie-down roping was the most competitive.

“It was actually tough,” he said. “The guys that roped were pretty fast. You had to be on top of that barrier if you wanted to win against those guys.”

Behind his two events, Boyd placed third in the all-around with 1,140 points. He finished behind Oklahoma cowboy Cactus Cain (1,360) and Montana cowboy West Schroeder (1,250).

Boyd’s mother, Sammy Jo, said her son deserved all the accolades he achieved at this year’s nationals after finishing fourth overall

in breakaway his sixth-grade year and in the top 10 last year.

“First of all, he put in all the work,” she said. “We sat down with him after his seventh-grade year and we asked him how much do you want this?

“We’ll do whatever it takes for him to get there and he really impressed my whole family,” she said. “This boy came back from nationals his seventh-grade year with a different mindset and he transformed himself into a fit young man.

“He shaped himself and you could tell he wanted it,” she added. “We all saw it; we just gave him the tools to do it.”

RIDING HERD

by Lee Pitts

Without A Net

The government and insurance companies often issue lists of the most dangerous jobs in America based on deaths per thousand. I have a sharp and dangerous ax to grind with such lists because a job can be extremely dangerous without killing you.

Logging is usually the most dangerous job in America and I have no objection with this assessment. And I take no offense with the inclusion of roofers, iron workers and underground miners. It’s when they get around to agriculture that I dispute their placings. Most lists lump ranching and farming together in one category which usually falls about number ten on the lists of the most dangerous jobs. But I see absolutely no reason why delivery truck driving should be considered more dangerous than bull riding. So to put right this great injustice I have made my own list of the ten most dangerous jobs.

#10 Horseshoer- Baseball catchers have the most dangerous job in baseball and are often considered for inclusion in the dangerous job category, but not so the lowly horseshoer. The catcher gets to wear all sorts of protective equipment including a cup but when a horseshoer catches a high, hard and fast one in the groin he is totally

defenseless. That’s why most elderly horseshoers are jumpy, grumpy and walk all hunched over.

#9 Large Animal Vet- These folks live life out on the edge! There are just too many ways a vet can be injured from catching anthrax or rabies to getting hit in a vehicular accident because he or she nodded off at the wheel from a lack of sleep. Too many knives, scalpels and needles are involved to say that this occupation is less dangerous than airplane pilots and trash collectors.

#8 Cowboys- Carpenters are always listed amongst the top ten most dangerous jobs but not cowboys. But I’d bet cowboys are missing more digits than hammer jockeys are. Cowboys dicker with death every day from trying to stay outa-the-wire to riding knot-headed horses that can bury you in a variety ways. And there’s usually no emergency room or med stop within a hundred miles.

#7 Slaughterhouse Worker- Working in a slaughterhouse is like sleepwalking into an airplane propeller. There are booby traps everywhere and sharp knives are slippery from blood, water and assorted entrails. Being a truck driver is NOT more dangerous than working in a slaughterhouse.

#6 Auction Market Owner- If you question my judgement here you’ve probably never sorted mad cows or been run over by one-ton bulls in a sorting alley. If you survive that wreck there’s always the strain associated with a big buyer going broke leaving you with a seven figure bad check.

#5 Bulldogger- Death sits in the saddle every time a bulldogger lowers himself down from a speeding horse on to a rack of horns belonging to a four footed bovine track star. And keep in mind, every time they lean over to “take the bull by the horns” they are working without a net.

#4 Bull Rider- When the bull riding begins the ambulance goes on full alert for a “load and go” or a “scoop and scoot.” I’m really glad bull riders started wearing Kevlar® vests and catcher’s masks but they still face the possibility of going on the ‘long sleep’ every time they willingly fasten themselves to a one-ton man-killing machine.

#3 Rodeo Clown- I went back and forth on which job is more dangerous, riding a bull or playing tag with one. Let’s call it a tie. Talk about a moth that falls in love with a flame. I fail to see the attraction here.

#2 Hole Blocker- This person, almost always your wife, is the person who jumps up and down frantically waving her hands to stop cattle from escaping through a hole or gap in a fence or corral. She plays the ultimate game of chicken with an outraged herd of oncoming bovines. On average, I’d say she wins about half the time.

#1 Cattle Feeder- There’s no one more courageous and no occupation as dangerous as being an independent cattle feeder. If you don’t get run over by a banker, gored by regulators or driven to drink by a greedy packer you’ll probably end up stroking out at fifty from all the stress.      ▫

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

9:00 a.m. Wool Show Fleece Arrival Begins

5:00 p.m. Wool Show Fleece In Place

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

8:00 a.m. Jr.Rabbit/Cavy Show Arrival Begins

9:00 a.m. Wool Show - JLP

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Milking

Demonstrations, JLP

7:00 p.m. Jr.Rabbit/Cavy Show In Place

SATURDAY,

SEPTEMBER 9

8:00 a.m. Jr. Rabbit/Cavy Show

- Rabbit/Poultry Building

8:00 a.m. Open Angus, AOB & Hereford Cattle Arrival Begins

8:00 a.m. Agriculture Public Speaking Contest

8:00 a.m. Agriculture Science Fair

9:00 a.m. Jr. Poultry Show - Rabbit/Poultry Building

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Milking

Demonstrations, JLP

12:00 p.m. Jr. Market Goats/Wether Does In place - JLP

1:00 p.m. Jr. Market Goats/Wether

Does - Weights due Online

4:00 p.m. Wool Lead Show - JLP

5:00 p.m. Market Swine MUST be in place

5:00 p.m. Market Swine - Weight Due Online

7:00 p.m. Jr. Market Beef/Market

Heifers/Jr. Breeding Heifers - In place

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 7-17

*Schedule & Rules are Subject to Change*

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

8:00 a.m. NM Bred Swine Show

- Swine Barn

**MKT Hog Showmanship, 30 minutes after conclusion of the show

Swine Show

8:00 a.m. Open Angus, AOB & Hereford Cattle Arrival/Check In

Begins

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

9:30 a.m. Wether Doe Show - JLP

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations - JLP

11:00 a.m. Jr. Market Goat Show - JLP

12:00 p.m. Jr. Market Sheep & Jr.

Commercial Ewes In place - JLP

2:00 p.m. Jackpot Steer, Breeding Heifer & NM Bred Steer Show Check-in & Weights due

4:00 p.m. Classify Jr. Market Lambs - JLP

4:00 p.m. Open Angus, AOB & Hereford Cattle Arrival/Check In Ends

5:00 p.m. NMSF Jackpot Steer, Breeding Heifer & NM Bred Steer Show

6:00 p.m. Jr. Market Lamb & Jr. Commercial Ewes - Weights Due Online

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

8:00 a.m. Jr. Market Hog

Classification & Show - Swine Barn

9:00 a.m. Classify/Check in Jr. Market Beef/Market Heifers - JLP

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Brangus Move-In Beef Barn

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations

- JLP

11:00 a.m. Jr. Market Beef/Market Heifer Weights Due Online

1:00 p.m. Open Angus Cattle Show – Beef Barn

2:00 p.m. Open AOB Cattle Show

- Beef Barn

3:00 a.m. Open Hereford Cattle Show – Beef Barn

4:00 p.m. Breeding Heifer - Check In Due Online AOB/Commercial Heifer - Weights Due Online

5:00 p.m. Replacement Dairy must be in place -Check In: ONLY between 8 - 5

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

8:00 a.m. Open Rabbit Arrival Begins

9:00 a.m. Jr. Commercial Ewe Show - JLP

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Jr. Market Lamb Show - JLP

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations - JLP

1:00 p.m. Jr. Replacement Dairy Heifer Show - Beef Barn

3:00 p.m. Brangus Cattle In Place

3:00 p.m. Calf Scramble Meeting - TBD

7:00 p.m. Open Rabbits must be In Place

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

8:00 a.m. Open Rabbit Show - Rabbit/Poultry Building

9:00 a.m. Jr. Market Steer/Market

Heifer Show - JLP

10:00 a.m. Open/Jr. Dairy Cattle Show – Beef Barn

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations - JLP

2:00 p.m. Jr. Breeding Heifer Show – JLP (Following the Market Steer/Heifer show)

7:00 p.m. Calf Scramble - Tingley Coliseum

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Brangus Jr. Breeding Heifer Show – Beef Barn

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations - JLP

1:00 p.m. Livestock Judging Contest – JLP

7:00 p.m. Parade of Champions - Tingley Coliseum

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

9:00 a.m. Brangus Open Show – JLP

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations - JLP

11:00 a.m. Jr. Livestock Sale Registration opens - Horse Arena

12:00 p.m. Open Poultry Arrival Begins

12:00 p.m. Texas Longhorns Move in - Beef Barn

1:00 p.m. Jr. Livestock Sale – Horse Arena

7:00 p.m. Open Poultry must be In Place

5:00 p.m. Texas Longhorns must be In Place

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

8:00 a.m. Open Poultry Show – Rabbit/Poultry Building

8:00 a.m. Youth Dairy Goat Show/ Showmanship - JLP

Open Youth Dairy Goat Show, Youth Sr. Dairy Goat Show, Open Sr. Dairy Goat Show, Southwest Dairy Goat Association Club Show, all to follow

9:00 a.m. 4-H Cooking Challenge – Youth Hall

9:00 a.m. Table Top Serama Chicken Show – Poultry Building

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations - JLP

10:00 a.m. 4-H Dog Show - JLP

10:00 a.m. Texas Longhorn Open & Junior Show – Beef Barn

1:00 p.m. Navajo Sheep Show - JLP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

9:30 a.m. Sheep to Shawl - JLP

**Demonstrations take place daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. Milking Demonstrations - JLP

10:00 a.m. Texas Longhorn Open & Junior Show (Day 2) – Beef Barn

1:00 p.m. Rooster Crowing Contest – Rabbit/Poultry Building

*JLP - Junior Livestock Pavilion

Animal Agriculture Alliance Updates Reports Covering Animal Rights Extremist Connections & Tactics

The Animal Agriculture Alliance has released two reports detailing the interconnectedne ss of the animal rights movement, as well as tactics targeting animal agriculture. The Animal Rights Extremist Web exemplifies how animal rights groups are strategically connected in many ways, including personnel and financial support. The Radical Vegan Activism in 2022 report highlights efforts to attack animal agriculture and the true intentions of these organizations with quotes from leadership.

“No matter the animal rights extremist group or the tactics used, they all share the same goal of eliminating animal agriculture and taking meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood off of our grocery store shelves and family tables,” said Abby Kornegay, manager, issues and engagement, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “These reports succinctly detail those true intentions, the strategic efforts of the animal rights movement to further their agenda, and key tactics for the animal agriculture community to be aware of.”

Nearly one-third of animal rights extremist attacks documented in 2022 targeted farmers and food workers, putting them and animals in danger. Documented direct actions to animal agriculture include:

Ї 95 vandalism incidents

Ї 70 stolen animals

Ї 60 criminal trespasses

Ї 10 arson cases

Ї 9 harassment and intimidation incidents

“Extremists are getting ever bolder in their efforts against animal agriculture, and direct actions at the farm, processing facility, and retail store continue to rise,” said Kornegay. “Farmers, processors, and the entire food supply chain are encouraged to implement

security measures that protect against potential threats.”

