>>ANNOUNCER: REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

IT'S SPRINGTIME AND I HAVE MY FAVORITE SPRINGTIME GUEST, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME JEFF WITTE, THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR NEW MEXICO AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

WELCOME BACK.

>>JEFF: THANK YOU, LORENE, IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

IT WOULDN'T BE SPRING WITHOUT COMING BACK TO YOUR SHOW.

>>LORENE: YES, IT WOULDN'T BE SPRING, BECAUSE I WAIT ALL WINTER FOR THE FIRST SIGN OF SPRING AND THEN I CALL YOU.

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED THIS YEAR AND THERE IS SO MUCH I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT, BUT ONE THING HAS REALLY ALARMED ME.

YESTERDAY WAS UNITED NATIONS OBSERVES SOMETHING CALLED WORLD WATER DAY AND IN OUR OWN STATE, THE STATE ENGINEER AND YOU HAVE GOT MORE DETAILS ON WHO REALLY SAID THIS, CAME OUT WITH A STATEMENT NOT YESTERDAY BUT EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THERE IS SO LITTLE WATER THAT FARMERS, UNLESS THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO, SHOULDN'T PLANT.

AND THEY GAVE A COUPLE OF REASONS, THE TEMPERATURES ARE HOTTER AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A GOOD MONSOON FOR YEARS AND THE SNOW PACKS ARE DOWN, BUT THAT ABSOLUTELY SET MY HAIR ON FIRE TO TELL FARMERS, AGRICULTURE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US, TO TELL THEM IF THEY CAN AFFORD IT, DON'T EVEN PLANT.

SO PLEASE, MAKE SOME SENSE OF THIS FOR ME AND TELL ME WHERE THESE WORDS OF TERROR AND WISDOM CAME FROM.

>>JEFF: WELL YOU KNOW, LORENE, WHEN I SAW THAT COMMENT IN THE NEWS IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SHOCKING TO ME AS WELL.

BUT IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF REALITY IN WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH IS PRETTY SEVERE DROUGHT, THE ENTIRE STATE IS IN A DROUGHT.

OUR SNOW PACK, THE LA NINA IMPACT ON OUR WINTER MOISTURE WAS VERY LIGHT, IT RESULTED IN VERY LIGHT MOISTURE, LOW SNOW PACKS AND OUR RESERVOIRS ARE DOWN FROM LAST SUMMER'S DROUGHT FOR THE LACK OF A GOOD MONSOON SEASON.

AND SO WHAT THE STATE ENGINEER AND THE INTERSTATE STREAM COMMISSION ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THEY HAVE GOT A PROGRAM TO PAY FARMERS TO FALLOW THEIR LAND AND HOLD BACK ON PLANTING FOR A YEAR.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE THAT COMMENT, IF YOU COULD TAKE THAT COMMENT BY ITSELF, IT IS KIND OF SHOCKING, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE PROGRAM AS A WHOLE, YOU KNOW THIS MIGHT BE A WAY FOR SOME OF THE FARMERS TO GET THROUGH THIS YEAR AND HOPE FOR A BETTER SNOW PACK NEXT FALL, NEXT WINTER, AND A GOOD MONSOON SEASON THIS YEAR, SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO NORMAL PLANTING.

AGRICULTURE IS BIG BUSINESS IN THIS STATE, $3.4 BILLION DOLLARS AT THE FARM GATE, THAT'S AT THE FARM AND RANCH LEVEL, THAT IS NOT INCLUDING ALL THE VALUE ADDED IN PROCESSING AND YOU KNOW WHEN YOU INCLUDE ALL OF THAT WE ARE ABOUT 16 PERCENT OF THE ECONOMY AND WE EMPLOY A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO WE HAVE GOT TO GET THROUGH THIS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY CHALLENGING YEAR WITH WATER.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE I THINK PART OF THAT STATEMENT TOO, THIS IS WHAT THE METEOROLOGISTS ARE SAYING, THAT IT'S BEEN DRIER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN NEW MEXICO IN 100 YEARS AND THERE IS NOT ENOUGH WATER TO GO AROUND AND THEN THEY WOULD START TALKING ABOUT THE DROUGHT OF THE 1950S.

