WRITER: Jane Moorman, 505-249-0527, jmoorman@nmsu.edu
ABIQUIU - The dean of New Mexico State University's College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and the secretary of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture will be in Abiquiu Tuesday, July 18, to listen to the concerns of agricultural producers in northern New Mexico.
The session will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Rio Arriba County fair building in Abiquiu on State Road 554.
The session will allow agricultural producers, and those with an interest in agriculture, to talk to and ask questions of the dean and secretary.
Dean Rolando A. Flores
Secretary Jeff WitteDuring their listening session in Portales in April, Dean Rolando A. Flores and Secretary Jeff Witte heard the agricultural producers' concerns ranging from the public's perception of agriculture and the national Farm Bill to agricultural resources for public school students, genetically modified organisms and the status of the college's Agricultural Science Centers.
"It is important to hear from our constituents, especially face-to-face," Witte said. "There are many issues and opportunities to explore, and these listening sessions afford each of us with information directly from those we serve."
The listening sessions project is one more opportunity for Flores to meet the state's agricultural community.
"Agriculture plays a key role in New Mexico because it impacts the lives of everyone and it is at the center of our state's community and economic development," Flores said. "Listening to the people we serve will help us tune our academic, research and outreach efforts to better address the needs of our communities."
A final session will be on Nov. 2 in the Dona Ana County administration building on Motel Drive in Las Cruces.