Internship incentives

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture is launching the Agricultural Workforce Development Pilot Program to offer incentives to agricultural businesses to hire interns.

The program is the result of the Agricultural Workforce Development Program Act signed into law in April.

The pilot program intends to provide hands-on educational opportunities for students wanting to begin careers in agriculture, as well as young or beginning farmers and ranchers.

Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte said the desire to close a gap was at the heart of the Agricultural Workforce Development effort during the legislative session.

“New Mexico has a large population of aging farmers and ranchers, but we also have a large population of people who aspire to work in the ag industry,” Witte said. “Yet at times it’s challenging to connect these two groups. This pilot program was created to bridge the gap between these groups that are both vital to our ag industry.”

The pilot program does not match businesses and interns, but it defrays the cost of businesses hiring interns that have been identified. The program aims to transfer of knowledge and skills from one generation to the next.

Agricultural business operators and potential interns should go to http://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/awd-applications/ for more information or to submit an application. Applications will be accepted until funds are expended.