Seminar 8 

Meeting with Kendal Chavez, Food & Hunger Coordinator, Office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

 by Roxanne Chepsongol

 

 

 

Class 15’s seminar 8 sent them to explore business and community culture of Northwest New Mexico through interaction with key agricultural enterprises. The journey began with a stop in Albuquerque to discuss innovative input for the state’s direction on agriculture policy with Kendal Chavez, Food & Hunger Coordinator, Office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Class 15’s seminar 8 sent them to explore business and community culture of Northwest New Mexico through interaction with key agricultural enterprises. The journey began with a stop in Albuquerque to discuss innovative input for the state’s direction on agriculture policy with Kendal Chavez, Food & Hunger Coordinator, Office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

 

            Ms. Chavez described the governor’s current policies in place for food and hunger initiatives as well as the last legislative session’s victories to the cause of wholesome food availability in the state. Topics discussed with class 15 were the impacts of food insecurity, intersectional food system challenges, food safety, food, farm and hunger goals, and critical interactions with local farms for school lunches.

            Currently New Mexico is 2^nd in the nation for child food insecurity. The governor’s office is partnering with agencies for a 5-year plan to manage and implement local food to tribes, pandemic EBT, senior meals and free school lunches in order to address food insecurity. Class 15 spoke Ms. Chavez about how agricultural can assist with governors’ goals and explained challenges they see with current structures in the state. Agricultural products that many of the programs are seeking are smaller farmers which have limited capacity of supply and biosecurity challenges for local needs. It was the desire of class 15 to explore how the all famers big and small can add nutritious food to local communities instead of export. Since agriculture crops are not price setter’s revenue will need to be added to keep the food in the state. Class 15 spoke about the current programs in place with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, communities and tribes like double up food bucks and local farmers market opportunities. Class 15 valued that the state desires for local food and markets but emphasized the need for more new farmers joining the force to produce what the state needs.

             Class 15 appreciated Ms. Chavez insight from the governor’s office about this critical topic of and food and hunger initiatives. 

            Ms. Chavez described the governor’s current policies in place for food and hunger initiatives as well as the last legislative session’s victories to the cause of wholesome food availability in the state. Topics discussed with class 15 were the impacts of food insecurity, intersectional food system challenges, food safety, food, farm and hunger goals, and critical interactions with local farms for school lunches.

            Currently New Mexico is 2^nd in the nation for child food insecurity. The governor’s office is partnering with agencies for a 5-year plan to manage and implement local food to tribes, pandemic EBT, senior meals and free school lunches in order to address food insecurity. Class 15 spoke Ms. Chavez about how agricultural can assist with governors’ goals and explained challenges they see with current structures in the state. Agricultural products that many of the programs are seeking are smaller farmers which have limited capacity of supply and biosecurity challenges for local needs. It was the desire of class 15 to explore how the all famers big and small can add nutritious food to local communities instead of export. Since agriculture crops are not price setter’s revenue will need to be added to keep the food in the state. Class 15 spoke about the current programs in place with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, communities and tribes like double up food bucks and local farmers market opportunities. Class 15 valued that the state desires for local food and markets but emphasized the need for more new farmers joining the force to produce what the state needs.

             Class 15 appreciated Ms. Chavez insight from the governor’s office about this critical topic of and food and hunger initiatives.

Other stops on seminar 8 were: 

NAPI, San Juan Soil and Water Conversation District, Growing Forward Farm, PESCO and New Mexico State University Ag Science Center... 

highlighted in photos below. 

 

SEMINAR 7:

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL POLICY

 by Roxanne Chepsongol

 

The United State Capitol is located at Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. where Class 15 had the pleasure to visit and develop an understanding of federal government policy. My primary goals for our trip to the Capitol were to recognize the process to establish policies, understand the roles of government staff and lobby groups, discover the history of Washington D.C and develop my communication skills to advocate for agriculture.