In addition to demanding change through direct actions, animal rights groups are also attempting to force change through fundraising efforts which help fund their various efforts and campaigns. The major animal rights extremist groups included on the Animal Rights Extremist Web are major fundraisers and bring in more than $800 million in income annually. Organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) saw a dramatic increase in revenue between their previous fiscal year and current. In PETA’s 2021 tax filing, total revenue equaled $68 million and according to its website, 2022 revenue equals $82 million, a nearly $14 million increase. Several updates were made to the Animal Rights Extremist Web including several new groups for the farm and food community to be aware of, including The Accountability Board and the Organization for Competitive Markets. The Accountability Board, which fronts itself as a non-radical group and invests in over 100 of the largest publicly traded companies to force environmental and animal welfare change, is led by former Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) employees Josh Balk and Matthew Prescott.

The Organization for Competitive Markets, which seeks to “enforce” rules within the agriculture community, was added to the web due to Marty Irby’s involvement as a board member. Irby is also a former employee of HSUS with close ties to its former president and CEO Wayne Pacelle. Sentient Media, Animal Partisan, and Farm Action were also added to the web.

Arthur (Art) Jerry Dunlap, 69, lifelong rancher of Encino, passed away peacefully at his home June 8, 2023.

Art was born in Albuquerque on January 15, 1954 to Noble and Virginia Dunlap. He graduated from Valley High School in 1972. He went on to New Mexico State University where he competed on the rodeo team and studied Agriculture. On November 10, 1979, he married Della Reid. In 1984, they moved to the family ranch in Encino that was homesteaded in 1934 by his father Noble.

From a young age, Art loved horses. Art traveled throughout the United States with his parents and sister competing and winning in top tier Quarter Horse competitions. Art was a superb horseman, having won the All-Around World Championship riding Mr. Snuffy Joe, Bar-O-Jewel, and Bright Blue Bar from the legendary ThreeBar bloodline. His awards are numerous and include many saddles, buckles, and trophies.

Art raised his family on the Dunlap family ranch and eventually grew it into Lazy VL Cattle Company, a legacy business. Art loved and respected the land and adhered to proper ranch management to ensure the land would sustain the growing cattle company for years to come. He took pride in raising top quality Angus cattle and improving the ranch’s genetics over the years.

Art was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He loved to talk; it didn’t matter about what, but mainly roping or rodeo. He loved to look at pictures or watch videos of his grandkids as they started growing up and playing sports.

Art is survived by his wife Della of 43 years, son Greg (Laura) Rio Rancho; son Brett (Amber), Bowie, Texas; daughter Haley (Terral), Encino; nine grandsons, two granddaughters, three great-granddaughters, and a great-grandson; sister Sue, Dallas, Texas; niece Darla, Dallas; and numerous friends.

A Celebration of Life was held June 16th in Corona, NM.

In lieu of flowers, friends may make memorial contributions in Art’s name to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607

Editor’s Note: Email caren@aaalivestock.com. Memorial donations may be sent to the Cattlegrowers’ Foundation, a 501(c)3, tax deductable charitable foundation serving the rights of ranch families and educating citizens on governmental actions, policies and practices. Cattlegrowers Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 7517, Albuquerque, NM 87194. The Stockman runs memorials as a courtesy to its readers. If families & friends would like to see more detail, verbatim pieces must be emailed to us, & may be printed at 10¢ per word. ▫

“ Groups bring in more than $800 million in income annually; 539 attacks targeted agriculture in 2022

VIEW FROM THE BACKSIDE

by Barry Denton

Get This!

Veterinarians in New York started seeing a bizarre condition affecting Holstein calves on two different dairy farms. It is now known as, “calf recumbency”.

Normally a new born calf would stand on its legs and start feeding from its mother within a few hours of birth. Come to find out, these calves never could stand and would die within six weeks as a result.

The vets had the calves necropsied, but there was never anything wrong. The veterinarians then sent samples to renowned geneticist Chad Dechow at Penn State where he serves as associate professor of dairy cattle genetics.

In a short time Mr. Dechow learned of another similar situation on a Holstein dairy in Florida. The herd managers in Florida also sent samples to Dechow’s lab at Penn State.

The lab determined that 18 of the calves affected carried two copies of a region on

RANCH FOOD & FODDER

by Deanna Dickinson McCall

We almost always had a stream or pond of some sort to fish in when I was a kid. It was a great summertime pastime. I can remember catching trout out of a stream with just a line and a hook loaded with a wild grape or two. When I was in high school my folks bought a place we had previously leased for several years for growing replacements, and it had a twenty acre bass pond. My dad loved to go there and fish in the evenings, bringing home some bass, catfish, blue gill or other kind of fish.

We put in a small pond next to the yard for the grandkids several years ago and added a few fish and some bull frogs. I had twelve rattlesnakes in my yard that year. It was normal to see one or two, but a dozen! I got where I hated to go outside. We finally figured out the snakes were coming in for the frogs and fish. We got it filled in and it ended most of the problem. We caught the fish and moved them to tanks in the pastures.

When family came for a summer time

chromosome 16. The researchers also found out that a common sire was present for the lineages on both sides of the 18 calves.

That particular sire had a very prolific son born in 2010 that is now one of the most popular sires in the Holstein industry. It was mentioned in the article that artificial insemination may have played a role.

For a more in depth look at this situation Mr. Dechow published his findings in the November 2022 issue of, JDS Communications , which is the official journal of the American Dairy Science Association.

It is truly fascinating how they tracked this down and the very simple way that they came up with to prevent it in the future. It would be of great interest to anyone in the cattle business and I urge you to look it up and read it.

On a different subject it is very popular to be a “victim” in today’s society. I got to thinking about it and decided that we cowboys, horseshoers, and veterinarians are also “victims” and are owed reparations by the rest of the taxpayers.

Now as absurd as this may sound we all had ancestors that should be held responsible for getting us into this mess. I bet you have talked to cowboys who had relatives that

visit to the ranch we had big fish frys, and they often included frog legs. I can almost taste the fish that was served, light and golden brown and delicious. I still love fried fish and use everything from cornmeal to beer batter. But I have since discovered that fish doesn’t have to be fried to be good. I’ve learned several different, but delicious and healthier ways to prepare it.

While we are huge beef eaters and always will be, fish adds a little variety to dinner. I saw this recipe the first time on a California ranch woman’s blog. She went a few miles to the ocean and caught her fish. That’s obviously not gonna happen for most of us. But she’s all about using recourses we grow or have at hand, and I like that. It is what many of us do, anyway. I’ve experimented with the recipe and tried many kinds of fish. They all seem to work, any white fresh water or ocean fish from frozen cod fillets to bass fillets out of the ranch tank. I’ve also made a few other adjustments, making it a bit simpler. Once you make the recipe you will find out how easy and good it is. It will make a delicious meal you’ll look forward to.

Fish in Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

2 tsp. minced garlic

drove cattle from Texas to Dodge City or even to Montana.

You know darn well that many of today’s experienced horseshoers learned their trade from their father or grandfather. When I was a boy there were plenty of veterinarians that were unlicensed healers that helped horses and cattle get well.

The next generation was made to attend veterinary college and become licensed veterinarians. If you came from any one of those three different backgrounds you simply had no choice, but to continue along the same path.

For instance, you have seen the children of doctors become engineers, artists, politicians, preachers, etc. Many were able to go on and excel in whatever profession they chose.

Anyone that has grown up in the horse and cattle business knows that they are not afforded the other options. It simply boils down to having no choice. Cowboys, horseshoers, and veterinarians are all slaves to helping animals, therefore it’s my ancestors fault and I want reparations now!

Please send your checks quickly as we are a dying breed and prefer to spend your money as soon as possible.      ▫

2 green onions cut into small rounds, use both the white and green parts

1/3 cup dry white wine like Chardonnay

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 tsp. salt

1 cup of chopped fresh dill

4 to 6 pieces of white fish

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Melt the butter in an oven proof pan on top of the stove

Add the onion and cook until soft, and then the garlic. Cook a minute or two more

Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, two or three minutes

Add the cream, stir until warm

Add the salt and dill, and cook for a few minutes, til it is just about at a simmer

Add the raw fish fillets, turn them over a couple of times to make sure they are coated with the sauce. Squeeze the lemon juice over the pan and bake about 30 minutes, until it is tender and the fish flakes easily. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillets.

Let stand a few minutes before serving.      ▫

Three Cheers for Refrigeration—and Four, Once Everyone Has It

by Ben Lieberman

It is difficult to overstate the benefits of refrigeration. Even more than its technological sibling air conditioning, refrigeration has dramatically improved public health and the quality of life wherever it has become widespread. And unlike air conditioning, the utility of which is questioned in some intellectual circles, refrigeration has few if any critics.

Nonetheless, in an age when climate change has become the near obsession of most international policymakers—and given that refrigeration does require a considerable amount of (often) fossil-fuel fired electricity—it is worth highlighting the importance of avoiding measures that threaten its continued spread throughout the world.

The Rise of Refrigeration & Fall of Foodborne Illness

In 2013–2014, salmonella-contaminated chicken from Foster Farms in California caused a known 634 illnesses across 29 states. This major outbreak and recall received substantial press coverage at the time, as have

similar ones that have happened. But before refrigeration, such incidents would not have been treated as news; they were an everyday reality.

Along with air conditioning, the United States was the first nation to have a refrigerator in most residences, as well as an extensive cold chain among food producers and wholesalers and retailers upstream of the consumer. Therefore, America provides the longest test case of the public health benefits from having a food supply that can be kept cold as needed. Those benefits are impressive.

It is over the last century that American households went from zero to nearly 100 percent in refrigerator use. Indeed, market penetration was already above 80 percent by the 1940s. Thanks to a fridge in every kitchen, and along with other major advances like pasteurization, food-related illness and mortality have seen a precipitous decline.

Even health outcomes not obviously connected to refrigeration have benefited from it. For example, there is considerable evidence that cancers of the stomach became

considerably less common in the United States thanks to refrigerators.

Beyond reducing foodborne illness, refrigeration has also improved the quality of the food supply. This is particularly true for protein sources like dairy, meat, and fish that are quickly perishable without it. It has also enabled wider and year-round availability of fresh fruits and vegetables. These fresh (and also fresh frozen, as sizeable freezer sections have become a standard feature in refrigerators) foods have largely replaced heavily salted or smoked or pickled foods, and thus improved diets.

Lower income households have benefited the most from refrigeration. Not only has the cost of a high-quality diet come down, but the once-considerable expense of food spoilage has been reduced. This is particularly important for those who live in hotter regions.

Given all the health benefits of a safer and better food supply attributable to refrigeration, there is little doubt it has contributed to the considerably longer life expectancies in the United States over the past century. Granted, improved health care has been the main driver of these improvements, including vaccines against many once-common diseases. But even with that, refrigeration has played a vital role in the manufacture, transport, and storage of those vaccines as well as in many other medical applications.

Progress and Challenges toward Global Availability of Refrigeration

Refrigerators started as a luxury good a century ago, but prices have substantially declined since (although it should be noted that the recently growing regulatory burden on appliances in the United States and Europe may undercut this trend). Today, very few kitchens in the developed world are without a refrigerator, and market penetration in the developing world has been robust, particularly over the last three decades.

At this point, equipment cost is a barrier for only the world’s very poorest households. However, United Nations efforts favoring “climate-friendly” refrigerators represent a worrisome trend threatening affordability. For example, many existing refrigerators use refrigerants called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that are considered to have a high per-molecule global warming potential, though their overall contribution to anthropogenic warming is only 3 percent. These refrigerants are now subject to restrictions pursuant to the Kigali Amendment, a United Nations treaty.