SO I JUST DON'T LIKE TO SEE IT PUT IN AN EPIC HISTORICAL FRAMEWORK.

>>JEFF: NO, NO NONE OF US DO, BUT I HAVE GOT TO TELL YOU OUR FARMERS AND OUR RANCHERS ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE THIS YEAR, IT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE BUT THEY ARE BETTER PREPARED NOW THAN THEY WERE IN THE 1950S.

THEY HAVE LEARNED HOW TO MANAGE THE SOIL, MANAGE THEIR CROPS, MANAGE THEIR LIVESTOCK IN A WAY THAT IS SUSTAINABLE IN THESE ARID ENVIRONMENTS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF RANCHERS THAT HAVE ALREADY STARTED CULLING BACK ON THEIR HERDS SO THAT THEY CAN KEEP THEIR BASE GENETICS AND BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THIS YEAR.

A LOT OF THE FARMS WILL LOOK AT CONSOLIDATING THEIR ACRES, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF PLANTING 100 ACRES OR 250 ACRES, THEY WILL CUT IT DOWN TO 50 OR 80 OR WHATEVER THEY HAVE WATER ALLOCATIONS FOR SO THAT THEY CAN STILL CREATE THAT FOOD THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

>>LORENE: AND TECHNOLOGICALLY, FOR AT LEAST THE FARMERS, NOT THE RANCHERS, WE HAVE DRIP IRRIGATION, WE HAVE WAYS THAT WE DON'T LOSE QUITE SO MUCH WATER.

BUT YOU HAVE TO ASSURE ME THAT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH GREEN CHILE THIS YEAR.

>>JEFF: OH I THINK WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH GREEN CHILE BUT YOU KNOW WE HAVE GOT TO REALLY SUPPORT THOSE, IT COMES DOWN TO SUPPORTING THE LOCAL FARMER AND MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THAT YOU THE CONSUMER ALL THE CONSUMERS OUT THERE REALLY WANT THEIR PRODUCTS.

AND CREATING THAT DEMAND AND CREATING THAT MARKET PLACE FOR THEM AND I THINK WE WILL HAVE A GOOD, YOU KNOW, GREEN CHILE IS OUR STAPLE CROP AND THAT'S THE ONE WE LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.

>>LORENE: AND ALTHOUGH WE WILL GET TO SOME OTHER PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT, BUT I ASK HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OUR LOCAL AG PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE A PROGRAM - FIVE DOLLARS.

IF YOU CAN JUST SPEND FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH MORE ON NEW MEXICO PRODUCTS BE IT JERKY, BE IT CHILE, BE IT SALSA, BE IT WHATEVER, IF YOU CAN JUST ADD THAT IT IS OUR WAY OF LITERALLY SUPPORTING THEM.

>>JEFF: WE CALL IT THE FIVE DOLLAR CHALLENGE.

WE WANT EVERY FAMILY TO GO OUT EVERY WEEK AND LOOK FOR NEW NEW MEXICO PRODUCTS.

NEW MEXICO GROWN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS THAT ARE ON THE SHELVES, THEY ARE IN A LOT OF STORES AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY ARE FINDING THOSE AND IT IS REALLY CREATING THAT INTEREST.

BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE STATE, FIVE DOLLARS A WEEK OVER A PERIOD OF A YEAR WILL CREATE A BILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF NEW GROWTH FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECTOR IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

FIVE DOLLARS MORE EVERY WEEK, IT IS NOT THAT MUCH AND WE CAN GROW OUR OWN ECONOMY BY DOING THAT AND SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTS.

>>LORENE: AND IT IS NOT THAT WE DON'T LOVE IT, YOU KNOW, WE DO LOVE IT WE JUST FORGET.