 

Our journey began with the Gettysburg leadership experience lead by Jeff McCausland and Tom Vossler, veterans and authors of the book Battle Tested!: Gettysburg Leadership Lessons for 21st Century. We spent the day working through specific scenarios that occurred during the battle at Gettysburg and how leaders today can learn from discussion made from that battle.

 

 

 

The second day Class 15 visited the “Voice of Agriculture”, the American Farm Bureau Federation where we granted with opportunities to develop our personal narratives to advocate for agriculture. The advocate training assisted us for the remainder of our visit at the Capitol since we met with think tanks, New Mexico Senators and Representatives and constituents. We put these advocacy skills to the test when Class 15 spoke with the think tank, Cato Institute, later that afternoon and New Mexico Senators and Representatives staff throughout the remainder of our time in Washington D.C.

 

 

 

 

One of the many highlights of the seminar was learning from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Senior Leadership Team Basil Gooden, Jewel Bronaugh, Sanah Baig, Xochitl Torres Small, Daniel Whitley, Robert Bonnie and Zach Ducheneaux. Their presentations emphasized the work it took to become leaders at the USDA and their experiences as a leader. Our time at the USDA inspired Class 15 to use our abilities to be positive influences and motivate others toward success.

 

The voice of U.S. cattlemen and women drives the advocacy group, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), whom we met with that afternoon.  The NCBA pointed out key items in the upcoming farm bill and what it means for the cattle industry. They touched on the recent aerial gunning of cattle in the Gila wilderness and the effects of the action.

 

The stunning architecture, art and history of the Capitol was revealed during the Capitol tour that next morning. Class 15 stood in the very places that monumental discussions were made that shaped the United States.

 

 

My favorite part of the visit came that afternoon when Class 15 had the pleasure to sit in on the Senate Ag Committee Meeting where USDA’s Secretary Tom Vilsack was questioned by Senators. This was the point of the trip that we recognized the complexity of government and the processes which establish agricultural policies. Secretary Vilsack demonstrated all his skills that we learned from advocacy/ media training earlier in the week. For example; he bridged negative remarks and questions to positive topics, delivered sound bites and was honest. It was neat to see this champion for agriculture in action.

 

Rural development and infrastructure are vital in all aspects of agriculture therefore Class 15 along with other leadership groups gained perspectives from the Army Corp of Engineers. The speaker gave the group insight about the challenges of infrastructure policy and administration changes.

 

The final visits of the trip included humbling experiences at the Holocaust museum and Arlington National Cemetery. These visits gave the class time to reflect on history and the price of freedom.   

 

 

 

 

Class 15 accomplished their goals of the seminar by recognizing the processes to establish policies, understand the roles of government staff and lobby groups, discovered the history of Washington D.C and developed communication skills to be a resilient advocate for agriculture.

 

Seminar 5- TRADE & COMMUNICATION 

Las Cruces, NM| November 9-11

Public Speaking- Dr. Lacey Roberts-

Dr. Lacey Roberts-Hill is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education at NMSU. She graduated with her Ph.D. in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications from Texas A&M University. Dr. Roberts-Hill educated class 15 about do's and don'ts of public speaking. She also provided some practice on presentations. 

New Mexico Livestock Board- Skylar Davis and Dr. Ralph Zimmerman. 

Mr. Davis and Dr. Zimmerman spoke with class 15 about the role and responsibilities of the NM Livestock Board. Collaboration is key for their agency since disease spreads beyond state lines. 

NMDA Marketing & Development 

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) Marketing and Development Division spoke to class 15 about their global marketplace development of New Mexico foods and agricultural products, as well as the farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses who produce and supply those products. NMDA supports New Mexico farmers, ranchers, and other agribusinesses through a variety of marketing, promotional, and sales activities. 

Santa Teresa Border Authority

The New Mexico Border Authority is an executive branch state agency that provides leadership in the development of the state's international ports of entry at the Santa Terea port. The staff explained some of the upcoming project at the border that will encourage international trade from Mexico. 

