Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
STAFF WRITER
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture is asking for feedback from local farmers and ranchers about improvements that can be made to the state’s Organic Program.
The NMDA will host a meeting at the Roosevelt County Extension Office on Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., according to a NMDA press release.
This meeting is the second of three being held across New Mexico next week.
The department will host two other meetings, with the first at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, in the NMDA Main Conference Room, Monday at 3 p.m. The second will be at the Bernalillo County Extension Office in Albuquerque on Wednesday at 2 p.m., according to their press release.
NMDA Public Information Officer Katie Goetz said Portales was among the three locations selected for its certified dairy and peanut farms.
The purpose of the meetings is to “share information about the program and its structure, but most importantly get input,” according to Goetz.
Goetz said the meetings will address local farmers, ranchers and processors who want or already have organic certification.
“We’re reaching out to organic producers,” said NMDA Deputy Director Anthony Parra. “We’re always evaluating the programs to see how we could better serve.”
When asked if there was anything to improve within the state’s Organic Program, Parra said it was better to “leave that to the constituents.”
“We want to hear from stakeholders within the organic sector on which program best meets their certification needs,” said New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte in a press release, “as well as their ideas on how we should operate the program in the future.”
“I know for them it’s always a challenge to try to meet all the regulations,” said Roosevelt County Extension Agent Patrick Kircher.
Witte in the press release said the organic agricultural sector in New Mexico is in good shape.
“The Organic Program offers nationally accredited organic certification for farmers, ranchers and food processors throughout New Mexico, as well as application and marketing assistance,” said the NMDA in a press release. “This year marks the 25th anniversary of New Mexico having a state program that offers organic certification.”
According to the press release, New Mexico’s Organic Program operates under the National Organic Program under the United States Department of Agriculture, with 150 certified farms, processors and ranchers across New Mexico that made $40 million in revenue.