SO ON THIS LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE NOTE OF SCARCITY OF WATER, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO SCARCITY OF FOOD AND THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT THE FOOD BANKS OF WHICH THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR ONES IN NEW MEXICO, HAVE JUST BEEN STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP.

AND THERE WAS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD ABOUT IT, IT WAS CALLED FOOD FOR LOVE, IT WAS A CONCERT WITH PEOPLE LIKE LYLE LOVITT AND THE DIXIE CHICKS, AND JACKSON BROWN AND ALL OF OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS.

THE MUSICIANS EACH DID ONE SONG, IT WAS A FREE PROGRAM, AND THEY RAISED $860,000 FOR THE FIVE MAJOR FOOD BANKS.

IT WAS PHENOMENAL AND THAT WOULD BE OVER THREE MILLION MEALS FOR HUNGRY NEW MEXICANS.

SO WE THINK WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO GET BY AND HOW ARE WE DOING FOR ENOUGH FOOD TO GET BY?

>>JEFF: WELL I THINK YOU KNOW COVID TAUGHT US ONE THING, COVID GAVE US A NUMBER OF LESSONS BUT WHAT IT REALLY BROUGHT HOME WAS THE VALUE AND THE APPRECIATION FOR THE LOCAL FOOD, THE LOCAL FARMER, THE LOCAL RANCHER, AND WHAT THEY CAN OBTAIN.

THE FOOD BANKS ARE TREMENDOUS PARTNERS TO THE FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN THE STATE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS THAT WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD TO THE FOOD BANK SO THAT THEY COULD GET IT OUT.

THE FOOD BANKS HAVE A TREMENDOUS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN GET FOOD ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.

BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF STRESS DURING THE PANDEMIC AND WE WERE WORKING WITH THE FOOD BANKS, WE WERE WORKING WITH OTHERS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED IN A FASHION WHERE THE CONSUMERS, THE FOLKS WHO NEEDED THE FOOD BANK COULD USE IT.

WE HAD LACK OF COLD STORAGE IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE STATE, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF "STRUCTURAL ISSUES" THAT WE ARE HAVING TO ADDRESS AND THE FOOD BANKS WERE BEING VERY PROGRESSIVE IN WORKING WITH NONPROFITS AND PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY IN THE STATE AND ALL THE AGENCIES, THEY'VE ALL COME TOGETHER AND AS A RESULT OF COVID, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO I PREDICT.

>>LORENE: I AM REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.

BECAUSE A YEAR AGO WHEN IT STARTED UP, WE WERE, YOU KNOW SCHOOLS WEREN'T BUYING FOOD FROM OUR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, RESTAURANTS WERE IN PERIL FOR THEIR LIVES AND NOW WITH WARMER WEATHER AND ENOUGH PEOPLE BEING VACCINATED AND EVERYONE BEHAVING ACCORDING TO PUBLIC HEALTH PROTOCOLS, MASKS AND DISTANCING, I THINK NOW I CAN JUST FEEL THE STATE STARTING TO OPEN UP AND PEOPLE STARTING TO BREATHE EASIER.

>>JEFF: YEAH, I THINK LAST YEAR WAS A MESS, WE HAD AN IMMEDIATE SHUT DOWN OF THE ENTIRE NATION AND THE WAY THAT OUR SUPPLY CHAIN WAS GEARED TOWARDS IT WAS ABOUT 48 PERCENT HOME CONSUMPTION AND 52 PERCENT INSTITUTIONAL RESTAURANT FOOD SERVICE CONSUMPTION OF FOODS.

AND SO THAT IS HOW THE SUPPLY CHAIN WAS GEARED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN OVERNIGHT, THE MAJORITY WENT TO HOME CONSUMPTION.

AND THE PACKAGING WAS NOT RIGHT FOR THE HOME MARKET, THERE WERE STRUCTURAL ISSUES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED OVER TIME.