Santa Teresa International Export/Import Livestock Crossing in southeastern New Mexico

Daniel Manzanares, the director of the facility, showed class 15 the role of the border cross and internal cattle exports and imports. Cattle crosses almost daily and the largest cattle crossing in the US. 

Mesa Farmers’ Cooperative- Cotton Gin

Driving through the Mesilla valley in late November is a treat for agriculture enthusiast, there are fields of white fluffy cotton. Class 15 got a close look at the cotton industry and the process of ginning at Mesa Farmers in Vado, NM. Mesa Farmers’ Cooperative is a jointly owned commercial enterprise that produces and distributes quality pima and upland cotton. Cotton farmers throughout the Mesilla valley ship and gin their cotton at Mesa Famers Cotton Gin. During this time of the year the cotton gin runs 24 hours a day with no breaks until all the cotton is bound for storage in blue plastic as the images below illustrate.

 

Southern Roots- Co-op pecan processing

 

Javier Soliz, spoke to class 15 about the Coop Southern Roots and the history of the organization. The class toured the facility in Las Cruces where some machines were shelling and sorting pecans. 

Dean Rolando Flores ACES College-

Dr. Rolando Flores is the ACES Dean and Chief Administrative Officer expressed his passion for leadership and how he worked to create teamwork at NMSU and his previous positions. He gave class 15 advice about leadership and tools to advance their careers.  

Personality Assessments- Dr. Jay Lilywhite

Dr. Jay Lillywhite is a professor within the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education and the department head at NMSU. His areas of expertise include agribusiness management, business feasibility, and marketing. Dr. Lillywhite educated the class on the assessment of DISC. He explained how these types of assessments can assist with working with others and becoming a skilled leader. 

 

Seminar 4: Social Issues and Cultural Awareness

 As I reflect on seminar 4 it’s clear that many religions are similar with the respect to being kind, giving to the poor, and focusing on becoming a better person. These practices are relevant to the Agricultural Leadership group since leadership starts with understanding your audience and treating individuals with respect.

 

In Albuquerque class 15 experienced many different regions and cultures.

  

- Buddhist Faith- we learned about the buddism faith and walk us through a guided

meditation.

- Joy Junction- Homelessness in Albuquerque

-B’nai Israel- Jewish faith (photo)

-Veterans’ Reintegration Center- discussed issues, addiction, homeless, and employment,                          that veterans’ face.

- Sikh Faith- met Satnam Kaur Bhullar and Ahiran Singh to learn more about the

Sikh Faith (photo)

- Islamic Faith- We discussed the Islam faith and food practices. Observed evening prayer Asr. newsletter article below. 

“Islam” means submission to the will of God. While in Albuquerque class 15 had the pleasure of speaking with Imam Mahmoud about the Islamic faith and architecture of the mosque.

Islam is the second largest religion in the world and dates back to the seventy centuries. Imam Mahmoud explained the history of the faith and their belief in an all-knowing God, who in Arabic is known as Allah. The five pillars define their faith which are declaration of faith, praying five times a day, donating a certain portion of their wealth, fasting during Ramadan, and making a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Imam Mahmoud gave examples of how the Islam people in Albuquerque obey the directions of the five pillars.

Class 15 was educated about the Islamic calendar which is determined by the lunar calendar which indicates the days of Islamic holidays and celebrations, the most well-known holiday is Ramadan, which is a time of fasting and prayer. 

While visiting the mosque the class observed the Muslim evening prayer called Asr which is often conducted in a mosque's large open room. There are requirements for prayer sessions which include the direction to face during prayer, praying five times a day, and men and women pray separately.

Muslim’s foods specifically the “Halal” was interesting to the class since that agriculture practice wasn’t well known by the group. Halal slaughter has specific requirements such as blessing by God, precise cutting and bleeding of the animal. The group discussed this practice and what it means to the agriculture meat production industry. The class wrapped up their visit at the mosque with a sweet treat and viewing the architecture of the building and minbar or pulpit which was charismatically made.