Although the Kigali Amendment is more

lenient toward developing nations than developed ones, it will nonetheless harm the developing world’s refrigerator buyers in two ways. First, the treaty and implementing provisions will serve to disrupt with the supply of second-hand refrigerators from first-world nations, which are often the lowest cost option in developing nations. In fact, the trade in such refrigerators is now perceived by many in the international community as an environmental threat that needs to be eradicated. Second, the Kigali Amendment will eventually impose restrictions on the types of new systems allowed to be produced in developing nations.

These measures are fairly new and are just beginning to be implemented, so the impact on equipment costs is not yet known. But they will likely raise, at least to some extent, the purchase price of a refrigerator. It does not take much of an increase to have a deleterious impact on market penetration among the world’s poorest households.

Access to Reliable Electricity

While refrigerator affordability is an ongoing concern, the greater obstacle is access to reliable electricity.

The slow march to a completely electrified world is 90 percent complete. We have finally reached the point where most of the developing world has joined the developed world in being electrified, but about 750 million people still don’t have it. Worse, by adding in those lacking access to reliable electricity, the number jumps to 3.5 billion, according to one estimate. In Africa, less than half the population enjoys access to reliable electricity.

An unreliable electricity supply can significantly undercut the advantages of refrigeration, as anyone who has had to clean out the fridge after an extended blackout can attest. More progress on both the availability and reliability of electricity is still needed if the benefits of refrigeration are to become universal.

Once again, the climate change agenda is becoming a growing impediment. Progress on electrification is jeopardized by the United Nations’ Paris Agreement and other measures that target affordable and reliable— but carbon-emitting—coal and natural gas in favor of intermittent and unreliable wind and solar. Doing so threatens to both slow progress in expanding electrification for those who don’t yet have it and to improve reliability for those who do.

Even in the first world where refrigeration has long been nearly universal, there are risks from mandates and subsidies for an

increasingly renewables-heavy electricity mix chosen for climate considerations at the expense of reliability. If unchecked, this trend could lead to more frequent blackouts and, thus, backsliding on the refrigeration benefits people take for granted. This is especially so for the summer months when refrigeration is most vital.

Today, a large and growing number of the world’s households, both rich and poor, are able to buy a refrigerator, plug it in, and enjoy the benefits of its uninterrupted operation. This has been an indisputably significant boon to the safety and quality of the food supply and thus to public health. However, ill-advised climate change policy measures are emerging as a real threat to refrigeration’s continued spread. Prioritization of a climate agenda that raises the cost of a refrigerator is likely to do considerably more harm than good and deter the spread of affordable and reliable electricity throughout the world. Refrigeration has been a growing success story for humanity over the past century, but continued progress is now at risk.

Ben Lieberman is a senior fellow who specializes in environmental policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.      ▫

U.S. Economic Slowdown Likely Ahead as Monetary Policy Actions Begin to Take Effect

Source: CoBank

The U.S. economy continues to defy gravity and remains strong despite lingering inflationary pressures, higher borrowing costs and a barrage of other headwinds.

Consumers continue to spend aggressively on services, businesses are still investing and the labor market remains incredibly strong. Secure jobs are the most important element in consumer spending and well-employed Americans have powered the economic recovery for three years. However, looming risks to the economy are increasing in number and size.

According to a new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, the full

impact of monetary policy actions—raising interest rates, quantitative easing and contracting the money supply—have yet to be felt. Those policy actions, combined with depleted consumer savings, tighter commercial bank lending standards and the persistently inverted yield curve are likely to result in a mild recession by the fourth quarter of 2023.

“There is still a lot of wind at the back of this economy and we don’t believe a severe contraction is coming,” said Dan Kowalski, vice president of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “But we do believe it is important to not misinterpret delayed impacts for minimal impacts. Monetary effects can be slow in developing, and history tells us that the economy can seem just fine right before a recession hits.”

The labor market remains relatively tight, but the situation has improved significantly as female and non-native workers have stormed back into the workforce. The labor force participation rate for women between the ages of 25 to 54 now stands at an all-time high, up more than 4 percentage points from the low in April 2020.

Foreign-born employment has increased at roughly double the pace of native-born employment since April 2020. The successes in these two groups have been critical so far in the economic recovery. But looking forward, it raises the question of how many more workers are available to be coaxed in off the sidelines. Ultimately, the U.S. labor force challenges are far from over.

Grains, Farm Supply & Biofuels

With the corn and soybean growing season in full swing, drought across the Central U.S. is driving heightened seasonal

market volatility. Markets are balancing the quickly deteriorating crop conditions against the potential for El Nino to bring wetter conditions later in the growing season.

Wheat harvest is advancing northward in the U.S. and is revealing high variability in crop quality. USDA expects the U.S. hard red winter wheat crop to be the smallest since 1957 on substantially higher abandonments and lower yields.

Ag retailers faced a more challenging environment in the second quarter as fertilizer prices continued to fall. Prices were weighed down by reduced demand, as farmers took advantage of pre-payment programs last fall to purchase fertilizer in advance. Despite an overall slowdown in inflation, ag retailers continued to face rising costs, especially for property insurance. Grain and farm supply cooperatives paid about 50 percent more for property and casualty insurance coverage during the January and April 2023 renewal seasons.

The ethanol complex delivered strong second quarter results with steady production and above-average profitability. Operating margins averaged 45 cents per gallon, nearly double the long-term average.

While the finalized blending requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) were somewhat disappointing for ethanol, they were incrementally positive for biomass-based diesel. The new rules call for 2.82 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel in 2023 and 3.35 billion gallons in 2025.

Animal Protein & Dairy

As the summer grilling season kicked off, beef demand remained incredibly resilient despite elevated prices for consumers. Retail beef prices averaged $7.50 per pound in May, a record high for the period, and an increase of two percent year-over-year.

JANUARY — Wildlife; Gelbvieh; Joint Stockmen’s Convention Results

FEBRUARY — Beefmasters; Texas Longhorns

MARCH — Limousin; Santa Gertrudis

APRIL — Dairy

MAY — News of the Day

JUNE — Sheepman of the Year

JULY — Directory of Agriculture

AUGUST — The Horse Industry

SEPTEMBER — Charolais; Fairs Across the SW

OCTOBER — Hereford; NM State Fair Results

NOVEMBER — Cattleman of the Year: Joint Stockmen’s Convention Preview: Angus, Brangus, Red Angus

DECEMBER — Bull Buyers Guide

Robust demand combined with tighter cattle supplies spurred market momentum for cattle. Fed cattle values reached record levels, above $180 per cwt. and feeder cattle shot above $240 per cwt. While consumers have yet to balk at higher beef prices, things could quickly change when seasonal support wanes.

Excess hog supply and weak pork demand put hog prices in jeopardy this spring. After a steady start to the year, the CME lean hog index tumbled about $10 per cwt., to $72 from mid-March to late April. However, more favorable market conditions across the animal protein segment drove lean hog values up 30 percent through May and June. While still down about $15 year-over-year,

the pork cutout landed in the upper $90s, gaining about $20 per cwt. through the quarter.

Domestic chicken consumption was up about 4 percent year-over-year through June 1, which has helped chip away at elevated cold storage holdings. Wholesale broiler meat prices have largely rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, following significant declines in late 2022 and early 2023.

Feed costs have come down about 10 percent from last year but remain well above their historic averages. For broiler integrators, increased feed costs coupled with higher operational expenses have crimped profitability.

U.S. milk producers continue to struggle in the current price environment. The national all-in mailbox milk price has dropped below the $20 per cwt. mark after averaging $25.34 per cwt. in 2022. While several factors are to blame for this year’s milk price decline, the sharp drop in American/cheddar-style cheese prices is the most significant.

Prices for the category have dropped by one-third since the beginning of the year. Milk and feed futures suggest producer profitability should improve considerably by October when Class III milk prices are anticipated to increase by about $3 per cwt.

Food & Beverage

While food manufacturers generally indicate they are back to business as usual in the post-pandemic era, many consumers continue to harbor a crisis-management mentality when it comes to food costs. Rising food prices are challenging both at-home and away-from-home food spending.

The Consumer Price Index for all food in May was 6.7 percent higher than May 2022, while food away-from-home prices were up 8.3 percent. To offset higher prices, consumers are continuing behaviors initially seen during the pandemic, namely eating more meals at home. Foot traffic in restaurants remains well below pre-pandemic levels.

Power, Water & Communications

Falling fuel and energy prices have brought some much-needed relief to rural consumers, who were uniquely disadvantaged by rising energy bills in recent years. Gasoline, diesel, heating oil, natural gas and electricity all cost less than they did a year ago.

Rural discretionary incomes fell by a staggering 50 percent from 2020 to 2022 compared to 13 percent for urban residents. Transportation and home energy expenses

were responsible for two-thirds of the inflationary divide between rural and urban households.

Microsoft, Google and Meta are investing billions of dollars in artificial intelligence applications, which have exploded onto the scene in recent months. Applications like ChatGPT will dramatically increase the need for data processing capacity, fiber network connectivity and other communications

Telecommunications operators in rural and smaller cities are well positioned to meet this growing need, as data storage and computation needs to occur in near proximity to where AI applications are run.

Supreme Court’s Embrace of This Legal Theory Means Biden’s Sweeping Electric Vehicle Plans Could Be Unconstitutional

By Katelynn Richardson, Contributor, Daily Caller News Foundation

The Biden administration’s new vehicle emissions plan, which is intended to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, could be found unconstitutional in light of the Supreme Court’s embrace of the major questions doctrine, experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced historically strict vehicle tailpipe emissions limits in April that the agency projects will contribute to approximately two-thirds of all light-duty vehicles going electric after 2032 and nearly half of medium-duty vehicles by 2032. The rule could conflict with the major questions doctrine, the idea that agencies must have explicit authority granted by Congress to regulate major policy issues, legal experts told the DCNF.

The Supreme Court has embraced the major questions doctrine in recent decisions, including last year in West Virginia v. EPA, which found the EPA’s emissions standards for fossil-fuel power plants exceeded agency authority, and in its ruling against Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan in Biden v.

Nebraska, which found the Secretary of Education did not have congressional authorization for the program.

Texas Public Policy Foundation Senior Attorney Ted Hadzi-Antich told the DCNF the Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v. EPA indicates that the new vehicle emission standards, like the emissions standards for fossil-fuel power plants, likely overstep the EPA’s authority.

“What the court said is that [the power plant standard] was basically not an emissions standard, which is ok under the Clean Air Act, but it was essentially a regulation that required a switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources,” he explained. “The court said that it was a major question that had not yet been addressed under the Clean Air Act.”

Similarly, Hadzi-Antich said the new vehicle emissions rules require manufacturers to “manufacture certain types of cars, regardless of whether the market dictates it or not.” The Clean Air Act, which authorizes the EPA to establish emission standards, doesn’t grant the EPA that kind of “broad, regulatory authority over the national economy,” he continued.

“The Biden Administration will lose in the US Supreme Court,” Paul J. Larkin, senior legal research fellow in the Heritage Foun-

dation’s Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, told the DCNF. “The Clean Air Act empowers the government to require that manufacturers use the ‘best available technology’ for gasoline or diesel powered motor vehicles. The CAA does not empower the [government] to demand that people use electric vehicles—or horses, for that matter— just because they have lower emission levels.”

The EPA’s new emissions rule, which applies to vehicles between model years 2027 through 2032, builds on an earlier rule for vehicles between model years 2023 through 2026, which the Competitive Enterprise Institute is already fighting in court using the major questions doctrine.

“On the merits, EPA argues that its standards do not present a major question,” CEI wrote in its brief filed with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. “The rule’s $300-billion price tag, political significance, and societal impact indicate otherwise.”

