releafNicole Fuchs, Public Relations Manager at Natural ReLeaf, showing off the new facility at 3497 Bataan Memorial West in Las Cruces, scheduled to open by the end of this month.LEDA grants will create 56 jobs

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico Economic Development Department will invest in a year-round hemp business that is expanding its operation from Berino to Las Cruces N.M and adding 56 jobs, Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said today.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department has committed $600,000 in LEDA funds, matched by $5.3 million in private investment, toward the expansion of Natural ReLeaf. The business began growing hemp in Berino last year with a 2019 crop yield of 10,000 pounds. It is now ready to expand manufacturing capacity and add 8 greenhouses in Berino to allow for year-round growing.

Natural ReLeaf will create 56 jobs in various aspects of production over the next 2-3 years. The company’s manufacturing facility and primary dispensary is located at 3497 Bataan Memorial West in Las Cruces and it is scheduled to open by the end of February. Natural ReLeaf also sells product at its retail operation on Solano Drive and through other distributors in and out of the state. Sales of CBD products is in the billions of dollars nationally and grows each year. 

Although sales growth is strong, it is an increasingly competitive market. Nicole Fuchs, Public Relations Manager at ReLeaf, believes two factors make their company unique in the growing market. First, it is a “seed to shelf” business that is unusual in hemp manufacturing, and, secondly, the company is immersed in the Doña Ana science community. Two interns from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture are working with Natural ReLeaf today: a horticulturalist and a chemical engineer.  

The creation of new products is a team effort according to Fuchs. CBD truffles, in a variety of flavors, are currently very popular. The company sold chocolate-covered strawberries infused with CBD for Valentine’s Day and is constantly introducing new products like bath balm, chapstick, and honey stix.

“Natural ReLeaf sees hemp as the future of agriculture, economic and job development,” Fuchs stated. “New Mexico holds a lot of potential for the hemp industry: a long growing season, an abundance of sun, and a pool of talent that the hemp industry is waiting for - from plant scientists to brokers to chemical engineers. All of these factors together help Natural ReLeaf create the highest quality hemp flower and products."

The Economic Development Department invests in target industry sectors that will diversify the state’s economy and create new wealth for New Mexicans. Value-added agriculture is one of those industry sectors and hemp is the fastest growing subsector since it was legalized by the state legislature in 2019.

“Agriculture is part of our history and culture, and now hemp is providing new opportunities for family farms,” Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said.

Natural ReLeaf was assisted in its expansion by the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA). “We continue to see a surge in activity in the industrial hemp industry, and companies are continuing to make investments throughout Doña Ana County and Las Cruces," MVEDA President CEO Davin Lopez said. "We are strategically creating a fully integrated industry, from cultivation, to advancement, to consumer product development. Natural ReLeaf exemplifies the opportunities we have to be leaders in an industry that has quickly already reached over $1 billion in sales within the U.S. alone.”

Natural ReLeaf offers tours of the manufacturing facility in Las Cruces. Call 575.639.2272 for more information.

About LEDA: Over the last six years, funds provided through LEDA have supported the creation of over 11,000 new jobs and $3 billion in new investment. To date, 34 communities have received LEDA investments to support economic growth.

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.