Agriculture & Horticulture
Chaves County has a total population of 61, 382 and a median income of $27,531. Total agricultural receipts for the county exceeded $329 million in 1999. Dairy is the largest agricultural production of the county, raising over 150 million dairy cattle per year. Chaves is also home to the world’s largest mozzarella cheese factory. A high teen pregnancy rate along with a high percentage of senior/retirement age citizens contributes to a low socio-economic level and a concern for nutrition education. The metropolitan center of Chaves is the city of Roswell, infamous for its supposed alien connection, housing a planetarium and the international UFO Museum and Research Center.
Environmental problems plague our nation today. Current and future consumers need to be aware of and understand these problems. Additionally, consumers need to be given tools to identify and prevent further problems. Making them aware of environmental issues, including issues of sustainable agriculture, will help us all become better guardians of our nation’s natural resources.
Chaves County Extension’s mission is to develop an integrated, multidisciplinary, multi-agency education plan that focuses on helping its clientele implement sustainable agricultural systems. In addition, Extension must design a program to meet the challenges of producing an abundant, healthy food supply while maintaining our quality of life and preserving natural resources. Stakeholders who were surveyed to rank Extension - programming priorities the next five years (1999-2004) ranked sustainable agriculture as very important to the future of Chaves County. The Chaves County holders were made up of a county advisory group (surveyed in 1998) composed of 19 members from throughout Chaves County.
Livestock Production
In 1997, livestock and livestock products accounted for 84 percent of all Chaves County farm and ranch receipts and totaled nearly 300 million dollars. Cattle and calves (139,000 head) and sheep (53,000 head) are the primary farm and ranch livestock contributors to the economy. Many management practices can increase output and return. Few producers use all proven practices. A major concern of producers and consumers is production of a safe and wholesome human food supply, dictating an increased need for quality assurance programs. Extension and the New Mexico cattle industry participated in phase I of the Beef Quality Assurance Program in recent years. Both cattle and sheep producers need to evaluate production costs and returns and incorporate production practices that will maximize dollar return. Chaves County has different community groups who have unique production problems.