“This is one of the most expensive regulations ever issued by the federal government,” CEI Attorney Devin Watkins told the DCNF, referring to the earlier rule.

“They’re effectively forcing manufacturers to produce electric vehicles for the first time,” Watkins said, noting the new standards pose similar “expansion of agency authority” problems.

After the new standards were announced, Republican West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey raised a similar concern about the EPA overstepping its role.

“Again, the EPA, an agency comprised of unelected bureaucrats, is attempting to circumvent Congress,” Morrisey said in an April statement. “The Supreme Court clearly stated EPA must regulate within the express boundaries of the statute that Congress passed.”

Morrisey, along with Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, led a group of 25 state attorneys general in opposing the plan in a July 5 comment.

“[T]he Proposed Rule’s too-aggressive shift to electric vehicles (‘EVs’) is unlawful and misguided,” they wrote. “While billed as tightening existing standards for ‘criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from’ certain motor vehicles…the Proposed Rule is, more accurately, the next phase in a top-to-bottom attempt to restructure the automobile industry. Congress did not give EPA that power.”

The White House did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.     ▫

NEW MEXICO’S OLD TIMES & OLD TIMERS

by Don Bullis, New Mexico Author donbullis@msn.com

Barney Mason: Good Guy or Bad?

Barney Mason was born in Virginia in 1848, which made him two years older than Pat Garrett, one of his best friends for a time. On the other hand, Mark Lee Gardner in To Hell on A Fast Horse, averred that Barney Mason was 26 years old in 1880, which would make his year of birth 1854: a few years younger than Garrett.

At first glance, he appears contradictory as a frontier character. He was a member of several sheriffs’ posses, including Sheriff Pat Garrett’s group which captured Billy the Kid on December 23, 1880 at Stinking Spings. On the other hand, he spent time in the New Mexico Territorial Prison for “unlawfully stealing and selling a calf.” One source quoted Billy the Kid as saying that Barney Mason was “more of a thief and badder [sic] than any of us.” What made him unique was the fact that he was actually punished for at least one of his crimes while most men on both sides in the Lincoln County War were not punished for theirs.

Soon after he arrived in Fort Sumner in 1879 Mason was involved in an altercation with an itinerant named John Farris. Farris is said to have fired first, two or three times, at an unarmed Mason, and missed. Mason quickly secured a pistol with which he shot Farris dead. Other details concerning this affray are scarce although one correspondent suggested the matter resulted from an argument over cards and that Pat Garrett was one of the card players at the time. The matter apparently generated little attention around the territory and the Grant County Herald, for example, simply included this killing in a list of nearly dozen other violent deaths in New Mexico for the preceding six weeks.

It is known that Mason and Pat Garrett became good friends—described as inseparable—about then. Mason married Juana Madril at Anton Chico in early 1880, at the same time and place that Pat Garrett married Apolinaria Gutierrez.

Mason worked with Garrett in several capacities and with Garrett’s endorsement, he was employed by Azariah F. Wild of the United States Treasury Department to serve in an undercover capacity. He contributed very little to the investigation which had to do with the distribution of counterfeit money in and around the town of Lincoln in early 1880.

Mason actively participated in the search for Billy the Kid in 1880 and 1881. When sheriff-elect—and deputy United States Marshal—Pat Garrett was accosted and threatened by Juanito Maes and Marino Leyba at Grezelachowski’s store in Puerto de Luna, Mason was present. Garrett was able to avoid a fight with a drunken Maes, but Leyba was more arrogant and aggressive. Garrett at last knocked Leyba off of Grezelachowski’s porch with an open handed slap, and Leyba went for his gun. He fired and missed. Garrett returned fire, and missed, too; although he fired again and hit Leyba in the shoulder. Leyba fled and one version of the story holds that Mason fired at him with a rifle as he ran, but he missed, too. Another version of that story is that Mason took aim and prepared to fire, but Garrett stopped him.

Leyba was later captured, tried and convicted of attempted murder for shooting at Garrett. He was fined $80.00.

San Miguel County deputy sheriff Francisco Romero attempted to arrest Garrett for shooting Leyba. Mason is said to have pointed his rifle at Romero and asked, “Shall I cut the sonofabitch in two, Pat?” That ended the confrontation as Romero backed away in the face of a cocked rifle.

Mason also participated in the search for, and capture of, horse thief and killer Nicolas

Aragon in early 1885 and he rode with Garrett in the short-lived LS Rangers in Texas in 1884 and 1885.

The flip-side of the coin is that historian Walter Noble Burns goes so far as to suggest that Mason was a coward who hid at the sight of Billy the Kid and historian Leon Metz suggested that “… Garrett tired of Mason’s lies, cold-bloodedness, small-time criminal activities, and general lack of dependability.” Specifically, Mason and Garrett had a falling out over Garrett’s unwillingness to share rewards he collected for killing Billy the Kid and other cases in which Mason participated, including the counterfeiting investigation. It was one of Garrett’s calves that Mason was convicted of stealing, which resulted in his 18-month prison sentence in 1888. It is noteworthy that Mason, according to an 1890 newspaper report, was soon made a trusty and never violated a prison rule. Governor Edmund G. Ross (1826-1907) reduced his sentence to one year, and Mason was released after serving about six months. The newspaper concluded that “Mason went out a better man than he came.”

Later in life Mason homesteaded near Alamogordo and then ran a saloon in Portales, before he moved on to Arizona and finally to Bakersfield, California, in 1909, where he became a farmer. He must have enjoyed some success after he left prison because, according to a local California newspaper, he was able to purchase a house in Bakersfield, on M Street. When he died in 1916, he resided at 2605 G Street. Leon Metz incorrectly reported that “Mason … died when the roof of an adobe house caved in on him.”

Editorial Calendar

JANUARY — Wildlife; Gelbvieh; Joint Stockmen’s Convention Results

FEBRUARY — Beefmasters; Texas Longhorns

MARCH — Limousin; Santa Gertrudis

APRIL — Dairy

MAY — News of the Day

JUNE — Sheepman of the Year

JULY — Directory of Agriculture

AUGUST — The Horse Industry

SEPTEMBER — Charolais; Fairs Across the Southwest

OCTOBER — Hereford; New Mexico State Fair Results

NOVEMBER — Cattleman of the Year; Joint Stockmen’s Convention Preview; Angus, Brangus, Red Angus

DECEMBER — Bull Buyers Guide

If you would like to see your breed featured email caren@aaalivestock.com

To Reserve Advertising Space email chris@aaalivestock.com or call Chris at 505.243.9515, ext. 2

Supreme Court Defines EPA Power to Enforce Clean Water Act

by Robert Barnes, Timothy Puko & Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post

On May 25, 2022, the US Supreme Court cut back the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the nation’s wetlands, another setback for the agency’s authority to combat air and water pollution.

At issue was the reach of the landmark 51-year-old Clean Water Act and how courts should determine what counts as “waters of the United States” under protection of the law. Nearly two decades ago, the court ruled that wetlands are protected if they have a “significant nexus” to nearby regulated waters.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., writing for himself and four other of the court’s conservatives, rejected that test and imposed one that environmentalists say will remove millions of acres of environmentally sensitive

Cattlemens Livestock

land from federal regulation.

“We hold that the CWA extends to only those wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are ‘waters of the United States’ in their own right, so that they are ‘indistinguishable’ from those waters,” Alito wrote, quoting from past court opinions. He was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil M. Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.

All of the justices agreed that federal regulators went too far in the case at hand, which involved an Idaho couple’s quest to build a home near a lake. But instead of a narrow decision saying just that, the court majority sided with a decades-long effort by property rights groups and businesses to narrow regulations to wetlands and other areas directly connected to “navigable waters” such as rivers and lakes.

Justice Elena Kagan objected on behalf of the court’s liberals, saying her conservative colleagues showed the same zeal they had displayed last term in limiting the EPA’s ability to combat climate change.

There, the majority “barred the EPA from addressing climate change by curbing power plant emissions in the most effective way. Here, that method prevents the EPA from keeping our country’s waters clean by regulating adjacent wetlands,” wrote Kagan, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

“The vice in both instances is the same: the Court’s appointment of itself as the national decision-maker on environmental policy.”

All three justices joined an opinion by Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who had been in the majority in the climate change case.

He wrote that the majority’s new test “departs from the statutory text, from 45 years of consistent agency practice, and from this Court’s precedents” and will have “significant repercussions for water quality and flood control throughout the United States.” He mentioned levee systems along the Mississippi River and projects to clean up the Chesapeake Bay as initiatives that might suffer under the majority’s new rules.

The ruling affects one of the most fundamental authorities at the EPA, its ability to

extend protections to upstream waters in order to protect downstream water quality for drinking and wildlife. It will prevent the agency from putting federal protections on as much as 118 million acres of wetlands, an area larger than the landmass of California, according to estimates from the environmental firm Earthjustice.

It gives a win to farmers, home builders and other developers that will now probably find it easier to get permits to build, lawyers and trade groups said. And it probably will force the Biden administration to abandon — or at least restart — an effort it began in 2021 to resolve years of uncertainty with new definitions on the type of waterways EPA rules can protect, leaving more of that power up to state governments, lawyers and legal experts said.

“I don’t see how they get away from that,” said attorney Rafe Petersen, who represents miners, offshore wind developers and others seeking EPA permits for the firm Holland & Knight. “The Biden administration is really boxed into the corner.”

The impact will vary from state to state, said Jonathan H. Adler, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, depending on how stringently those jurisdictions regulate wetlands and other issues.

Administration officials called the decision a disappointment that erodes long-standing protections. And officials at both the EPA and the White House said administration lawyers will be reviewing the ruling to determine President Biden’s next steps.

The president in a statement called it a “disappointing decision” that “will take our country backwards.”

“Today’s decision upends the legal framework that has protected America’s waters for decades,” Biden said. “It also defies the science that confirms the critical role of wet-

lands in safeguarding our nation’s streams, rivers, and lakes from chemicals and pollutants that harm the health and wellbeing of children, families, and communities.”

The justices were reviewing for a second time the plans of Michael and Chantell Sackett, who want to build a home on their property near Priest Lake, one of Idaho’s largest. The EPA says there are wetlands on the couple’s 0.63-acre lot, which makes it subject to the CWA and allows the government to require permits and impose penalties for violations.

Environmental advocates asked the court to retain the government’s authority to protect and regulate waterways that significantly affect downstream water quality and warned that developers would take advantage of weaker regulations. Under the Sacketts’ proposed definition of the law, they said, about half of all wetlands and roughly 60 percent of streams would no longer be federally protected.

Along with other legal observers, Petersen said the latest ruling could have far-reaching consequences. Alito’s decision says the court requires Congress “to enact exceedingly clear language” on rules that may affect private property, which some lawyers said may bring a new level of scrutiny to other bedrock environmental standards aimed at addressing air pollution and climate change.

“This can be read to call into question virtually any modern environmental regulation,” said Sam Sankar, senior vice president for programs at Earthjustice, which filed briefs in the case on behalf of 18 Native American tribes. “Polluters will certainly read this as an indication it’s open season on environmental law.”

Adler said he was unsure about that. “I don’t think there’s anything new” in Alito’s requirement of a clear statement in the law, he said. But he agreed the court is certainly

showing a skepticism of agency powers and its broad readings of statutes.

How Supreme Court’s EPA ruling will affect U.S. wetlands, clean water

In a sense, the court was revisiting a decision it made 17 years ago, when it also was divided on the question. In that case, Rapanos v. United States, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for four justices that only wetlands with “a continuous surface connection” to “relatively permanent” bodies of water can be regulated under the law.