WE HAVE ADJUSTED TO THAT AS WE BEGIN TO OPEN UP I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A SLOWER TRANSITION IN OPENING UP AND SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE FOOD SERVICE END OF IT AS WE MOVE BACK SLOWLY INTO THE RESTAURANTS AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS OPENING UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

I THINK WE WILL SEE A SMOOTHER ROLL OUT AND LESS DISRUPTION IN THE MARKETPLACE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING FOR EVERYBODY.

>>LORENE: WELL, ONE THING THAT YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DID, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU STARTED IT LAST YEAR BUT YOU EMPHASIZED IT LAST YEAR, YOU HAD THIS CONSUMER-TO-PRODUCER.

SO IF YOU WANTED LAMB IN THE SPRING, YOU HAD A LIST OF ALL THE LAMB GROWERS AND THE CONSUMER THEMSELVES COULD SAY, "I WANT A HALF OF LAMB AND I WANT TO FREEZE."

AND SINCE THE MIDDLEMAN SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING WITH NO SCHOOLS AND NO RESTAURANTS BUYING, THERE WAS A CHANCE FOR WISE CONSUMERS WHO LIKED TO STORE THINGS AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO FREEZE AND THAT, TO REACH DIRECTLY TO WHETHER IT BE A BEEF RANCHER OR SHEEP.

I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS WONDERFUL, HOW SUCCESSFUL HAS THAT PROGRAM BEEN?

>>JEFF: YOU KNOW IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF GOOD COMMENTS FROM BOTH THE CONSUMER SIDE AND THE PRODUCER SIDE ABOUT HOW THEY CAN REACH AND COME TOGETHER.

AND YOU CAN GO TO OUR NMDA.NMSU.EDU WEBSITE AND YOU WILL SEE A TAG ON THERE FOR LOCAL TO CONSUMER AND CONSUMER TO PRODUCER OPPORTUNITIES.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE FOUND THAT THE PRODUCERS AND THE PROCESSORS WHO WERE DOING INTERNET MARKETING OVER THE WEBSITE OR WEB SALES AND DOING DELIVERIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY FOUND A LOT OF NEW MARKETS TO ADDRESS AND GET INTO AND SO I THINK THESE ARE TRENDS THAT WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK THERE IS GREATER DESIRE, I THINK THAT THE HOMEBOUND CONSUMER FOUND THE VALUE AND THE TASTE AND EVERYTHING GOOD ABOUT THE WHOLESOMENESS OF GOOD LOCAL FOOD.

AND I EXPECT THAT TREND TO CONTINUE, I HOPE IT DOES, WE HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.

NEW MEXICO IS I HAVE GOT 24,800 PRODUCERS ON MY SHOULDERS EVERY DAY THAT WE WANT TO HELP AND WE WANT TO HELP THEM MAKE A LIVING AND PROVIDE THAT FOOD.

NEW MEXICO AS A STATE, ONLY SIX PERCENT OF OUR PRODUCERS WORK MARKETING DIRECT TO THE CONSUMER.

THIS COVID SHOWED US AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE COULD INCREASE THAT AND THE CONSUMERS ARE LIKING IT.

>>LORENE: YES AND NOT ONLY THAT, OUR QUALITY OF HOME GROWN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS PARTICULARLY THE MEAT IS SO GOOD THAT ONCE THEY DO IT, THEY WILL DO IT AGAIN YOU KNOW THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE MANY YEARS.

SO I WAS REALLY, YOU CAN GO AGAIN TO THE WEBSITE NM, SAY IT AGAIN.

>>JEFF: IT'S NMDA.NMSU.EDU.

>>LORENE: OKAY, NMDA, NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AT NMSU, NEW MEXICO STATE DOT EDU.

SO REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE THERE IS A WHOLE LOT THERE AND I AM GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT.

>>JEFF: YOU CAN PUT IT INTO YOUR FAVORITE SEARCH ENGINE AND JUST TYPE IN NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND IT WILL POP RIGHT UP.

