The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) works to: ============================================= * promote local food and agriculture * protect the health of large and small animals * ensure high-quality dairy products * advocate for farmers and ranchers’ reliance upon natural resources * promote the approved use of agricultural inputs like plant seeds and fertilizer; and * ensure fairness in the marketplace for both producer and consumer. Our Mission NMDA benefits the public by promoting the viability and advancement of New Mexico agriculture and affiliated industries. Our Vision NMDA promotes a fair marketplace, food protection, marketing, and economic development; supports the beneficial use and conservation of natural resources; and works cooperatively with the public and private sectors. Though our presence is statewide, NMDA is New Mexico's only Cabinet agency located outside of Santa Fe. Our main office is in Las Cruces on the campus of New Mexico State University. Few know that the university -- whose origins are agricultural in nature -- was founded more than two decades prior to statehood. That's why when the New Mexico State Constitution was penned, its writers called for “a department of agriculture [under] the board of regents of the college of agriculture and mechanic arts.” The collaborative relationship that language created still exists today. Learn more about NMDA and its service to New Mexicans and the state: www.nmda.nmsu.edu. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NMDeptAg Follow us on Twitter: @NMDeptAg Follow us on Instagram: nmdeptag