New Mexico Agricultural Leadership

NMAL Class 16 State Political Processes NMAL Class 16 headed to Santa Fe in February to observe the the state political process up close during a 30-day New Mexico Legislative Session and interact with vital political players affecting agricultural policy. We had the opportunity to meet with some amazing professional women, who's work is vital to the organizations they serve. Candie Sweetser, government affairs manager for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, provided a unique perspective as she has served in the legislature and is currently a lobbyist. I appreciated her sharing the differences in her experiences and how she approaches her lobbying efforts a little differently representing a state agency. Tiffany Rivera, director of government affairs for the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau, graciously provided an impromptu presentation on the priorities of their member organization for this short budget session. It was great to listen to Missi C

NMAL Class 16 Social Issues & Cultural Awareness Our third seminar was packed with great information to broaden our cultural awareness and understand critical social issues in New Mexico. We visited the Roadrunner Food Bank and discussed food insecurity and Skarsgaard Farms where we learned about a unique way to access more freshly grown and local NM products.  At a Veterans' Reintegration Center we learned about the struggles many veterans have after getting out of the military. The non-profit works with the Veterans' Administration and other programs to help veterans secure housing as well as other services.  We invested much of our time in learning about different faiths. At the Islamic Center of New Mexico we were welcomed by Sheikh Dr. Mahmoud Eldenawi where he discussed the Islamic faith and food practices within the religion. He was open to answering any question we had and I was surprised by much of what I learned. I have a broader perspective regarding the Islamic

NMAL Class 16 Trade, Communication, and Self-Awareness *     Pecans are the only native nut to America. *     There are seven USDA inspection facilities in New Mexico. *     The NM Food Bank Association distributed over 48 million lbs of food in 2022. *     If you have to be a pain, be the sharpest in the room. *     Be respectful, not dismissive when having a persuasive conversation. *     Even in difficult conversations, the Golden Rule is the Golden Rule for a reason. *     The largest cattle crossing in the world sits on the U.S./Mexico border at Santa Teresa and is privately owned by Chihuahua’s State Livestock Association.  *     They cross about 600,000 head of cattle annually. *     NM Farmers face a multitude of challenges to keep their operations running smoothly, including labor shortages.  These are just a few quick snippets of information that were part of my take-a-ways from the NMAL Class 16 seminar in Las Cruces as we looked at Trade, Communication, and Self-Awareness.

NMAL Class 16 Orientation Class 16 Orientation provided an overview of the program and expectations of the fellows. I enjoyed getting to know my classmates and participating in lively discussions on a variety of topics. NMAL Board President Bob Mayberry and Coordinator Tina Wilson did an excellent job launching the program and I am eager to learn more about the agricultural industry in New Mexico. After reading Leading and Managing: Understanding the Difference by Abraham Zaleznik we had a great discussion about the difference between a leader and a manager. Highlighted leadership qualities included being bold, taking responsibility, motivating, giving credit and being a visionary. Highlighted characteristics of managers included being process driven, straightforward, and direct and dealing with crisis. We did discuss that individuals can be both a leader and a manager depending on the circumstances and that leaders are not always at the top of an organization. I really appreciated th