Livestock shows to be determined

CLOVIS - One way or another, Curry County commissioners and fair board members want youth livestock shows and a junior livestock sale, arguing such gatherings are not recreation but part of the essential business of agriculture.

Whether the governor's office agrees with them, and whether the events take place on county properties, is still to be determined.

The commission, in a Friday special meeting, voted 5-0 to send a resolution and a letter to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel seeking a modification to public health orders to allow a Curry County Youth Expo Aug. 11-15.

The commission also retained the ability to hold a virtual sale, which fair board officials stressed was not an ideal solution. The commission did not put a virtual sale in place, but voted 3-2 against ruling one out.

Commissioner Chet Spear largely kept his comments limited to reading the resolution he penned, which established the importance of youth agriculture to the area.

The commission in June voted to postpone the county fair to 2021 but hold an expo in its place for youth events.

"I think we all know how important it is we hold our expo," Spear said, "and what (the events) mean to hundreds of children involved throughout the state with 4-H and FFA programs.

"We can do this, Governor. Please give us the chance. This is for our kids."

Commissioner Robert Thornton suggested numerous edits to the resolution, all of which received concurrence from Spear. Changes included defining the Curry County Fairgrounds as an essential business and not a recreational facility, and noting the animals were being "marketed" and not "displayed" because the livestock sale was the market.

"It's important we put forward that agriculture is an essential business, and these kids are running this as a business," Thornton said. "That's how many of them fund their college. They've already made an investment in this, and they need to see the results of that.

"This is not some little fluffy show where we want to go play. This is serious business. It's essential business. Without agriculture, we don't eat. It's essential these kids take it to the best market they can get."

Commissioner Seth Martin said the livestock shows were a test of children's ability to succeed and that not everybody depended on grants to go to college.

Leigh Ann Marez of the extension office noted the governor's office has not explicitly said no to junior livestock sales because it's been communicated that such actions interfere with the food chain.

Fair Board Vice President Clay Franklin believed the shows and sales absolutely fit the criteria of essential business. Youth livestock shows paid college for himself and his wife, and he had to fill out tax forms for every animal he sold.

"When we sell these animals," Franklin said, "we're expected to pay taxes on profits. We're treated like a business, and have been forever in the eyes of the government.

"I don't want to violate the governor's rules. But this is a farmer's market. If we're going to be taxed like farmers, and we're going to be treated like farmers, we're going to be farmers."

Franklin and Thornton both noted the animals were being raised to garner maximum value at the time of the sale, and couldn't be pushed into the spring like prep football. Thornton said the county livestock sale represented maximum return on investment, and without it Franklin feared many kids simply would stop participating in future years.

Thornton indicated the county, if it received no response from the governor's office, should look at moving ahead with a sale and releasing Spectra of any obligations at the fairgrounds for the duration of the expo. He noted communications he'd received noting that commissioners risk criminal punishments and removal from office if they knowing violate state orders. He responded it isn't right to have to risk such punishment to do what he believes is right for county youth.

County Manager Lance Pyle noted the New Mexico Association of Counties would not insure the county if anything is done on the fairgrounds in violation of state orders. Danny Wheeler, regional vice president for Spectra, also said the company "want(s) no part of going against restrictions, health guidelines that are currently in place."

Franklin said people need to stop thinking of sales as events and think of them as essential business. He noted Eddy and Lea counties didn't get responses on requests to hold shows, and have decided to move forward because that also meant they weren't told no. He anticipates those events will get visits from the state police, and that organizers will demonstrate they are following Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

"The state police haven't bothered us," Franklin said, "but if it came to paying a fine, we can raise money to pay a fine."

Franklin said he understood the hands of Spectra and the county were tied, and he had no problem taking shows and sales off of county property. Since the expo was scheduled, Franklin said he'd encouraged kids to keep working and that a livestock sale would work out.

"I'll do anything to keep my word on that," Franklin said.

Martin said the county's attachment to the show might be a hindrance at this point, and the reason things aren't getting done is because they're being discussed in public meetings.

Commissioner Robert Sandoval said he agreed with everything the commissioners said, but that he had little faith in resolutions and wanted a letter sent as well. Commissioners weren't sure how much a letter would help, but agreed it couldn't possibly hurt.

Virtual show no-go for now

In opposition to a virtual show, Franklin said they simply don't work because show components like certified weigh-ins and touching the animals to judge muscle tone and other factors are eliminated. He likened the process to a cookie contest where judges don't get to sample the baked goods.

A virtual show, Franklin said, also slides competitive balance toward families that can afford top-flight cameras or videographers. The virtual shows he's seen take place so far have also simply noted the winners with no other information.

Franklin said he's lost more ag shows that he's won and, "the best education is when we get fourth or fifth and that judge tells us why we're fourth or fifth; from an educational standpoint (virtual is) a terrible alternative."

Thornton made a motion to not hold a virtual show for large animals, and let the fair board decide on how to handle poultry and rabbit shows that may need them due to other health concerns. Commissioners Sandoval, Spear and Ben McDaniel all noted they wanted to keep the option just in case, while Thornton said he didn't believe it was an option anyway. Thornton was joined by Martin in the vote, with Sandoval, Spear and McDaniel voting in dissent.