Acequias have governed themselves for hundreds of years and continue to manage water through unique local customs.  NMAA launched the Acequia Governance Project to build upon this legacy and also adapt to new challenges.  Water has always been scarce in New Mexico but never has it been under such great demand.  Acequias will need to be diligent in their efforts to share water among themselves while also protecting acequia water for future generations. 

The purpose of the Acequia Governance Project is to strengthen local acequia governance through community education and technical assistance.  We provide informational workshops and one-on-one consultation.  During the months of February and March, NMAA has several workshops scheduled. 

In addition, any acequia can call us at any time and request assistance on topics including Bylaws, Easements, Protecting Water Rights, Powers and Duties of Officers, Open Meetings Act, Water Management, and applying for State and Federal Funding. 

To schedule a meeting with our staff, please call 505-995-9644.  You can also email Janice Varela at organizer@lasacequias.org or Kenny Salazar at kenny@lasacequias.org. 

This program is supported through a contract between NMAA and the State of New Mexico through the Acequia and Community Ditch Education Program in the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance and Administration.

El Rito Acequia Workshop - February 23

Acequia Easements Workshop - March 6

Pojoaque - Santa Cruz Acequia Workshop - March 8

Acequia Water Banking Workshop - March 27

 

 

"Honoring our Relationship with Food"

Saturday, March 8th, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Northern NM College, Española, New Mexico

Farmers, ranchers, herbalists, and healers are especially encouraged to participate!!!

Our vision for the conference is to celebrate our food traditions and honor our relationship with food through ceremony and recognition of farmers and ranchers who are the caretakers of the seeds which were passed on to us by our ancestors and which we will pass on to future generations.

Our hope after the conference is to increase the cultivation of foods that are spiritually and culturally meaningful to our communities. 

Our plan is to cultivate stronger relationships through a network of families dedicated to growing a little extra this growing season to produce seed to share in future years and to nurture this network into a "living seed exchange" of sources of seed for all farmers and ranchers in our communities.

Schedule

8am    registration

9am    opening prayer

10am   community updates and presentations

12pm   lunch

1pm    santa clara dancers

2pm    seed ceremony

3pm    recognition of traditional farmers

4pm    seed exchange

5pm    closing

Featuring:  Community updates by sponsors of the conference including the NM Food and Seed Sovereignty Alliance, New Mexico Acequia Association, Traditional Native American Farmers Association, Tewa Women United, Honor Our Pueblo Existence, Communities for Clean Water, Northern NM College, Taos County Economic Development Corporation, and NMSU Cooperative Extension Service at the Alcalde Sustainable Agriculture Science Center.  Presentations by Dr. Richard Ford on a historical perspective on agriculture in the region and Dr. Lorrin Pang on the threats to human health and the ecosystem from genetically engineered food.  Also, workshops on seed saving and basket making will take place in the morning.

Donations will be accepted at the door but no one will be turned away.  Pre-register by calling 505-995-9644.

Download the conference flyer here.

The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department is requiring County Assessors to update their property valuations.  What the Department is proposing may increase taxes on small landowners significantly. 

Property Tax Director, Richard Siilva, issued an order defining the carrying capacity for purposes of assessing agricultural and grazing lands.  He has further identified some counties where he has directed County Assessors to strictly implement the order by updating valuations on properties under a certain acreage.  (According to Department policy, for example, Mora County has a carrying capacity of 13 1/2 animal units per section which is further interpreted by the Department as 1 animal unit per 47 acres). 

Although this method has been in state law for several years and this definition for carrying capacity has been administrative rule for several years, the Department has recently taken a position of more strict interpretation of the rules.  As a result, using the Mora example, acreages under 47 acres may be assessed as "residential" and not as "agricultural" or "grazing." 

Taxing smaller acreages as "residential" may increase taxes by 2 or 3 times.  This new direction by the Tax and Rev Department could be devastating to low income families with smaller acreages.  This will be particularly difficult  for the elderly who are on fixed incomes. 

The Department is ordering counties including Mora, San Miguel, and Guadalupe to increase their valuations in time for the next round of property tax bills.  Small landowners should contact their county assessor to get more information about this recent initiative of Richard Silva, Property Tax Director, who was appointed in Decemer 2007.

 

Last year, the New Mexico Food and Seed Sovereignty Alliance (comprised of the Traditional Native American Farmers Association and the New Mexico Acequia Association) took a first step toward protecting native seeds from genetic contamination.  After making the Seed Sovereignty Declaration, members of the alliance sought support which resulted in resolutions being passed by Tesuque Pueblo, Pojoaque Pueblo, All Indian Pueblo Council, Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Council, Rio Arriba County, and Santa Fe County. 

The alliance also sought to educate the State Legislature about their concerns that cultivation of genetically engineered crops could irreversibly contaminate native landraces.  With support of legislative leadership, two memorials were passed. 

HM 84 (Ben Lujan) and SJM 38 (Carlos Cisneros) Indigenous Agriculture and Native Seeds.  The memorial states:

"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the house of representatives recognize the significance of native seeds to the cultural heritage and food security of New Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the house of representatives support the efforts of the New Mexico food and seed sovereignty alliance to prevent genetic contamination of native seeds, strengthen small-scale agriculture and increase the cultivation of native crops in their communities;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico department of agriculture be requested to collaborate with the New Mexico food and seed sovereignty alliance in supporting traditional farmers in their communities, protecting native seeds and increasing the cultivation of native seeds by developing specific policy recommendations; ..."

