Profitable Livestock Production (Harding County)

Extension needs to stay involved with state agricultural organizations. Agent attended the Fall board meeting of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association to receive updates and understand the problems with a grass insurance program. As a result,agent can answer any questions about the program for producers.

College students engage in hands on activites and learning to undertand beef production. Agent hosted beef cattle management class from West Texas A&M University on their annual day and a half tour of ranch as part of their required semester cirriculum. Agent demonstrated management, breeding, and cash flow dynamics of ranching in NE New Mexico to 17 students and 1 professor. Nutrition, calving, range management, bud box corral design, marketing dynamics, and estate transition were also discussed. Students increased their awareness and understanding of range cow-calf management and networked with producers from another state. As a result of understaning the actual concepts of a working ranch, students can decide if they want to pursue careers in that field, or go into industry.

Agent, as president of the North East NM Livestock Associaton, worked with board members and the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association to coordinate the 2011 annual spring meeting and informational session. Over 40 producers from 5 counties attend the meeting and session. Agent worked with Micro Beef representitives to put on a workshop about source and age verification and identification of cattle. Producers increased their understanding of source and age verification by 100% and had alot of questions about how the program worked and how to enroll cattle. Questions also arose about premiums in the market place and the timliness of the premiums. As a result, producers can possibly increase the marketability of their cattle through this progam or at least learn more about it. One producer actually received information at the meeting and enrolled cattle in the program for fall delivery.

Extension plays a key role in the process of producers receiving and keeping their private pesticide licenses. Agents, if desired, can put together workshops to help producers who hold licenses maintain and gain their CEU credits. Agent cordinated with range specialist to put on a workshop for local producers. Talks and updates included: noxious weeds, loco and range catepiller management, salt cedar control on riparian areas, and spray techniques for cholla and mesquite. Over 55 producers and land managers from 6 counties participated in the 5 hour course. Producers gained valuable knowledge about brush control that can help improve there ability to manage their land. One producer stated, "this was great, not a boring sit through course- I learned alot".

Estate taxes have a detrimental effect on livestock operations as they are asset and land rich, yet cash poor. Operations can go out of existence on the death of an owner when the remaining individuals have to sell half the propery to pay estate taxes.
Agent collaberated with NMSU grad student to put on a 2 part series of estate planning workshops called "Prepare and Preserve". Ten members of the communtiy and landowners attended and learned more about the steps to start taking to avoid estate planning pitfalls. Participants learned about wills, trusts, record keeping, etc. and increased their knowlege of the subject matter. As a result, producers can start to work on their estate plan as a part of preserving their livlihoods and homes.