>>LORENE: IT'S TRUE, IT'S TRUE, I WAS JUST GOOGLING YOU LAST NIGHT.

WELL, OUR GUEST TODAY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL THIS AGRICULTURE THEME BECAUSE OUR GUEST IS JEFF WITTE, WHO IS THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR NEW MEXICO AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SO HOW COME YOU WEAR TWO HATS?

>>JEFF: YOU KNOW I AM BLESSED TO WEAR TWO HATS.

UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF OUR STATE ORGANIZED AND STRUCTURED THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE UNDER THE BOARD OF REGENTS AT NEW MEXICO A&M BACK IN THE DAY, BUT NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY NOW.

SO ALL THE AGRICULTURAL ENTITIES WORK TOGETHER, THE EXPERIMENT STATION, THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, THE TEACHING AND THEN THE EXTENSION SERVICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WE ARE ALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT SYSTEMS IN THE NATION THE WAY THAT HAS BEEN SET UP AND THEN MANY YEARS AGO WHEN THEY RESTRUCTURED STATE GOVERNMENT, THEY PUT IN THE STATUTE THAT WHOEVER SERVES AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHALL SERVE IN THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE CABINET AS THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.

SO THERE YOU GO, I HAVE TWO HATS TO WEAR.

>>LORENE: GOOD, YOU WEAR THEM WELL.

>>JEFF: YES, THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: SO WHEN THEY DO GO TO THIS WEBSITE, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR PROGRAMS AND THEN I WANT TO GO ON.

ON YOUR WEBSITE, YOU HAVE GOT PROGRAMS LIKE "SEED TO SUPPER" SO YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT THAT AND ANOTHER ONE IS "TASTE THE TRADITION."

>>JEFF: SO THE "SEED TO SUPPER" IS A PROGRAM THROUGH THE COOP EXTENSION SERVICE AT NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY AND COVID REALLY BROUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE TO START GOING BACK INTO GARDENING AND GROWING SOME OF THEIR OWN PRODUCTS.

THIS IS A SERIES OF PROGRAMS THAT GIVE YOU SOME REAL GOOD TIPS ON BRINGING YOUR OWN PRODUCE TO YOUR OWN TABLE AND TO YOUR OWN PLATE AND I THINK IT IS A REAL HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.

I HAVE BEEN IN SEVERAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS WHERE THEY HAVE INSTITUTED THESE KIND OF PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS AND WHEN THE KIDS GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY, THEY START TO UNDERSTAND, AND APPRECIATE AND TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

AND I THINK WE'RE DOING THAT ON THE HOME FRONT TOO WITH PEOPLE'S HOME GARDENS.

OUR "TASTE AND TRADITION" PROGRAM IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 20 PLUS YEARS NOW.

IT IS ONE WHERE WE REALLY IDENTIFY NEW MEXICO PRODUCTS AND IT'S A LOGO LABELING PROGRAM WHERE THE CONSUMER CAN SEE AND READILY IDENTIFY THAT PRODUCT WAS MADE IN NEW MEXICO AND HAS THE FLAVORS OF NEW MEXICO AND THE GROWN WITH TRADITION PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE SAME THING AS GROWN IN NEW MEXICO.

AND WE HAVE GOT SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPANIES THAT ARE PART OF THOSE.

THOSE ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE BORN, BRED AND THEY DO EVERYTHING IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO SO THOSE ARE THE ONES WE WANT YOU TO LOOK FOR ON THE FIVE DOLLAR CHALLENGE AND HELP GROW NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: OH GOOD.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY LAST YEAR I DID SEND INTO THE "SEED TO SUPPER" PROGRAM AND I RECEIVED AN ENVELOPE FULL OF WONDERFUL SEED PACKETS THAT GREW QUITE WELL.

SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

WHEN WILL THE NEXT AG CENSUS BE AND TELL US WHAT THAT IS AND WHO IS RANCHING AND FARMING IN THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT IS OUR AGE?

