Vasquez Launches Agriculture Advisory Group to Give a Voice to New Mexico Agriculture
Vasquez made the announcement with Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson during a bipartisan Farm Bill meeting
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Throughout August, Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) met with agricultural producers and workers across New Mexico’s second congressional district to discuss their goals for the upcoming Farm Bill. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Vasquez is an important member that will help secure New Mexico’s priorities in the bill. On September 7, Rep. Gabe Vasquez released his Farm Bill priorities.
“My top priority is to make sure that New Mexicans’ voices are heard in Washington,” said Rep. Vasquez. “As we draft this year’s Farm Bill, I’m meeting with people involved in all aspects of New Mexico’s agriculture - including farmers, ranchers, farmworkers and agricultural researchers. I am excited to continue working across the aisle to include New Mexico-focused priorities in the Farm Bill, that’s why I’m especially proud to have been joined by Chairman Thompson to hear from stakeholders in my district. I look forward to working with him on a bipartisan bill.”
Rep. Gabe Vasquez convened a meeting with his newly created Agriculture Advisory Group to share their priorities for the Farm Bill with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson (R-PA-15) and Ranking Member Scott (D-GA-13)
On August 24, Rep. Vasquez announced the formation of his Agriculture Advisory Group, composed of agricultural leaders from all across New Mexico’s second congressional district, during a meeting with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-PA-15) and Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA-13). The meeting was an opportunity for groups representing New Mexico’s diverse agriculture industry to voice their concerns and needs directly to bipartisan leaders in Congress. Vasquez will continue to convene the advisory group to ensure that New Mexico’s agricultural interests are represented at the federal level.
On August 23, Vasquez convened a roundtable of researchers from the University of New Mexico to hear about their findings from a recent study on basic needs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Almost a quarter of New Mexicans are enrolled in SNAP, the largest share in the nation. The Farm Bill provides funding for essential food insecurity programs such as SNAP. Vasquez is committed to protecting these programs and will not let partisan politics interfere with this vital lifeline for so many New Mexicans.
Rep. Vasquez also met with the Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center and visited a poultry farm in the South Valley. In addition, Vasquez met with Acoma Pueblo rancher Gilbert Louise III, where he discussed water availability and the importance of federal conservation programs to Tribal ranchers.
Rep. Vasquez later traveled to Deming, where he met with Don Hartman, a rancher and the chair of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau’s Labor Committee, and with farmworkers from both Deming and Hatch. Vasquez discussed the ways that he is prioritizing providing support to farm workers in the upcoming Farm Bill.
Following Vasquez’s advisory group meeting and multiple visits throughout the district, Vasquez sent a letter to Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson and Ranking Member David Scott outlining his goals for the Farm Bill. Vasquez’s priorities were informed by meetings and conversations he has had across the district over the last several months. The priorities include supporting ranchers and farmers, boosting voluntary conservation programs, protecting nutrition programs such as SNAP, supporting forestry and preventing wildfires, enhancing rural infrastructure, and funding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Climate Hubs.
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