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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Lujan, A.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/25/08

HM 5

SHORT TITLE Farm Worker’s Day

SB

ANALYST Padilla

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Synopsis of Bill

House Memorial 5 declares January 31, 2008 as “Farm Workers’ Day" at the House of

Representatives to honor the hardworking people whose role in New Mexico’s economy is of

great importance to all residents of the State of New Mexico.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Memorial honoring the hard working people of New Mexico states as follows:

•

Agriculture’s contribution to New Mexico’s heritage and economic health is well known.

•

In 2005, the farm and ranch community had product sales totaling two billion six hundred

million dollars ($2,600,000,000).

•

Major farm production in New Mexico includes cattle, sheep and wool, dairies and dairy

products, alfalfa and other hays, wheat, sorghum, cotton, chile, pecans, lettuce, corn and

onions.

•

The production of many of these products would not be possible without approximately

12,000 farm and ranch workers in New Mexico.

•

Farm and ranch workers in New Mexico have been tending crops and livestock for more

than 90 years, when large-scale agriculture began in this State.

•

During this time, farm and ranch workers have been the backbone of much of the farming

and ranching industry.

•

Farm and ranch workers labor in one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation,

and each year 120,000 agricultural workers throughout the country suffer disabling

injuries from work-related accidents.

•

Many farm and ranch workers receive little recognition for their work.

•

All New Mexicans benefit from the labor of farm and ranch workers.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The hard working people of New Mexico will not be recognized by the State of New Mexico for

their contributions.

JRP/bb