But the prevailing test in Rapanos was one from now-retired Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who said there needs to be only a “significant nexus” between the wetlands and the regulated waters.

Adler noted that none of the justices endorsed the “significant nexus” rule, and Alito’s test in essence substitutes the Scalia test.

Alito praised the Clean Water Act as a “great success” but also said it could be a “potent weapon” for federal regulators.

“Regulation of land and water use lies at the core of traditional state authority,” he wrote. “An overly broad interpretation of the CWA’s reach would impinge on this authority. The area covered by wetlands alone is vast — greater than the combined surface area of California and Texas. And the scope of the EPA’s conception of ‘the waters of the United States’ is truly staggering.”

Kagan said Alito’s emphasis was wrong. She said he puts “a thumb on the scale for property owners — no matter that the Act (i.e., the one Congress enacted) is all about stopping property owners from polluting.”

Kavanaugh said the majority was misinterpreting the law’s language. All agree that wetlands adjoining regulated waters are included, he said, but it also provides for those adjacent to the waters.

FEED EFFICIENT GENETICS CULTIVATED FOR THE SOUTHWEST THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Throughout 45 years “and across all eight Presidential administrations, the Army Corps has always included in the definition of ‘adjacent wetlands’ not only wetlands adjoining covered waters but also those wetlands that are separated from covered waters by a man made dike or barrier, natural river berm, beach dune, or the like,” Kavanaugh wrote. His opinion was joined by Kagan, Sotomayor and Jackson.

“We should not create ambiguity where none exists,” Kavanaugh wrote. “And we may not rewrite ‘adjacent’ to mean the same thing as ‘adjoining,’ as the Court does today.”

The Sacketts, backed by the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation, obtained a local building permit 15 years ago to begin construction on their land, about 300 feet from the lake. Their plot is bounded on two sides by roads and separated from the lake by a row of homes.

The EPA put the plans on hold, threatening fines of more than $40,000 per day if the Sacketts did not stop construction. The couple went to court to block the EPA order and asked the justices to narrow the definition of “waters of the United States” so that their land is not covered by the Clean Water Act.

The fight over what constitutes a wetland subject to the CWA has raged for decades. The George W. Bush administration first issued guidance limiting the reach of the Clean Water Act in 2003 and 2008, after earlier Supreme Court decisions.

In 2015 the Obama administration widened the scope of the law to cover even ephemeral streams and ponds. North Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska and other states immediately sued in federal court, resulting in a nationwide stay from a federal appeals court in Ohio. As the challenges dragged on and led to a slew of different rulings, the Trumpera EPA repealed the rule and in 2019 created a new one.

The Biden administration has tried to strike a balance by undoing the Trump-era rule and redefining EPA oversight as covering “traditional navigable waters,” including interstate waterways and upstream water sources that influence the health and quality of those waterways.

The case is Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency ▫

“Eminent Domain” Hijacked By Environmental Extremists to Seize & Control Land

Source: Protect the Harvest

“Eminent domain” is the process through which a government seizes private property for public use or the “public good,” with or without consent of the owner, or compensation. Originally known by the Latin term Eminenes Dominium, eminent domain can be traced to 17th century English common law.

Although eminent domain has been in existence for centuries, and has been debatably necessary in the development of communities, America’s founding fathers knew all too well eminent domain could be abused, and the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution includes the phrase: “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” In other words, in the United States, if a government seizes property, a fair price must be paid.

Now eminent domain is being hijacked by environmental extremists.

Follow The Money

It’s quite telling that in April 2023, JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon brazenly, and very publicly, called for the seizure of property to build wind and solar farms.

“We may even need to evoke eminent domain – we simply are not getting the adequate investments fast enough for grid, solar, wind and pipeline initiatives,” stated Dimon.

It would seem that the massive amount of money that’s already been sunk into green developments isn’t providing enough of a return to investors, and they’re getting desperate, perhaps disillusioned, or even angered, over false promises.

Land Grab

Seizing land is essential to the success of the radical environmental green agenda, but considering that the actual ability for “green” energy to power our nation is questionable at best, what is the real motivation? The underpinnings of the entire green, globalist movement appears to be built around centralizing governance and consolidating control of food production, so it stands to reason that seizing land by any means pos-

sible would be in the playbook.

An article from the Brookings Institution stated: “Fully realizing the promise of the clean energy transition for U.S. economic growth, jobs, and prosperity will require developing solutions that remove the choke points created by the existing infrastructure and regulatory systems and deploying both new clean energy generation and the systems required to connect these new energy sources to electricity consumers.”

The “barriers” and “choke points” they refer to are private property ownership, and the city, county, and state governments, which, by design, are meant to limit and balance out federal control.

Eminent Domain—Not Just for Power Lines

Currently, landowners in the Midwest are battling a proposed carbon sequestration pipeline. These pipelines take the carbon dioxide emitted from facilities such as factories, ethanol plants, and power plants and store it deep underground. There are 50 such pipelines in the United States, totaling around 5,300 miles. They are intended to help limit the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, but critics question their true necessity and efficacy. Many believe that the pipelines, along with other “green” infrastructure projects, are little more than elaborate money-making schemes for environmental extremist investors, schemes that also conveniently commandeer crucial farm and ranch lands and take them out of production per the insidious White House 30X30 Agenda.

When all things are considered, it becomes increasingly evident the true purpose of the forced mad dash to implement green infrastructure is to seize productive American farm and ranch lands.

Lawmakers from several states have taken action against the latest manifestation of the environmental extremist and globalist agendas. We urge you to learn where your legislators stand on the issue, and to get involved in helping ensure a free and fed America for future generations.

Despotic Power

The utilization of eminent domain throughout United States history has not been without controversy. In fact, an early Supreme Court case, VanHorne’s Lessee v. Dorrance (1795) referred to it as “the despotic power.” The use of eminent domain is not limited to the federal government and can be utilized by state, county, and city governments as well.

Historically, eminent domain was used for projects that directly benefited the public, such as roads, bridges, parks, public buildings, and other facilities or infrastructure. However, as time passed the power of eminent domain was expanded by the courts. Private entities such as railroads and utility companies began to be allowed to obtain property to build railroad tracks or transmission lines, but under regulations and with the requirement for equal access easements.

According to the Institute for Justice, in 1954, the Supreme Court’s decision in Berman v. Parker essentially shifted the working definition of “public use” to “public purpose.” The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that “urban renewal” was constitutional, affirming government efforts to clean up cities by eliminating slums and so-called “urban blight.”

The Institute for Justice wrote:

“In Berman’s wake, governments began vastly expanding the definition of blight so they could condemn perfectly fine properties for private development under the pretense of urban renewal. In addition, many state supreme courts adopted the rationale of Berman, reading their public use clauses the same way. Continuing down this slippery slope, governments began to bypass the charade of declaring an area blighted and instead used eminent domain to take homes and businesses so that the land could be given to other private parties who the government believed would produce more tax revenue than the current owners.”

Dr. Francine Mezzomo Giotto, Assistant Meat Science Professor

Francine Mezzomo Giotto is the new ACES Meat Science assistant professor with a teaching appointment split between the Department of Animal and Range Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences. Prior to joining NMSU, Francine was an assistant professor of Animal Science at Louisiana Tech University. She received her Ph.D. in Meat Industry and Food Safety from the University of Nevada, Reno, where her research identified molecular biomarkers to predict beef quality attributes and the human implication of beef consumption with focus on transcriptomic analysis.

During fall semesters, Francine will teach Introduction to Meat Science and Sensory Evaluation of Foods and Product Development, and during spring semesters Food Analysis and Muscle Biology. Her research program will study antimicrobial resistance using molecular techniques targeting E. coli and Salmonella contaminated beef. In addition, her research will evaluate alternative feedstuff to ruminant nutrition focusing on carcass composition, and post-mortem processing technologies. Aside from teaching and research, Francine will have an extension and outreach program designed to address the needs of the New Mexico meat industry.

Francine is also an active member of the American Meat Science Association and the American Society of Animal Science, and has several HACCP, food safety and beef quality certifications. You can contact Dr. Francine at fgiotto@ nmsu.edu.

Editorial Calendar

SKAARER BRANGUS

BRED FOR FERTILITY, DOCILITY, BIRTH WEIGHT, & HIGH GROWTH

You Don’t Have To Be The Biggest To Be The Best

Chase & Justine Skaarer

520-260-3283

Willcox, Arizona

Solid Black Virgins

½ Corriente, ½ Angus Bred Heifers & Young Pairs

Solid Black

JANUARY — Wildlife; Gelbvieh; Joint Stockmen’s Convention Results

FEBRUARY — Beefmasters; Texas Longhorns

MARCH — Limousin; Santa Gertrudis

APRIL — Dairy

MAY — News of the Day

JUNE — Sheepman of the Year

JULY — Directory of Agriculture

AUGUST — The Horse Industry

SEPTEMBER — Charolais; Fairs Across the Southwest

OCTOBER — Hereford; New Mexico State Fair Results

NOVEMBER — Cattleman of the Year; Joint Stockmen’s Convention Preview; Angus, Brangus, Red Angus

DECEMBER — Bull Buyers Guide

If you would like to see your breed featured email caren@aaalivestock.com

To Reserve Advertising Space email chris@aaalivestock.com or call Chris at 505.243.9515, ext. 2

Matt • 806/292-1035 Steve • 806/292-1039

Lockney, Texas • Claude, Texas Columbus, New Mexico

HEREFORD BULLS FOR SALE

VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOME!

HENARD RANCH

OSCAR · 575/398-6155 • 575/760-0814

BOX 975, TATUM, NEW MEXICO 88267 RUSTY · 575/760-0816

2-Year Old Reg. Limousin Bulls

Proven Genetics, range ready! - Selling over 250+ head annually

CreekRunningRanch

Bradley 3 Ranch Ltd.

200 Angus Bulls 90+ Charolais Bulls

Annual Bull Sale

JOE FREUND 303-341-9311

JOEY FREUND 303-475-6062

PAT KELLEY 303-840-1848

February 10, 2024 at the Ranch NE of Estelline, TX www.bradley3ranch.com

M.L. Bradley, Cell: 940/585-1062

& Norma Brennand Piñon, NM 88344 575/687-2185

IDENTIFY YOUR CALVES USE PARENTAGE VERIFIED SIRES

Blending Technology with Common Sense Ranch Raised Cattle that Work in the Real World

Quality Registered Black Angus Cattle

n Mountain-Raised, Rock-Footed n Range Calved, Ranch Raised n Powerful Performance Genetics n Docility

Zoetis HD 50K 50,000 DNA Markers (Combined w/Angus EPDs provides the most accurate & complete picture of the animals genetic potential)

DNA Sire Parentage Verified AGI Free From All Known Genetic Defects BVD FREE HERD

Registered Angus Bulls

Registered Angus Yearling Heifers Available Private Treaty

Born & Raised in the USA

David

2-YEAR-OLD REG. ANGUS BULLS RANGE READY • FULLY TESTED EFFICIENCY & PERFORMANCE

PIE TOWN, Goat Ranch Road Access, South of Wild Horse Ranch Subdivision. 20 acres $12,000, 40 acres $24,000. Beautiful views

MOUNTAINAIR, 0000 Clifford Trail Road

(County Road BO22), 132.11 acres. Beautiful views of the Manzano Mountains. $105,000

CANADIAN RIVER, West of Ute Lake, Six 40 acre (more or less) lots. Call for details and showing.

