State ag production up

New Mexico agricultural producers have seen a decline in cash receipts and income since 2019, according to the latest agricultural statistics published by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Statistics Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

When compared to 2020, though, state total agricultural productivity grew about 5% in 2021, according to New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte in his introductory letter to the 2021 New Mexico Statistics Bulletin released Thursday.

“New Mexico agriculture has a great story to tell, and our producers live it every day,” Witte said in a news release. “The statistics are a reflection of the hard work and dedication of those in the agriculture sector. We would not be able to fill our plates if it weren’t for those who live every day tending to the crops and livestock.”

The state continues to lead the nation in some crops and commodities. For example, it remains the top-producing state for chile peppers, the number two state after Georgia for pecans, the fourth largest state for cheese production, the fifth largest state for onion production and the ninth largest for the number of milk cows and for milk production.