Tuesday, May 17 to Thursday, May 19, 2022
Embassy Suites in Albuquerque
Conference Agenda
Updated 5/13/22
Tuesday, May 17
4-6 p.m. Registration
5-7 p.m. Welcome Reception (La Ventana Room)
Wednesday, May 18
7:30-8:30 a.m. Breakfast (for hotel guests only)
8:30-9:30 a.m. General Session (Sierra Room)
Don Conner, NMSU College of ACES Associate
Dean/Director of Academic Programs
“Future of Agriculture”
9:30-9:45 a.m. Networking Break (hallway)
9:45-11:15 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Option 1: Opportunities for veterans and military families (Ocotillo Room II)
Moderator: Eduardo Medina, NMSU Extension Economics & New Mexico
AgrAbility Coordinator
- Matt Cogorno and Patrick Million, Not Forgotten Outreach/Homegrown by Heroes
- Sonja Koukel, NMSU, New Mexico AgrAbility Project Director and Tracy Agiovlasitis, New Mexico AgrAbility Project Partner
- Rick Iannucci and Alroy Billiman, Horses for Heroes
Option 2: Financial management (Ocotillo Room I)
Moderator: Debbie Hughes
- Jay Lillywhite, NMSU College of ACES Ag Economics & Ag Business
- Verity Ulibarri, Farm Credit of New Mexico
11:30 a.m-1 p.m. Lunch (served at 11:30 a.m., Sandia Room)
Speaker: Ryan Jenkins, The Leading Voice on Generations at Work (12-1 p.m.)
1-1:15 p.m. Networking Break (hallway)
1:15-2:15 p.m. General Session: Pueblo of Acoma (generations of ranching Louis family members,
Sierra Room)
2:15-3:30 p.m. General Session: Experiences and Benefits with Using Agencies (Sierra Room)
Moderator: Desiree Chavez, USDA-NRCS
- Don Bustos shares his experience using NMSU Extension
- Gilbert Louis shares experience using USDA-NRCS and USDA-FSA
3:30-3:45 p.m. Networking Break (hallway)
3:45-5:00 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Option 1: Food Hubs (Ocotillo Room I)
Moderator: Susann Mikkelson
- Wes Medlock, Harvest Food Hub/Northwest New Mexico New Farmer Network
- Ben Rasmussen, The National Center for Frontier Communities and The Southwest New Mexico Food Hub
- Helga Garcia-Garza, Agri-Cultura
Option 2: Marketing Your AgriBusiness (Ocotillo Room II)
Moderator: Jason New, NMDA
Marketing & Development Division Director
- Kevin and Bobbie Branum, 1912 Market on 66
- Kelly Egolf, of New Mexico Fresh Foods
- Jeroen and Traci van der Ploeg, The Milkshed
- Michael Venticinque, New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association Value Chain Coordinator
6:00 p.m. Industry Dinners (sign-up at registration table)
Thursday, May 19
7-8 a.m. Breakfast (for hotel guests only)
8-10 a.m. General Session: Transition/Land Succession Panel (Sierra Room)
Moderator: Rick Lopez, USDA-FSA
- Cristy Carbon-Gaul, attorney
- Chaddy Robinson, NMSU College of ACES Ag Economics & Ag Business
- Rick Lopez, fifth generation rancher
10-10:15 a.m. Networking Break (hallway)
10:15-11:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Option 1: Stress Management (Ocotillo Room I)
Moderator: Chance Honey, Farm Credit of New Mexico
Senior Relationship Officer
- Sonja Koukel, NMSU College of ACES, New Mexico AgrAbility Project Director
- Marcy Ward, NMSU College of ACES Extension Livestock Specialist
- Clinton Wilson, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, AgWell Program Director
Option 2: Opportunities for getting started (Ocotillo Room II)
Moderator: Newt McCarty, State 4-H
Agent of the Aggies Next Step Program and Youth Development
- Katie Mechenbier, Agricultural Workforce Development Program, New Mexico Department of Agriculture
- Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Apprenticeship Program
- Caren Cowan, New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association Raising Ranchers Program
- Jennifer Luitjens Bahr, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Fellow Program
11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Lunch (served at 11:45 a.m., Sandia Room)
Speaker: Tim “The Dairy Farmer” Moffett (12:15-1 p.m.)