MILAGRO, 0000 Pecos Spur, Portrillo Creek Ranch Subdivision. 164 acres wide open space. Distant mountain views. Close to I-40. $94,000

SAN MARCIAL, 27 Winchester Road, WIllow Springs Ranch. III Dog Ranch. 702.8 acres with southwestern style home located in the foothills of the Chupadera Mountains. $1,249,000

Paul Stout, Broker

575-760-5461 cell

575-456-2000 office

WANTED: Farms and Ranches — Broker has over 45 years experience working on and operating a family farm and has been a farm owner since 1988.

www.bigmesarealty.com NMREL 17843

SERVING THE RANCHING INDUSTRY SINCE 1920

is a quality desert ranch with an excellent grass cover and above average improvements. Located in southern Chaves County east of the productive Pecos River Valley. The ranch is comprised of 2,598 +/- deeded acres, 6,717 NM State Lease Acres, 23,653 Federal BLM Lease Acres and 480 acres Uncontrolled, 33,448 total acres (52.26 Sections). Grazing Capacity set by a Section 3 BLM grazing permit at 408 Animal Units Yearlong. The ranch is watered by three wells and an extensive pipeline system. This ranch is ready to go, no deferred maintenance. Price: $3,870, 000. Call or email for a brochure and an appointment to come take a look.

THE SAND CAMP RANCH

5016 122nd STREET LUBBOCK, TEXAS 79424 • 806-763-5331

Sam Middleton 817-304-0504 • Charlie Middleton 806-786-0313

Jim Welles 505-967-6562 • Dwain Nunez 505-263-7868

EIGHT MILE DRAW LAND

740 ± Acres of unimproved native grassland located four miles west of Roswell in the Six Mile Hill area with frontage along U.S. Highway 70/380. This parcel is fenced on three sides and adjoins 120 acres of additional land that may be purchased. Great investment. $600 per acre.

Scott McNally, Qualifying Broker

Bar M Real Estate, LLC

P.O. Box 428, Roswell, NM 88202

Office: 575-622-5867 Cell: 575-420-1237

Website: www.ranchesnm.com

■ BERRENDA CREEK RANCH — 231

AYL, 51± section cattle ranch — Hillsboro, NM. 32,870± total acres, 120± deeded acres, 23,646± acres of BLM, 9104± acres of NM state land, 12 wells, 9 dirt tanks, 2 springs, 3 pastures, 195,000 gallons of water storage. Priced at $1,432,200

■ FLYING W MOUNTAIN RANCH — 345 AYL located in the cedar mountains of Hachita, NM. 39.60± section cattle ranch, 25,347± acres total, 1278± acres of deeded land, 3152± acres of state land, 20,917 acres of BLM, four miles of newer fence, over 55,000 gallons of water storage, 17± miles of pipeline less than 20 years old, 4 wells, 4 pastures, 2 traps, 7 dirt tanks, house, barns, corrals, semi-load and livestock scales. Ranch has been in the same family since 1912. Priced at $2,900,000

■ SMITH RANCH — 19.28± section cattle ranch plus 335± acre farm located in Road Forks, N.M. The ranch has 12,343± total acres, 3721± deeded, 2400± acres of NM state land, 6222± acres of BLM, 154 AYL headquarters has mnfctrd homes, shed row barns (equipment/commodity storage), corrals, cattle chute. The north farm has 163± acres (149 +/- is fallow), the south farm has 173± acres, seller retains a “life estate”. Ranch has been in the same family since 1905. Priced at $2,300,000

Ben G. Scott – Broker

www.scottlandcompany.com

We need listings on all types of ag properties large or small!

■ NEW LISTING! GUADALUPE CO., NM – Enjoy ranch life on this 401.38 ac. ranch, 12 mi. W of Santa Rosa. Good location and access. One windmill, pipeline to four drinking troughs, comfortable rustic home, good fences, etc.

■ NEW LISTING! DUMAS, TX. – Commercial building currently set up as fitness facility w/large workout area, two bathrooms/showers and an office. The property is a newer building with an excellent location on busy First Street in Dumas, Texas. Lease: $13.00/sq ft as of June 1, 2023 for a total of $4,881.50 per month / Triple Net Lease - Term: 5 year lease with 3 remaining years and option for an additional 5 years.

■ UNION CO., NM – 2,091.72 ac. (1,771.72 Deeded, 320 ac. -/+ State Lease), well watered w/ three wells, two sets of steel pens. Well located just off of the Clayton/Springer hwy. on Barney Road.

■ PRICE REDUCED! DALLAM CO, TX – 1,216.63 ac. +/- of CRP/ranchland w/irrigation, re-development potential, wells & pipelines already in place.

■ KB RANCH - Kenney Co., TX – KB Ranch is a low fenced 802 +/- acre property that is surrounded by large ranches. The ranch has abundant whitetail and is also populated with turkey, dove, quail, hogs and varmint species. Axis are in the area and have been occasionally seen. The ranch lies approximately 9 miles south of Bracketville on TX 131 and is accessed by all weather Standart Road.

■ COLFAX COUNTY NM GETAWAY – 1,482.90 ac.+/- grassland (1,193.59 ac. +/- Deeded, 289.31 ac. State Lease), great location near all types of mountain recreation.

■ ANGUS, NM – 250 +/- acres with over a 1/2 mile of NM 48 frontage. Elevations from 6,800 to 7,200 feet. Two springs along a creek. Ideal for future development or build your own getaway home.

■ PECOS CO. – 637 ac., Big water, State Classified Minerals.

■ CARSON CO., TX – 640 ac. +/- 5 mi. N of Panhandle on TX 207. 333 ac. +/- under 3 center pivot systems. One well produces 800 GPM. Permanent perimeter and cross fencing.

■ PALO DURO CREEK TREASURE – 941 acres +/in Randall Co. NW of Canyon, Tx. STUNNING VIEWS OVER LOOKING PALO DURO CREEK. Turn key cow/calf operation w development potential. Property includes: 3/3/3 ranch style home, 4 wells, large shop plus shed, enclosed livestock working facility w/hydraulic chute, livestock pens & shed, miles of 5 & 6 barbed wire fence & over 7000’ of pipe fence. YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Canyon School District.

*REDUCED* 472+/- Acre Organic Apple Orchard, Willcox, AZ – SELLER FINANCING AVAILABLE! Multiple year purchase commitments from apple buyers make this an excellent investment opportunity! Nicely improved HQ with 3 homes, workshops, and 24,075 +/- s.f. of processing facilities, including sorting, washing, cold storage buildings, retail space and truck scale. Over 400 acres planted to 10 different apple varieties and 10 acres of pears. 7 Irrigation wells, and 3 domestic wells. Property is being sold turnkey with all equipment. $6.9M Call Harry Owens or Nancy Belt

*REDUCED* 120 +/- Acres of Farm Ground, Willcox, AZ –Located NW of Willcox in a good groundwater area. 2 Wells, center pivot, good soil. $444,000

*SOLD* 98+/- Deeded Acre Farm, Bonita, AZ – Great farm in a picture-perfect setting! Two small pivots with 35 acres of water rights. 3 BR, 2 BA Shultz mfg home; 3-sided hay/machine shed, 1,560+/- s.f. shop, hay shed, Connex box, nice set of guardrail and steel corrals with crowding tub, squeeze and scale. 250 gpm irrigation well with 20 HP motor and

13,500+/- gallons of storage. Runs about 40 head of cattle.

$750,000

*SOLD* 200-300 Head Cattle

Ranch, Marana, AZ – 112.8 +/- Deeded ac; 150+/- ac of pasture, 3,700+/- ac of sublease, 14 +/- ac of farm fields, HQ on State Land. 2nd mfg home on deeded. 2 sets of good steel pipe corrals $1.9M

SOLD SOLD PENDING SOLD SOLD

*SOLD* 2,373+/- Acre Farm, Animas, NM – Custom 2560 +/- s.f. home built in 2008. 20-Acre pivot, 40’ x 60’ shop, 40’ x 50’ hay barn, fruit trees, chicken coop, garden area. Pivot produced 9.5 tons/ac of alfalfa in 2020. 300 gpm well. 5 pastures with water piped to 2 storage tanks and drinkers in all pastures. Historically has run 40 head of cattle yearlong. $1.3M

HORSE PROPERTIES/LAND

*PENDING* ONLINE AUCTION, Pearce, AZ - Four offerings located in the grasslands at the foot of the beautiful Dragoon Mountains. Embrace the best of country living with scenic mountain views and peaceful quiet surroundings. Auction Lot 1 features a stunning, custom 3 BD, 2 BA territorial style home on

5.5 +/- acres with breathtaking views from every window, 2 car garage, and workshop. Auction Lots 2, 3, and 4 include 3 vacant, 1+ acre land parcels for a total of 3+/- acres each, where you can build your own dream home or add additional acreage to Auction Lot 1. This amazing property will sell at AUCTION starting at 12:00 pm on June 10th and will begin closing at 6:00 pm on June 27th (Soft Close). Contact Paul Ramirez for details or check out our webpage for more information.

*NEW* 0.14+/- Acre Building Lot, Maricopa, AZ – A great opportunity to own a corner lot in the desirable community of Tortosa. Ideal for a small builder or buyer wishing to build their dream custom home. One of only two lots available in the area, the other lot is adjoining this one. Utilities to the lot, back block wall in place. $110,000

RANCHES AND FARMS.

Ranch

Brad DeSpain 520-429-2806 Paul Ramirez 520-241-3333 Riding for the brand … is our time-honored tradition StockmensRealty.com I UCstockmensrealty.com *Each United Country Franchise office is independently owned and operated.

RANCH LAND FOR SALE

APACHE MESA, HWY 84, LAS VEGAS, NM: Offering is a mountain ranch of 1480 acres w/160 acre BLM parcel. The ranch has a 4 stall barn w/apartment, office, bunkhouse, bath house, good water well and incredible wild west views. Price is $1,798,900

BAKER ROAD, DEMING, NM: 1180 deeded acres can be used for farming, subdivision, ranch land, has power available and limited Mimbres river flood water rights. Great price at $600,000.

2050 CLABBERTOP RD, DEMING, NM: 283 deeded acres is perimeter fenced, gated, has 60 x 60 metal hanger, good water well, 3 RV hookups, two septic systems. Price reduced to $298,900. Will sell Stinson airplane & 28’ goose neck RV as well.

APACHE MESA, HWY 84, LAS VEGAS, NM: 240 deeded acres w/rim rock views, mesa top grassland, partially fenced. Great get away location & owner will finance. Price is $315,000

APACHE MESA, HWY 84, LAS VEGAS, NM: 227 acres has two stock dams, fiber optics, power, partially fenced, incredibly rim rock views. Location is close to Hwy 84, easy access! Price is $354,400 & Owner will carry.

TIERRA DE DIOS, ROWE, NM: This Fly In 20 acre Residential parcel has electric transformer on the property line, fiber optics & community water stub outs, ready to build. Air strip in your back yard. Build the hanger close to your home. $154,900 & owner may carry!

COUNTY ROAD B29A – VILLANUEVA, NM: Here is 283 deeded acres that is perimeter fence, has a stock dam full of water, rock quarry and nice views. Great home site ready for horses, llamas, goats, cows. Maintained access road year round! Asking $220,000

KEN AHLER REAL ESTATE CO., INC.