>>JEFF: WELL THE USDA DOES THE AG CENSUS EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THE LAST ONE WAS DONE IN 2017 SO THE NEXT ONE WILL BE IN 2022 SO WE ARE GETTING CLOSE, WE ARE GETTING CLOSE.

THE LAST AG CENSUS SHOWED THAT IN NEW MEXICO THAT WE'RE THE SECOND OLDEST STATE IN THE NATION AS FAR AS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS GO, AROUND 60.5 YEARS OF AGE IS THE AGE OF OUR PRODUCERS.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE REALLY TO HEART BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEXT GENERATION IS COMING BEHIND THEM, GETTING THEM READY AND CREATING THE PROGRAMS, CREATING THE OPPORTUNITIES.

WE DO THAT THROUGH A NUMBER OF THINGS, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS OUR AGRI FUTURE PROGRAM.

WE HAD TO POSTPONE IT LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT, THAT'S OKAY.

THIS YEAR WE ARE GOING TO DO A VIRTUAL SEMINAR, IT IS BASED OFF OF A PROGRAM THAT I PARTICIPATED IN FROM ANOTHER STATE.

BUT IT IS ALL ABOUT THIS MARKETING AND OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERNET MARKETING AND WE HAVE GOT A GROUP THAT IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PRODUCTS AND HOW THEY MARKET IT AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BASICALLY SELLING THEIR PRODUCTS OVER THE INTERNET AND USING THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THAT KIND OF THING.

AND REALLY IT IS JUST A WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE CONNECTED AND SHOW THE OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE NEXT YEAR IN 2022, WE WILL HAVE AN AGRI FUTURE BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE THIS PANDEMIC BEHIND US.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

SO, ONE THING THAT I LOVED ABOUT THE EARLIER AGRI FUTURE CONFERENCES, WHEN THEY COULD BE IN PERSON, WSS THAT YOU PAIRED MENTORS AND NOVICES.

AND IT IS NOT JUST KIDS WHO, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO GROW UP TO BE FARMERS, YOU GOT SO MANY RETIRED PEOPLE WHO WERE DONE WITH YOU KNOW WHATEVER CAREER THEY HAD CHOSEN AND HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO FARM.

AND YOU HAVE GOT SOME WONDERFUL PROGRAMS FOR VERY MICRO-FARMERS THAT JUST PRODUCE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MAYBE EVEN A NICHE CROP YOU KNOW LIKE LAVENDER OR HONEY OR SOMETHING AND YOU HELP THEM MOVE ALONG.

I THINK IT IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM.

>>JEFF: IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE, TO MEET AND TALK TO AND BE MENTORED BY THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY DOING IT.

WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS FARMER'S MARKET NETWORK IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO THAT CREATES GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BUT RESTAURANTS ARE COMING ON, WHEN THEY GET BACK IN FULL SWING THERE IS A LOT OF DEMAND FOR LOCAL PRODUCTS AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILL THAT NEED.

>>LORENE: NOW JUST ONE LAST THING THING ABOUT THE CENSUS, ARE WE THE SECOND OLDEST, ARE OUR FARMERS AND RANCHERS THE SECOND OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY?

>>JEFF: THEY ARE THE SECOND OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY, I THINK THE LAST CENSUS SHOWED THAT HAWAII WAS THE OLDEST NOW AND THEY WERE ONLY OLDER BY JUST A FEW MONTHS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE LAST AG CENSUS SHOWED WAS THAT OUR YOUNG PRODUCERS WERE COMING ON, WE HAD ONE OF THE HIGHER GROWTH RATES OF YOUNG PRODUCERS IN THE NATION.

SO WE ARE KIND OF GETTING THERE.

AT SOME POINT WE WILL MEET IN THE MIDDLE.

>>LORENE: YES.

SO SURPRISINGLY, YOU WITH YOUR FEET OF CLAY IN THE DIRT FARMING AND RANCHING, YOU DID A BROADBAND PROGRAM THAT WAS VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL, THE OLD CABINET SECRETARY FOR THE INTERIOR, RIGHT?

