Luna County Farm and Livestock Bureau Set to Host Community Meeting on Mimbres Peaks National Monument

Luna County Farm and Livestock Bureau is hosting a public meeting to provide information to Luna County and surrounding community members on the impacts of a national monument on local communities and answer related questions.

Saturday, February 3, at 2 p.m.

Southwestern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, Building 1, 4100 Raymond Reed Blvd., Deming, NM, 88030

The meeting will consist of 10-minute presentations from the individuals listed below followed by a Q&A session.

Jerry Schickedanz, Evelyn Linebery Chair of Agriculture Dean Emeritus at New Mexico State University

Richard Myklebust, outdoorsman/hunter from El Paso, TX

Rose Townsend, Deming Gem and Mineral Society Member

Stefanie Smallhouse, Arizona Farm Bureau President

Russell Johnson, Luna County Farm and Livestock Bureau President and fourth-generation rancher in the proposed Mimbres Peaks National Monument area, will be available for interviews. The presenters listed above will also be available for interviews.

The proposed Mimbres Peaks National Monument would designate more than 245,000 acres, including the Good Sight Mountains, Florida Mountains, Cookes Range, and Tres Hermanas, in Luna County as a national monument. This movement has been largely led by interest groups outside of the impacted community and a local group, Friends of the Floridas. Local governing bodies, specifically the Luna County Board of County Commissioners, Deming City Council, and Deming Soil and Water Conservation District, passed resolutions opposing the monument. This proposal has the potential to negatively impact members of the local community, including many family-owned and operated ranches. With many concerns and questions remaining, the public meeting will provide a forum for community-led conversations about the proposed monument.

Luna County Farm and Livestock Bureau is the leading agricultural organization in Luna County. Luna CF&LB is a member of New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau, a 21,000-member grassroots advocacy organization comprised of farmers and ranchers, and those who are interested in private property rights and a local food supply. NMF&LB is the state’s largest, private agricultural organization and was founded in 1917. For information, please call 575-532-4700 or visit www.nmflb.org .