Ranches, Dairy & Livestock

New Mexico's top three food-related cash receipts are: dairy (about 40% of all ag receipts), beef (over 30%, and hay and silage (over 10%) About 120 dairy "factory farms," concentrated in the High Plains and Lower Rio Grande, supply most of New Mexico's fluid milk with controversial health and environmental consequences There are about between 9,000 and 9,500 beef ranches of all sizes; and 85 feedlots (both finishing and complete feeding) concentrated in High Plains and Arid Lowlands. Over 90% of dairy products (dry powder milk, cheese, whey) and beef cows leave the State. New Mexico has only one organic dairy, and no more than a total of ten goat dairies and organic grassfed beef ad lamp ranches.

Dreams: 15% of dairy products come from in-State organic dairies, and 50% of the beef eaten in-State is grassfed, natural or organic; local facilities process the dairy and beef products (e.g. mobile meat processors, yogurt and cheese manufacturers, packing plants), and all CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) follow strict health, environmental and humane animal treatment rules.