>>JEFF: AGRICULTURE.

>>LORENE: OF AGRICULTURE.

YOU DID BROADBAND INVESTMENTS IN HOUSEHOLDS IN RURAL NEW MEXICO, DURING THIS WHOLE RECENT SESSION THAT JUST ENDED WAS ALL ABOUT BROADBAND.

YOU GUYS WERE AHEAD OF THE GAME, YOU GOT WHAT, WAS IT ABOUT 90,000 PEOPLE ALL OVER THE EAST SIDE OF THE STATE AND PENASCO, IT WAS A FUNNY PATCHWORK BUT YOU DID GET BROADBAND TO HUGE AREAS OF THE STATE.

>>JEFF: AND WE NEED IT, WE NEED EFFECTIVE GOOD INTERNET SERVICE ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO AND I WAS HAPPY THAT THE NEW MEXICO STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR INVESTED IN BROADBAND THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BRING A LOT OF BACK HOME TO THE STATE.

WE HAVE GOT TO, COVID SHOWED US ANOTHER THING, WE HAVE GOT TO GET CONNECTED AND WE HAVE TO STAY CONNECTED AND IN AGRICULTURAL IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN TRACTORS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE RELY ON DATA TRANSFER AND RAIN GAUGES AND A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH BROADBAND AND SO IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE.

>>LORENE: AND WE FOUND OUT WHEN SCHOOLS WENT ONLINE, SOME PEOPLE WERE WORKING FROM HOME, KIDS WERE USING BROADBAND FOR THEIR SCHOOLING AND THEN A LOT OF COMMERCE, BUYING AND SELLING OF THE CONSUMERS TO PRODUCERS WAS GOING ON.

SO SINCE WE ARE IN EDUCATION, LET'S JUST DIP INTO CULTURE BECAUSE I WANT TO THANK YOU ALWAYS FOR THE ROUNDERS AWARD, YOU GIVE OUT IN HONOR OF MAX EVANS AND HIS BOOK, THE ROUNDERS , AND YOU TWO USED TO JOKE AND SAY, "YEAH, WE PUT THE CULTURE IN AGRICULTURE."

SO I HOPE YOU ARE CONTINUING THAT, IT IS IN OCTOBER USUALLY AND YOU GIVE AN AWARD TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE IN THE WEST.

IT IS A SUBLIME HONOR.

>>JEFF: IT IS A GREAT AWARD.

YOU KNOW WE LOST MAX LAST YEAR AND IT WAS ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE BECAUSE MAX WAS VERY SPECIAL TO ME AND ALL OUR FAMILY.

MAX AS A CHILD GREW UP ON ROWE MESA, HE CALLED IT GLORIETTA MESA AND KNEW MY GRANDFATHER AS A YOUNG KID WHEN HE WAS LIKE 11 AND HE WOULD TELL ME STORIES ABOUT HIS INTERACTIONS WITH MY GRANDDAD AND MY GRANDMOTHER AND OF COURSE HE KNEW MY DAD, HE WAS JUST A GREAT FRIEND.

BUT THIS ROUNDERS AWARD, IT REALLY TALKS ABOUT THE AGRICULTURE AND THOSE WHO LIVE AND ARTICULATE AND PROMOTE THE WESTERN WAY OF LIFE AND ABSOLUTELY MAX AND I HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS IN HIS LATER YEARS, AS HE KEPT TELLING ME, "ONE OF THESE DAYS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE AND I AM NOT GOING TO BE HERE.

HOW DO WE KEEP THIS THING GOING?"

WE ARE GOING TO KEEP IT GOING AND I HAVE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF ROUNDER'S RECIPIENTS AND THEY ALL WANT TO KEEP IT GOING, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KEEP IT GOING, WE WILL HAVE A ROUNDERS AND I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A FABULOUS OCCASION IN HONOR OF OUR GOOD FRIEND MAX.

