As temperatures rise, the agriculture industry of New Mexico is facing the problem of droughts. This is not a new idea for New Mexico though as the U.S. Drought Monitor has been tracking the drought since 2000. According to the US Drought Monitor, 32.4% of the state is reported to be in D-3 Extreme Drought as of September 8, 2020.
However, the companies and people of New Mexico are finding ways to combat the drought. One way for ranchers is drought planning and to manage the grass. In an article by the NM Political Report, it is explained the drought planning process includes measuring the rainfall throughout the year and measuring the growth of the grass throughout the pasture at the beginning of the year in order to plan for how many cattle it can raise. Once cattle are on the land, overgrazing is a huge step to watch out for as it can weaken the plants and result in them taking longer to recover.
As each area of New Mexico is facing the drought at a different level, remember to listen to local agriculture leaders and mentor your land’s rainfall and drought levels.