Pueblo Agricultural Workshop

PKG for 2002-06-13 - RUNS 1:30

Intro

Agricultural producers from Indian pueblos across New Mexico attended workshops sponsored by New Mexico State University at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Anna María Pérez-Wright reports.

Video	Audio
	Managing rangeland during drought was one topic producers from New Mexico Indian pueblos learned about in a two-day agricultural workshop. Sponsored by New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the workshop covered a wide range of topics, including crops, cattle and water issues. Gregory Toya, treasurer of the Jemez Pueblo Livestock Association, says the workshop's drought information was timely.
Insert title at :27-:32 Gregory Toya Jemez Pueblo Livestock Assoc.	"The grasses are all dried up. There's really nothing for the cattle to feed on except for noxious weeds. The agenda items itself overall addresses every single one of the issues that we're facing, especially this year with the drought conditions."
	The workshop included a hands-on horse care demonstration. Participants learned about grooming, hoof cleaning, proper saddling and general handling of horses. N-M-S-U agriculture specialist Edmund Gomez says the program, held at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, aims to shore up production on the pueblos.
Insert title at 1:01-1:11 Edmund Gomez	"We're trying to do our best to retain the small farm, and I think it's very, very important to work with Native Americans, especially Native American producers, because American agriculture started with Native Americans."
	Workshop participants also learned about farm assistance programs and received free educational materials. Future workshops will focus on specific pueblo needs. For N-M-S-U's College of Agriculture and Home Economics, I'm Anna María Pérez-Wright.