300 Paseo Peralta, Suite 211, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Office: 505/989–7573 • Toll Free: 888/989–7573

• Mobile: 505/490–0220

Email: kahler@newmexico.com • Website: www.SantaFeLand.com

O’NEILL LAND, llc

P.O. Box 145, Cimarron, NM 87714

SPECIALIZING IN FARMS, RANCHES AND LUXURY HOMES

• Fax: 575/376-2347 land@swranches.com • www.swranches.com

MIAMI 40 ACRES, Colfax County, NM. Private 2 bedroom getaway with elevated views, 2nd guest cabin, irrigation, pole barn great for storage. View private setting. Survey available, septic’s upgraded. $475,000

MIAMI DREAM, 14.70 +/- deeded acres. Approx 1,583 sq ft 2 bedroom 1 bath home. Real country living with barn wood siding, porches, recent remodel for remote workspace. Irrigation and horse facilities, 57 Wampler St., Miami, NM $370,000

$350,000

• 575/376-2341

off county road on rear of property as well. Presented “ASIS” New Survey, $4,000,000 $3,800,000

CIMARRON BUSINESS, Frontage opportunity, house, big shop and office buildings, easy view off Hwy 64. Formerly known as “The Porch.”

$295,000

SPRINGER VIEW, 29.70 +/- deeded acres. Large house being remodeled, shop, trees, old irrigation pond. All back off highway with great southern aspect. 311 Hwy 56, Colfax County.

$209,000 $205,000

CONTRACT PENDING

MAXWELL 45, Excellent irrigated pasture with utilities in back of property, including installed septic system, with private views of mountains. 40 irrigable acres and a domestic water meter installed. Great to put down home and bring horses. $249,000

CONTRACT PENDING

$239,000

BAR LAZY 7 RANCH, Colfax County, Moreno Valley 594.38 +/- deeded acres, accessed off blacktop between Eagle Nest and Angel Fire. Historic headquarters. Currently used as summer grazing, pond and trees accessed

MAXWELL, 408.90 +/- Deeded Acres. 143.05 Irrigable Acres/Shares with TL pivot covering approximately 80 acres, with balance dry land. Property has one water meter used for livestock, but could support a home as well. There are two troughs located in the middle of the property. Electricity for pivot is back toward the middle of the property as well. Property has highway frontage on NM 505 and Highline Rd, a County Rd. Back up to Maxwell Wildlife area. Colfax County, NM.$599,000

MORE HUSTLE, LESS HASSLE

Lockney Cowboy, Reality TV Contestant Jackson Taylor Dies in New Mexico Rodeo Accident

by Alex Driggars, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Jackson Taylor, a cowboy from Lockney who is set to make his second appearance in a reality cowboy competition show this fall, died in a rodeo accident.

Details about the accident were not immediately clear.

In 2021, Taylor was a contestant on season two of Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, a Survivor-style cowboy competition show on the INSP network hosted by Trace Adkins. Taylor makes a return appearance in season four, which wrapped filming in the spring and debuts Sept. 6.

Adkins shared his condolences in a social media post July 22.

“Jackson Taylor was a helluva cowboy. There was no ‘back down’ in him and I’m proud to have known him. Rest in peace, hoss.”

“Jackson was the quintessential cowboy,” Doug Butts, executive vice president of programming at INSP, said in a news release. “He was an exceptional horseman, rugged, talented, aggressive, experienced, a maverick, a tough competitor and a devoted friend. Everyone at INSP feels a profound loss and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the cowboy community as you grieve his death and remember his life.”

According to a 2021 story in the Avalanche-Journal, Taylor worked on ranches in Texas, New Mexico and Montana from the age of 15. He rode broncs and trained hundreds of horses in the U.S. and Australia.

The network said the upcoming season will air as planned, prominently featuring Taylor.

“Since season four completed filming in the spring of 2023, Jackson plays prominently throughout numerous episodes. We feel that airing the season, as planned, beginning September 6, is the most fitting way to honor him and provide viewers and the cowboy community with a moving tribute to the man and his legacy.”      ▫

This old west phrase says so much in just six words! The phrase is all about choices we make. A friend that sticks with you through good times and bad. A horse that is more than just transportation, but instead, is a partner that anticipates your direction and gets you where you want to go with safety and confidence in every step.

These choices can make or break any person but can be even more important to a cattleman. Strong character, steadfastness and skill are the hallmarks of “one to ride the river with”.

All of us at Matlock and Associates endeavor to be just that. It is our goal to give you the same trusted reliance on our “brand” as the legendary brands we serve. We offer integrity, highly trained and experienced staff along with products that give you peace of mind.

PRF (Pasture, Range, Forage) protection has proven itself time and again. We would consider it an honor to consult with you about your 2023 PRF plans.

2024 Sales Close date: December 1, 2023

Coverage begins: January 1, 2024

For more information, or to receive a customized quote for your operation, please contact:

J.P. Senter, Agent (806) 215-5155 shoestringcc@yahoo com

Will Phinizy, Agent (432) 271-2988 wephinizy@yahoo.com

JANUARY — Wildlife; Gelbvieh; Joint Stockmen’s Convention Results

FEBRUARY — Beefmasters; Texas Longhorns

MARCH — Limousin; Santa Gertrudis

APRIL — Dairy

MAY — News of the Day

JUNE — Sheepman of the Year

JULY — Directory of Agriculture

AUGUST — The Horse Industry

SEPTEMBER — Charolais; Fairs Across the SW

OCTOBER — Hereford; State Fair Results

NOVEMBER — Cattleman of the Year; Angus; Brangus; Red Angus: Joint Stockmen’s Convention Preview

DECEMBER — Bull Buyers Guide

INGREDIENTS

Smoked Brisket

12 hrs cooking time

20 Servings

12 ingredients

1 whole Brisket (approximately 8 lbs)

6 cups post oak wood chips

2 Tbsp. ground coffee

2 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

4 tsp. paprika

4 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

PREPARATION

INDIRECT SMOKING

Step 1

Season Brisket generously with seasoning mixture.

Step 2

Lightly coat grates with vegetable oil spray. Close cooking chamber lids.

Step 3

Place 3-5 lbs. of charcoal, in center of the firebox. Open the firebox air vent approximately 1-2 inch, and smokestack damper halfway. With firebox lid open, stand back, carefully light charcoal and allow to burn until covered with a light ash. (Approximately 20 minutes)

Step 4

Once coals have ashed over, add wood

chunks. Do not shut firebox lid until the smoke is clean, often called Blue Smoke.

Step 5

Close firebox lid. Adjust the firebox air vent and smokestack damper to regulate cooking temperature. The ideal smoking temperature is between 200°F-250°F.

Step 6

Place brisket on cooking grate, fat side up, in the cooking chamber. Maintain a consistent cooking temperature by adding wood chunks as needed. Monitor the internal temperature of the brisket throughout the cooking process. The ideal finished internal temperature is 195°F-205°F.

Step 7

Remove brisket from smoker and allow to rest. (Minimum 3o minutes)

WATER SMOKING

Step 1

Lightly coat grate with vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray. Close cooking chamber lids.

Step 2

Place 3-5 lbs. of charcoal, in center of the firebox. Open the firebox air vent approximately 1-2 inch, and smokestack damper halfway. With firebox lid open, stand back, carefully light charcoal and allow to burn until covered with a light ash. (Approximately 20 minutes)

Step 3

Once coals have ashed over, add wood chunks. Do not shut firebox lid until the smoke is clean, often called Blue Smoke.

Step 4

Close firebox lid. Adjust the firebox air vent and smokestack damper to regulate cooking temperature. The ideal smoking temperature is between 200°F-250°F.

Step 5

Place water pan under brisket grate. One

gallon of water will last 2-3 hours.

Step 6

Place well-seasoned brisket on cooking grate. fat side up, in the cooking chamber.

Step 7

Maintain a consistent cooking temperature by adding wood chunks as needed. Monitor internal temperature of the brisket throughout the cooking process. The ideal finished internal temperature is 195°F-205°F.

Step 8

Remove brisket from smoker and allow to rest. (Approximately 30 minutes)

INDIRECT GRILLING

Step 1

Soak wood chips in water at least one hour. Drain and set aside.

Step 2

In a bowl combine coffee and remaining 9 ingredients. Generously rub brisket with coffee and spice mixture.

Step 3

Prepare grill for indirect grilling. Remove grill rack; set aside. Heating one side of grill to high and leaving one side with heat off. Pierce bottom of a disposable aluminum foil pan several times with the tip of a knife. Place pan on heat element on heated side of grill; add 1 ½ cups soaked wood chips to pan. Place another disposable aluminum foil pan on unheated side of grill. Pour 2 cups water in pan. Let chips stand for about 15 minutes or until smoking; reduce heat to medium-low. Maintain temperature at 225°F. Place grill rack on grill.

Step 4

Place brisket in a small roasting pan, place pan on grill rack on unheated side. Close lid; cook for 6 hours or until internal temperature registers 190°F. Add 1 ½ cups wood chips every hour for the first 4 hours; cover pan with foil for remaining 2 hours. The ideal finished internal temperature is 195°F-205°F. Remove from grill. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes.

Step 5

Unwrap brisket, reserving juices; trim and discard fat. Using a large strainer, drain drippings into a bowl reserving liquid. Skim any fat from the top of the liquid. Serve with reserved liquid.

Nutrition information per serving: 448 Calories; 292 Calories from fat; 32.4 g Total Fat (12.43 g Saturated Fat; 14.3 g Monounsaturated Fat); 121.9 mg Cholesterol; 677.4 mg Sodium; 2.9 g Total Carbohydrate; 0.8 g Dietary Fiber; 34.3 g Protein; 3.6 mg Iron; 378.3 mg Potassium; 0.1 mg Thiamin; 0.3 mg Riboflavin; 11.1 mg Niacin (NE); 0.4 mg Vitamin B6; 3.2 mcg Vitamin B12; 7.6 mg Zinc; 30.3 mcg Selenium; 130.2 mg Choline. This recipe is an excellent source of Protein, Iron, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Zinc, Selenium, and Choline.

Free Listing Form.

EMAIL ADDRESS

NAME OF RANCH OR BUSINESS

CONTACT PERSON

ADDRESS

CITY, STATE, ZIP

PHONE NUMBERS

FAX NUMBER

GET LISTED TODAY!

ONLINE: aaalivestock.com/freelisting

MAIL: New Mexico Stockman, P.O. Box 7127, Albuquerque, NM 87194

FAX: 505-998-6236

EMAIL: chris@aaalivestock.com

PLEASE INDICATE YOUR BREEDS & SERVICES, & ENTER YOUR LISTING BELOW ...

Cattle Breeds

Service Category [Choose up to 3 categories]

❒

❒ Check here if you would like info. on advertising in the Directory. *

DEADLINE — JUNE 15, 2024

Dr. Obed HernándezGómez, Assistant Professor for FWCE

Dr. Obed Hernández-Gómez is a native of the El Paso – Las Cruces Area. Dr. Hernández-Gómez will be joining the

FWCE department in January 2024 as an assistant professor of wildlife disease ecology. Dr. Hernández-Gómez graduated from Bel Air High School and El Paso Community College with a licensed vocational nursing certificate in 2007. He obtained a B.Sc. in biology from Texas Tech University in 2010. At Texas Tech, Dr. Hernández-Gómez originally had plans to attend medical school, but wildlife undergraduate research, nursing employment, and outdoor experiences meandered his career trajectory towards conservation biology. Dr. Hernández-Gómez obtained his PhD in conservation genetics from Purdue University in 2017 where he studied the microbiomes of hellbenders, North America’s giant salamander.

