WRITER: Amy Muise, smiamy@nmsu.edu
Earlier this month, a special delegation from New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico, to discuss value-added agriculture and agro-industries in dairy, viticulture, pecans and green chile.
Rolando A. Flores Galarza, dean and chief administrative officer of the College of ACES, led the delegation on behalf of NMSU.
The delegation met with the secretary of rural development (desarrollo rural) of the state of Chihuahua, Mauro Parada Muñoz, and the adviser of the Desarrollo Económico Regional del Estado de Chihuahua, Jorge Cruz Camberos, and presented workshops at the Centro Estatal de Manejo de Fuego in Chihuahua City.
“This international recognition of ACES as a hub of value-added agriculture is a first step toward future collaborations and economic opportunities in the region,” Flores Galarza said.
The delegation included Sergio Martinez-Monteagudo, associate professor of food bioprocessing, who presented on dairy food bioprocessing; Geraldine Diverres Naranjo, Extension viticulturist specialist, who presented on wine production; Richard Heerema, Extension pecan specialist, who presented on the pecan and nut industry; and Luisa Oroz Sonoqui, a Ph.D. student in ruminant nutrition, who presented on new opportunities for byproduct utilization in green chile processing.
More than 100 people attended the workshops, including many from industry backgrounds.
Flores Galarza said NMSU's commitment to working with agricultural leaders in Mexico will help advance the industry in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. He also noted that the industry will be aided by NMSU’s new food technology facilities and faculty working for the Center of Excellence in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems.
“This investment in value-added shows our expertise to producers in dairy, nut production and processing, wine production and byproduct utilization in feed applications, especially green chile byproducts,” he said.
For more information about the visit, email acesdean@nmsu.edu.
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Cutline: From left, Juan Carlos Flores, director of the Livestock Department at Unión Ganadera Regional de Chihuahua; Mauro Parada Muñoz, secretary of rural development of the state of Chihuahua; Rolando A. Flores Galarza, dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University; Yesenia Palma of NMSU; Enrique Sánchez Granillo, technical secretary of rural development of the state of Chihuahua; and Claudia Doane of NMSU. (Courtesy)