 Seminar 3: 

In lieu of the international trip I attended the 107^th Annual Meeting of the National Conference on Weights in Measures (NCWM) where I was the New Mexico state representative. This year the meeting was held in the “evergreen state” of Washington in the city of Tacoma, meaning “snow covered mountain” which is the Native American name for Mount Rainer which can be observed from all skylines in mid-Washington.

 The purpose of the NCWM July annual meeting was to debate, develop and vote on important proposals to amend the United States standards for weights and measures. My attendance at the NCWM Annual Meeting ensures that New Mexico’s interests and concerns are considered in developing weighing and measuring device and commodity regulations, many of which automatically become law in the state. 

Photo above: Washington Sec. of Ag. delivering opening remarks at the meeting.

 

             During my time in Tacoma I realized that the weights and measures industry is changing and changing fast, regulatory standards must change with it to ensure equity for consumers and sellers in commercial transactions. Changes that were debated and voted upon at the annual meeting were Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS), Portable Digital Density meters and Advanced Dimensional Measurements Systems (ADMS). I have learned from other state directors about being willing to try new testing and inspection methods and adapt to industry changes. My favorite part of the annual meeting was meeting other state directors and regulatory officials in-person for the first time. I have worked with them for over 2-years but due to the pandemic, have never met them in-person. It was a pleasure to have conversations about our state’s weights and measures programs which built cohesion with the group. I learned about management structures of others states programs, challenges with staffing and overcoming barriers with industry to reach a common goal. During these conversations I was comforted by the fact that even seasoned directors face the same challenges I do in New Mexico and they offered resources to work through challenges together.

            I had limited time to explore the city of Tacoma and Hotel Murano, the hotel which takes its name from Italian glass art. In fact, the Museum of Glass was a short walk from the hotel. I visited the outside of the museum which featured the Seaform Pavilion, Crystal Towers and Venetian Wall. One afternoon I hiked to the Point Defiance Park Beach where a lighthouse, cargo ships and ferry ships were observed. On the final day, traveling back to the Seattle airport, I stopped at Kerry park to checkout the viewpoint of the Space Needle and bay (see photos below).

   

 

                The weights and measures communities are unique, we are the only ones in the nation that complete inspections for these specific consumer goods, devices and services. I discovered a new prospective for working with industry by interpreting regulation implications and convert those policies in a comprehensible manner for all regulated parties and the public. It was a pleasure to represent New Mexico and vote on critical regulations during the 107^th NCWM Annual Meeting.

Photo above of NCWM Chairman, Ivan Hankins, delivering the closing statement at the meeting.

Oil & Natural Gas- State Budget Impact- Rep Townsend and Brown

Representative Townsend and Brown presented the legislative process and the roles of representatives and senator of New Mexico. Currently the NM legislature consists of 70 representatives and 42 senators. The regular session to 60 calendar days, every other year it is 30 days. Representative Brown discussed the challenges of passing bills with her example of the Chile license plate bill passage. This presentation was important for leaders because often bills become laws that effect our work and everyday life. Representative Townsend spoke about three particular bills that I was tracking this session and he spoke about what occurred with these bills behind the scenes at the legislature.

  Mental Health First Aid- Woods Houghton 

 Mr. Houghton a retired extension agent now organizer/founder of many mental health first aid Christian organizations in the eastside of the state of NM spoke to class 15 about the issues brought on by Covid and other traumatic events. This issue is prevalent in the agriculture community with the struggles of financials, drought, loss of livestock, fire and many other issues that bring burdens to producers, ranchers and farmers. He discussed the warning signs for suicide and tools to assist someone struggling with these thoughts. He is a valuable resource of the agriculture community and described some examples of situations were we as leaders can step in to help those in a mental health situation.

  Captain Matthew Hutchinson: Detective Eddy County Sherriff’s Office - Rural law enforcement

The Captain meet with class 15 to discuss the enforcement challenges since Covid and the boom /bust type of community he services. Since Lea and Eddy county are mainly rural communities Captain expressed the concerns of response times, issues with oil field vandalism and staffing challenges. The agriculture community relays on organizations like sheriffs departments to keep their possessions and families safe. 

  Tyler Deans- Burnett Oil Company Oil well creation

Mr. Dean presented this role at Burnett Oil Company as an engineer, this was interesting since the design of oil wells can be complex and highly technical. He described the process of well drilling from sharing of an oil lease to limit their risk to the well producing oil for over 40 years. Recently Mr. Dean explained the risks of drilling a well and a drill stuck in the pipe at his latest project. All of his companies work will pay off since wells can produce for years to come. 

  Aron Balok- Superintendent Pecos Valley Artesian Conservancy District 

 Superintendent of the Pecos Valley Artesian Conservancy District, Aron Balok, demonstrated the importance of water which is critical to support both agriculture and oil production in the southeast area of New Mexico. The battle over water between industries and states makes regulation very challenging. Mr. Balok showed class 15 technologies that have assisted the district with monitoring such as well meters and satellite technology. It was interesting to see the challenges in the Artesia area are very similar to Las Cruces water issues. 

  Gallup Clifton Strengths

Class 15 completed the Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment prior to attending seminar 2. This assessment is used to identify individuals’ top talents and understand more about what makes them unique. The fellows were placed by their strengths within 4 groups based on the assessment. These 4 groups are executing, influencing, relationship building and strategic thinking. The groups explain how people use their strengths to deal with information, get things done, influence others, and build relationships. Class 15 enjoyed discussing their strength with each other and ultimately gained a better understanding of how to use their strengths as leaders. 

  Natural Resource Dialogue

Class 15 were assigned topics to research then discuss as a group both pros and cons of each natural resource. This dialogue gave fellows the opportunity to interact about important topics that effect agriculture and all communities. 

  Seven Rivers Pecan Orchard 

Mr. Townsend was very knowledgeable about the pecan business and managing the resources to produce the best pecan products possible. The topics we discussed this week tied together with our tutor and discussions with Mr. Townsend, like water management, mental health, balancing risks, underling laws and what you can do on your land. I was impressed by the cold storage building in the photo below.

Overview of Seminar 2 and Diesel Refinery 

HollyFrontier has always been a refinery that my division at the NMDA communicates with on a regular bases. Most recently they built a renewable diesel plant that converts soybean oil to product that is used to make renewable. This plant was a important economic boost for the city of Artesia and New Mexico.

 Seminar 2 was enlightening and I was impressed by the passion our speakers had for their particular area of expertise. This trip was worthwhile and important since class 15 experienced many type of agriculture and industry representatives that influence New Mexico.

Seminar 1

 January 19-21, 2022

Highlights from the first seminar, Las Cruces, NM. 

Dr. Norris- What is Leadership?-

The application from Dr. Norris's presentation was to understand your communication style as a leader and how to interact with other communication style types. As a leader we need to understand that not everyone communicates or understands the same way. It's important to develop strategies and techniques to approach employee tasks and give them direct so they are the most effective.  

Graduation- 

It was a pleasure to witness the graduation of class 14 and listen to there testimonies. It was valuable to see that their experiences in the class and how it effected each graduate differently. 

Dr. Sholz- Diversity Inclusion, and Equity from a manager's perspective-

 To become an effective leader to diverse groups it's critical to understand their backgrounds and their values, Dr. Sholz explained. It's important to be mindful of establishing respect in the way we speak and body language. Not knowing your audience can leave room for misinterpretation and drive a wedge between people. 

Personal Purpose Statements-

During the seminar we spent time developing our "why" through personal purpose statements. Why do we come to work each day, be a positive impact on the organization and what values drive our decisions. It was enjoyable to reflect on what matters most to us and drives us as leaders to be successful.