In 2017 and 2019, Dr. Hernández-Gómez

& ECKEL

received NSF and Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowships to study Californian amphibian disease ecology at the University of California – Berkeley. Dr. OHG served as an assistant professor at Dominican University of California in San Rafael, CA from 2020-2023, where he taught biology courses and published manuscripts with several undergraduate researchers. Research in Dr. Hernandez-Gomez’s lab (OHG Lab) at NMSU will focus on assessing the distribution of emerging fungal diseases in New Mexico’s wildlife. Dr. Hernández-Gómez is particularly interested in understanding how environmental stressors such as wildfires and the presence of invasive species influence disease outbreaks and severity in wildlife.      ▫

Since 2022

Are We Finally Heading Toward ESG Sanity?

by Craig Rucker / CFACT

For years, insurance companies, banks, financial institutions, and asset management firms have championed the climate change cause and ostracized fossil fuels to “accelerate the transition” from oil, natural gas, and coal to wind and solar energy.

They formed alliances, signed pledges, steered investments into “green” energy companies, and denied fossil fuel companies access to investment capital. They say this reflects environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles to ensure “socially responsible” investing and corporate action, all necessary to avert the “climate crisis” and ecological destruction.

But the ESG cabal is doing this with other people’s money. They are redirecting insurance premiums, government and corporate employee pension funds, and other investments – tens of trillions of dollars that rightfully belong to hard working Americans – to achieve purposes they want, with next to

no input, vote, or agreement by the clients they serve.

In effect, they are violating their fiduciary obligation: to serve their clients and secure maximum returns on their behalf. Instead, they are using investors’ money to advance politicized agendas. They are all but colluding behind closed doors, with each other and with activist groups and government agencies, in violation of antitrust laws and longstanding ethical principles.

By exaggerating the “climate crisis” and the ease and cost of the “energy transition” in their marketing materials and annual reports, they deliberately ignore or misstate vital material facts, thereby misleading investors. Because they control trillions of investment dollars, they are effectively deciding which companies, even which industries, they will “allow” to continue doing business, and indeed continue to exist.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put it bluntly: “Who do these people think they are? That they govern our society? Nobody voted for [BlackRock CEO Larry Fink]. So our mantra in Florida is, no economic or social transformation without representation. These are policies that could not win at the ballot box, so they’re trying to do through corporate America what they can’t do in the electoral

process.”

It seemed there was no way to stop this. But many companies have recently grown cautious, moderated their positions, stopped extolling their ESG activism, or left ESG alliances altogether. Why?

Some may have been reacting to the financial hammering that Budweiser, Target, North Face, and Kohls have received for “woke” social policies that appease activists but antagonize customers. Some may be experiencing moments of sanity. Others may just be lying low for a while, hoping resistance ebbs.

However, something much more profound and long-lasting may be happening. This may be the result of a grassroots, conservative pushback.

In recent years, a number of free-market representatives and corporate shareholders have taken part in BlackRock, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and other annual shareholder meetings to raise a fuss. They vote on various matters, put up some of their own proposals, and ask the CEOs uncomfortable questions about their involvement in ESG activities.

The CEOs are not accustomed to such pushback from conservatives. They dodge, weave and filibuster evasively and defen-

sively. They have no answers. Their reputations have been challenged.

The activities of these grassroots activists likely have motivated red states to act as well. Florida, Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, and other Republican-led states pulled tens of billions of dollars out of BlackRock, State Street, and other Wall Street asset management firms for violating fiduciary duties to state pension plans. Vanguard and other firms then pulled out of the United Nations-sponsored Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero.

Perhaps it is this withdrawal of funds by red states that recently led Citigroup’s CEO to backtrack and publicly admit that “the global economy simply cannot operate without fossil fuels today, nor can it grow without them in the mix.” There seems to be

a growing recognition that oil, natural gas, and coal are essential for modern industrial economies and living standards and will be for decades to come.

The outlook for the near future isn’t likely to get any better for those pushing the ESG agenda. Multiple state attorneys general are now raising issues and calling for investigations and lawsuits. They say actions to push ESG constitute collusion, consumer fraud, stifling competition, violating federal and state antitrust laws, misleading investors, and attempting to usurp policymaking and legislative roles that properly belong to citizens, lawmakers, and courts.

Faced with such threats of legal action, 15 of 31 companies quickly left the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance, whose original members collectively controlled more than $3 trillion

GOODBYE, HELLO,FLIES.BLUE.

in assets. More will likely follow. Banks and investment firms playing the ESG game should take notice.

All this is good news. The American people are showing they will not stomach the woke agenda these wealthy, powerful, unelected ESG promoters are imposing on them. We the People and our elected representatives have a right and duty to confront and, hopefully, put a stop to them.

This article originally appeared at I&I

Author: Craig Rucker is a co-founder of CFACT and currently serves as its president.      ▫

CUSTOM-MADE TUBS FOR FLY CONTROL.

Vitalix is here to help control flies on summer pastures. Using our specially-formulated tubs made to your specifications, you can prevent the emergence of a wide variety of fly species while improving herd health, reproduction and performance.

Learn more about Vitalix and how to become a local dealer today!

Contact Tim Whitaker (308) 760-7073 | whitaker-ranch@msn.com

Financial Assistance Application Process Opens for USDA Farm Loan Borrowers Who Have Faced Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the opening of the financial assistance application process for eligible farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs

prior to January 2021.

Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directs USDA to provide this assistance. Since the law’s passage, USDA has worked diligently to design the program in accordance with significant stakeholder input.

“The opening of the application process is an important step in delivering on our commitment of providing financial assistance to those who faced discrimination in USDA farm lending, as swiftly and efficiently as possible,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA will continue to work with our national vendor partners and communi-

TIME TO BUILD THE WAR CHEST ...

ty-based organizations to make sure eligible farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have clear information about what is available to them, how to apply, and where to obtain assistance with their questions at each step of the way.”

The program website, 22007apply.gov, is now open. The website includes an Englishand Spanish-language application that applicants can download or submit via an e-filing portal, information on how to obtain technical assistance in-person or virtually, and additional resources and details about the program.

Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination by USDA in its farm loan programs prior to January 1, 2021 and/or are currently debtors with assigned or assumed USDA farm loan debt that was the subject of USDA discrimination that occurred prior to January 1, 2021, are eligible for this program.

To apply, borrowers have the option to apply via the e-filing portal at 22007apply. gov or submit paper-based forms via mail or in-person delivery to the program’s local offices. The application process will be open from July 7 to October 31, 2023.

Under the planned timeline, applications will be reviewed in November and December, with payments reaching recipients soon thereafter. Importantly, applicants should know that the application process is not on a first come, first served, basis. All applications received or postmarked before the October 31 deadline will be considered.

To support producers throughout the application process, USDA is ensuring that organizations with extensive experience conducting outreach to farm organizations are able to support individuals who may be eligible for the program. These groups include AgrAbility, Farmer Veteran Coalition, Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Land Loss Prevention Project, National Young Farmers Coalition, and Rural Coalition.

Vendors operating four regional hubs are also providing technical assistance and working closely with these and other community-based organizations to conduct outreach using digital and grassroots strategies, to ensure potential applicants are informed about the program and have the opportunity to apply.

These hubs are operating a network of brick-and-mortar program offices and will conduct extensive outreach about the program. Windsor Group serves farmers in the eastern regions of the U.S. and Analytic

Acquisitions serves the western regions.

A national administrator, Midtown Group, is responsible for program oversight and integrity, and will lead a national call-center, operate the application website22007apply.gov, which is now open – and review and process applications and payments. All vendors have experience in professional services, supporting government contracts, and complex program operations.

On March 1, 2023, USDA shared initial details on how the Section 22007 program will work, including that the Inflation Reduction Act specifies the Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for providing this assistance through qualified nongovernmental entities, under standards set by USDA. USDA entered into agreements with vendors and cooperators in May.

In addition to the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) opening today, the Inflation Reduction Act also created several other programs that are helping USDA rebuild trust, address systemic issues and improve service to people who may have been underserved by USDA in the past. Information about USDA’s equity agenda and progress is available at www. usda.gov/equity.

In standing up this program, USDA has become aware of some lawyers and groups spreading misleading information about the discrimination assistance process, pressuring people to sign retainer agreements, and asking people to fill out forms with private and sensitive information. As of today, the official application process has begun and filling out an application is free

No attorneys’ fees will be paid to applicants or their counsel by USDA or by any other agency or department of the United States. The amount of financial assistance will not be increased for those claimants who are represented by an attorney.

Applicants are not required to retain an attorney. USDA, the national administrator, and the regional hub vendors will neither recommend that any applicant retain counsel or retain a specific attorney or law firm, nor discourage an applicant from obtaining counsel or using a specific attorney or law firm.

For more information, read our fact sheet about the program timeline and ways to protect against possible scams at https://www.farmers.gov/sites/default/files/ documents/farmersgov-factsheet-ira-avoidscams.pdf

FWS Agrees to Issue Listing Decisions for Dozens of Species

by Hannah Grover, NM Political Report

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) reached an agreement that sets in motion a timetable for issuing decisions on protections for dozens of species, including one that resides in New Mexico.

This agreement comes following a lawsuit the Center for Biological Diversity brought against the federal agency regarding 31 species from the southeast and two species from the southwest, including the Pecos

pupfish.

In the lawsuit, the Center for Biological Diversity argued that the FWS was violating requirements to issue listing decisions within two years of receiving a legal petition to list a plant or animal as threatened or endangered. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, species are waiting an average of nine to 12 years before such a decision is made.

The Pecos pupfish is an example of a species that has been waiting years for a final decision. Groups first sought protections for the fish in 2007, which they say is threatened by groundwater pumping in both Texas and New Mexico.

Under the agreement, the agency must release decisions on listing 24 species under the Endangered Species Act by the end of the year. The remaining decisions, including the protections for the Pecos pupfish, will come in 2024 and 2025.

The 2007 petition was not the first time the FWS has considered listing the Pecos pupfish as threatened or endangered. The federal agency considered listing it as endangered in the 1990s, but withdrew that proposal in 2000.

When conservationists sought protection

for the Pecos pupfish in 2007, they did so through a multi-species petition that asked the federal government to consider listing 475 species occurring in the southwest United States as either threatened or endangered.

Other species included in the 2007 petition that are found in New Mexico include several invertebrates including dozens of species of snail. In terms of fish, the petition included the Arkansas River Speckled Chub and the White Sands Pupfish. Various species of plants found in New Mexico were also in the petition, including the Guadalupe pincushion cactus and the Bisti fleabane.

Like the Pecos pupfish, not all of these species have had a final decision rendered on listing. For example, the FWS still lists the White Sands Pupfish as being under review for protection.

But only the Pecos pupfish is included in the Center for Biological Diversity’s agreement with the FWS.      ▫

Bunks Feed

Hobbs, NM

Jim Selman • 575-397-1228

Case & Co. Tucumcari, NM

Luke Haller • 575-403-8566

Cowboy’s Corner

Lovington, NM

Wayne Banks • 575-396-5663

Creighton’s at The Fort Fort Sumner, NM

Garland Creighton, 575-760-6149

Creighton’s Town & Country

Portales, NM

Garland Creighton, 575-356-3665

Dickinson Implement Co.

Tucumcari, NM

Dwight Haller, 575-461-2740

Double D Animal Nutrition

Artesia, NM

Don Spearman • 575-302-9280

Lincoln County Mercantile

Capitan, NM

Rance Rogers, 575-354-4260

One Stop Feed, Inc. Clovis, NM

Austin Hale • 575-762-3997

Purina Animal Nutrition

Eastern NM

Steve Swift, 575-760-3112

Purina Animal Nutrition

Western NM

Joram Robbs, 520-576-8011

Roswell Livestock & Farm Supply

Roswell, NM

575-622-9164

FEED GREATNEss-