For this reason, alliance leadership was surprised to see an appropriations bill introduced, SB 60 (B. Sanchez) to provide funding to research genetic engineering of chile at NMSU.  In fact, its introduction was not noticed until the last days of the session when the bill had been heard in two committees and associated funding had already been added to HB 2 the General Appropriations Act.  That day, HB 2 was already on the Governor's desk. 

The day alliance leadership was aware of SB60 and the resulting funding in HB 2, there were only two or three days before the Governor would act on HB 2.  NMAA was focused on securing other legislative priorities such as the numerous project requests.  The alliance turned to other allies to generate calls to the Governor asking for his intervention.  The Organic Consumers Association issued an alert.  The objective of the alert was to ask the Governor to intervene and clarify that the legislative intent was not for genetic engineering.  The language in HB 2 only mentions $250k for "chile industry." 

The alliance and NMAA were not seeking to negatively impact research beneficial to the chile industry.  NMSU has long dedicated resources to assisting the chile industry to be more competetive.  The chile growers are fellow growers and NMSU assistance to them should continue and should be well funded.  However, given the circumstances, it was important to raise concerns and attempt to add conditions to that funding to address concerns of the alliance about genetic engineering.

The following is an exerpt of a letter from the alliance to Governor Richardson:

"We understand that chile is an important crop to New Mexico and this funding may be tied to well intentioned efforts to improve production and processing of chile with the overall objective of helping the chile industry compete economically.  We value the work of NMSU in terms of their research in this area including the work of the New Mexico Chile Pepper Institute in developing new products for New Mexico   growers.

However, we believe that chile is much more than an economic commodity.  It is a gift from the creator and it is integral to our cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices in traditional agricultural communities of New Mexico, particularly Pueblos, tribes, and acequia communities.  We strongly believe that genetically modifying crops such as chile is an immoral and unethical transgression against creation."

Governor Richardson did not respond.  At this point, the alliance will turn its attention to communicating with NMSU and representatives from the chile industry.

         The deadline for returning completed Census of Agriculture forms may have come and gone, but it's not too late for New Mexico farmers and ranchers to speak up for their industry and their future.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reminds farmers and ranchers that their voices are important and need to be heard.  As a result, Census responses are still being accepted.
        "The 2007 Census of Agriculture provides farmers and ranchers with a powerful voice.  The Census allows producers to show the value and importance of U.S. agriculture and the challenges producers are encountering," said Jim Brueggen, Director of the NASS New Mexico Field Office.  "I strongly encourage all farmers and ranchers in New Mexico to promptly complete and return the Census, so they can voice to the nation the issues they are facing.  
        "The 2007 Census of Agriculture is an opportunity to present the farm and ranch economic picture," said Brueggen.  "Every producer, no matter how big or small the operation, is a pixel in this mosaic picture.  A missing report could be imagined as a burned out pixel and a black spot on the petal of a flower in the picture.  Basically, if producers don't present the farm and ranch picture, who will?  Brueggen says every farmer and rancher should take advantage of this opportunity."  
        "A strong agricultural industry is a critical component in having a strong U.S. economy," says Jim Brueggen, director of the NASS New Mexico Field Office.  "By providing lawmakers, town planners, community leaders, and individual farm operators with the most comprehensive and accurate U.S. agricultural picture, they have the resources to make informed, sound decisions to ensure a solid future."
        The deadline for submitting the Census forms arrived on February 4, 2008, and many farmers have responded.  However, the remainder of those farmers who did not turn in their information by the original due date will receive another copy of the form in the mail to give them another opportunity to respond.
        "Accurate and comprehensive information from all farmers is important, so it can provide a true picture of where U.S. agriculture is today and help people plan appropriately for its needs in the future," saysBrueggen.  "This information is only gathered every five years, so we need the participation of every farmer and rancher to ensure they receive a planning tool that will provide them with the most benefit and value."
        Census responses are required and protected by law.  This law safeguards the privacy of all individual responses.  Farmers and ranchers can return their forms by mail or fill out the Census online.  For more information about the Census, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call toll-free (888) 4AG-STAT or (888) 424-7828.  The Census is Your Voice, Your Future, and Your Responsibility.

Jim Brueggen
Director, New Mexico Field Office,
National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA
575-522-6023 (office)
575-202-5978 (cell)
575-522-7646 (Fax)
Jim_Brueggen@nass.usda.gov

 

Producing the best fruit possible is the goal of the annual fruit growers workshop that will be held Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Santa Fe County Fair building.

The free event is sponsored by the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico Apple Council and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture marketing division.

Registration will be from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. followed by sessions on bitter pit and its control, fruit load control, an update on control products for codling moth and apple maggot, orchard fertility: conventional or organic, and fruit packaging and labeling.

The New Mexico Apple Council will hold its annual meeting in the afternoon.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of the New Mexico Apple Council.

For more information contact Patrick Torres, Santa Fe County Extension agricultural agent, at (505) 471-4711.

This is a monthly half-hour radio show that explores the richness the acequia culture and the challenges facing acequias. The show also chronicles the work of the New Mexico Acequia Association and the activities of the Sembrando Semillas team.

www.lasacequias.org

Call Governor Richardson at 505-476-2000 and ask him to SIGN THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BILL!!  The legislature passed a bill with funding for over 60 acequias.   The Governor has until March 5 to sign bills.  Also, if funding for your acequia is listed in the bill, call and give a big THANK YOU to your legislator(s)!!!

SB 471 (Cisneros) - Capital Outlay Bill

List of Acequias in SB 471