>>LORENE: GOOD, AND HE WAS VERY FOND OF YOU I KNOW AND HE ALSO WROTE ABOUT IT.

THIS THE WAY OF LIFE, POST WORLD WAR II, THE TRANSITIONS THAT THE WEST WENT THROUGH FROM HORSE TO PICKUP TRUCK AND ALL OF THAT.

BUT, WE HAVE TO TRANSITION, WE ARE LEAVING WINTER AND GOING INTO SPRING, WHAT IS COMING UP, WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK FOR, WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW IN TERMS OF AGRICULTURE AND RANCHING FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, THIS SPRING.

>>JEFF: WELL, I THINK YOU AS WE STARTED OUT TALKING ABOUT THE WATER AND THE TOUGHNESS, BUT I HAVE GOT TO TELL YOU OUR FARMERS AND RANCHERS ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

THEY CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF WATER, A GOOD PIECE OF SOIL AND MAKE IT MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.

SPRING IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE TIMES OF YEAR WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AROUND AND YOU SEE THE CROPS GOING IN, THE SEEDS BEING PLANTED AND THEY START COMING UP AND YOU START SEEING THAT GROWTH.

YOU KNOW YOU SEE THE PECAN TREES IN THE SOUTH, AND YOU START SEEING THE WATER FLOWING IN THE RIVERS AND ACEQUIAS IN THE NORTH, IT JUST REALLY BRINGS VITALITY TO THE COMMUNITIES.

I THINK THAT IS ALL THE BEST PART ABOUT AGRICULTURE.

AS WE START MOVING TOWARDS OPENING AND BEING ABLE TO RECONNECT WITH PEOPLE, I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS THOSE FARMERS MARKETS AND THE FRESH PRODUCE THAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE AT THE FARMERS MARKETS.

OUR RANCHERS ARE LOOKING TO MARKET LOCAL BEEF AND I THINK WE WILL SEE MORE OF THAT, OUR LAMB, THE FOLKS WHO RAISE LAMBS, SAME WAY.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF GROWTH AND VITALITY, WE MAY NOT HAVE A GREAT YEAR THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE WATER SITUATION, BUT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD YEAR AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS BEEN AN OPTIMISM.

THERE'S NOBODY MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN THAT PRODUCER WHO TAKES THAT SEED, PUTS IT IN THE GROUND AND WAITS FOR THE RAIN, HE KNOWS AND YOU WILL SEE, I WROTE AN OP-ED, WE ARE DOING THIS SHOW IN THE MIDDLE OF AG WEEK AND WILL BE SHOWING IT AT END OF AG WEEK, NATIONAL AG WEEK AND STATE AG WEEK.

A PRODUCER THINKS ABOUT HIS CROP YEARS IN ADVANCE, FOR MOST CROPS, IT TAKES SIX MONTHS TO SEVERAL YEARS TO GET IT FROM THAT FARM OR RANCH TO YOUR TABLE.

THEY ARE THE MOST OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AND THANK GOD WE HAVE GOT GOOD FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

>>LORENE: YES, INDEED.

SO WOULD YOU TELL US THE WEBSITE AGAIN BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

>>JEFF: SURE.

SO THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OUR WEBSITE IS NMDA.NMSU.EDU OR IF YOU JUST TYPE IT INTO YOUR FAVORITE SEARCH ENGINES, JUST TYPE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND YOU WILL GET US.

>>LORENE: GREAT.

WELL OUR GUEST TODAY HAS BEEN JEFF WITTE, THE SECRETARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

I LOVE THESE SHOWS, IT IS SO EXCITING WHAT IS GOING ON.

I KNOW THAT OUR FARMERS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOT AS MUCH WATER AS WE ARE USED TO, THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE DO AND THAT IT WILL BE OKAY.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING ON THE SHOW AGAIN, JEFF.

>>JEFF: THANK YOU, LORENE, IT IS MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>LORENE: YOU BET, HAPPY SPRING.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

>>ANNOUNCER: REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM