BOD Meeting Minutes 5/13/2026
NEW MEXICO PRODUCERS AND MARKETING ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MINUTES
MAY 13, 2026
CALL TO ORDER: 6:09 PM
ROLL CALL AND QUORUM DETERMINATION:
PRESENT: DR. ANDREA GUTIERREZ, DONALD MARTINEZ, MIGUEL SALAZAR,
LINDA HUTCHISON
ABSENT: BENITO VIGIL, JONATHAN MARTINEZ, EUGENE SANDOVAL
QUORUM MET WITH MAJORITY OF PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS.
WELCOME AND MEMBER/GUEST INTRODUCTIONS: DR. ANDREA WELCOMED
MEMBER LIONEL MAESTAS AND GUEST MARCOS VALDEZ.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: A REQUEST TO CHANGE FACILITY
FEES/RESPONSIBILITIES FROM DONALD MARTINEZ TO BOARD DISCUSSION.
MOTION: A MOTION WAS MADE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
MOTION WAS SECONDED.
ACTION: ALL IN FAVOR
APPROVAL OF MARCH 11, 2026 MINUTES: MOTION: A MOTION WAS MADE
TO APPROVE THE MARCH 11, 2026 MINUTES. MOTION WAS SECONDED.
ACTION: ALL IN FAVOR
ON-GOING BUSINESS:
TREASURER’S REPORT: JONATHAN MARTINEZ WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND.
TREASURER’S REPORT WAS TABLED.
LIVESTOCK BUYS AND SALES DATE REPORT: BENITO VIGIL WAS ABSENT.
REPORT TABLED. LINDA HUTCHISON DID REPORT THAT SHE STOPPED IN AT THE
RECENT MAY 2, 2026 LIVESTOCK BUY. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF GOATS AND
SHEEP AS WELL AS CATTLE PAIRS, A BULL AND HORSE. SHE DID NOT REALIZE
THAT THE SCALE TICKETS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. SHE MISUNDERSTOOD AND
THOUGHT THE TICKETS THAT SHE HAD WERE EXTRA. TICKETS HAVE BEEN
PLACED IN THE SCALE HOUSE FOR FUTURE SCALE USE.
WINTER GRAZING REPORT: DONALD MARTINEZ REPORTED THAT THE WINTER
GRAZING PROGRAM WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. ALL PARTICIPANTS WORKED WELL
TOGETHER. THERE WERE ORIGINALLY 6 PARTICIPANTS SIGNED UP, EACH
BRINGING 10 HEAD. ONE COMMITTED PARTICIPANT BOWED OUT A FEW WEEKS
INTO THE GRAZING PERIOD NEVER BRINGING IN ANY CATTLE. IT WAS
SUGGESTED THAT PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM BE REVIEWED TO ENSURE
THAT IF A COMMITTED PRODUCER DECIDES NOT TO ENTER THE WINTER
GRAZING PROGRAM, OPPORTUNITY IS GIVEN TO OTHER MEMBERS AND/OR
PARTICIPANTS CAN ADD ADDITIONAL HEAD.
EMBUDO ORGANICS: EMBUDO ORGANICS CAME AND PICKED UP MANURE FROM
THE PENS, HOWEVER THERE WERE A FEW GLITCHES. IF EMBUDO ORGANICS IS
INTERESTED IN CONTINUING MANURE REMOVAL, MORE COMMUNICATION AND
SAFETY PROCEDURES NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE.
WATER LINE BREAK: A LINE BREAK IN THE MAIN ALLEY OF THE PENS WAS
REPAIRED BY JACOB MONTOYA. HE WAS WORKING UNDER THE ORIGINAL WORK
AGREEMENT WITH JAY PEN.
3RD. ANNUAL BULL SALE REPORT: MIGUEL REPORTED THAT IT WENT WELL.
HOWEVER, HE IS NOT SURE THAT HE WILL HEAD UP A 4TH ANNUAL. IT IS A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND DIFFICULT TO FIND WORKERS TO HELP.
WRRI WATER GRANT: MARCOS VALDEZ WITH THE EAST RIO ARRIBA SOIL AND
WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT REPORTED ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE
GRANT. MARCOS’S OFFICE WILL ACT AS OUR FISCAL AGENT. HE REPORTED
THAT WITHIN THE BUDGET FUNDS DESIGNATED FOR THE PRODUCERS INVOLVED
IN THE GRANT WILL BE USED TO COVER PROJECT MANAGEMENT. HE WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE IN PUTTING OUT THE BIDS AND CHOOSING THE CONTRACTOR FOR
THE PROJECT. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT WOULD BE VALUABLE TO HIRE A TECH
SERVICE COMPANY TO IDENTIFY ELECTRIC/WATER LINES AT THE FACILITY TO
CREATE A SCHEMATIC. HE ALSO OFFERED TO HAVE THE SUMMER INTERNS
CREATE A FULL INVENTORY /ASSESSMENT OF THE FACILITY. ALL SUGGESTIONS
ARE COVERED UNDER THE GRANT.
MOTION: A MOTION WAS MADE TO USE A TECH SERVICE COMPANY TO
IDENTIFY WATER AND ELECTRIC LINES AT THE FACILITY AND CREATE A
SCHEMATIC. MOTION SECONDED.
ACTION: ALL IN FAVOR.
MOTION: A MOTION WAS MADE BASED ON MARCOS VALDEZ’S PRESENTATION
AND EVALUATION, THE ASSOCIATION WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WATER
PLAN. MOTION WAS SECONDED.
ACTION: ALL IN FAVOR.
NEW BUSINESS:
USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT: DR. CRISTOBAL VALENCIA JOINED THE
MEETING ELECTRONICALLY. HE STATED THAT THE USDA GRANT IS NOT OPEN
YET. DISCUSSIONS WITH USDA OFFICIALS ENCOURAGED THE ASSOCIATION TO
CONSIDER CONTINUED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS; REMODELING AND
EXPANDING THE SCALE HOUSE, INSTALLING BATHROOMS UPGRADING THE
BARN AS WELL AS HIRING A MANAGER /CARETAKER WHICH WOULD BE
COVERED BY THE GRANT. THE GRANT COULD BE RUN THROUGH THE NORTH
CENTRAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP. DR. VALENCIA WILL KEEP US
POSTED WHEN IT OPENS AND WILL ASSIST IN DEVELOPING THE GRANT
PROPOSAL. DR. VALENCIA STATED THAT HE NEEDED THE REPORT ON THE FALL
LIVESTOCK BUYS TO INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF DAYS, NUMBER OF PRODUCERS
AND NUMBER OF HEAD.
FACILITY FEES/ RESPONSIBILITIES: A BRIEF DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE ABOUT
OUR CURRENT FEE STRUCTURE AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE WHO USE
THE FACILITY. RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE TRASH REMOVAL, PORT-A-POTTY
RENTAL, SECURITY , INSURANCE ETC. DR. ANDREA ASKED THAT THE BOARD
THINK ABOUT WHAT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE
ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE RENTING OUT THE BARN FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES.
DR. ANDREA ALSO NOTED THAT TEXAS TECH VET SCHOOL LOOKS FOR
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLINIC ROTATIONS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS. FOOD FOR
THOUGHT.
ANNUAL MEETING DATE: THE NMPMA ANNUAL MEETING WILL BE HELD
AUGUST 9, 2026
NEXT MEETING: JUNE 17, 2026 5:30 PM
ADJOURNMENT: MOTION: A MOTION WAS MADE TO ADJOURN, MOTION
SECONDED.ACTION: ALL IN FAVOR
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:56 PM
MINUTES APPROVED ON JUNE 17, 2026.