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With several months to go before the upcoming legislative session, New Mexico鈥檚 cattle industry over potential restrictions on access to firearms and water streams during a legislative hearing Monday.

Before the Economic and Rural Development and Policy Committee, Tom Paterson, president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers鈥� Association, said many of the pressures faced by ranchers 鈥� like drought, volatile markets and animal disease 鈥� were 鈥渘ot always visible from outside the industry.鈥�

He said a single bill proposal may look modest by itself, but the cumulative weight of new legislation 鈥渃an make the difference between another generation staying on the ranch and a family selling out.鈥�

In its list of priorities, the association asked for lawmakers鈥� support on a variety of issues, including boosting veterinary care for livestock and efforts toward water conservation but also addressing newfound threats, like the New World screwworm.

Paterson said the association has been closely monitoring the screwworm 鈥� a fly that lays its eggs in open wounds and body openings, primarily affecting animals 鈥� after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed multiple cases in New Mexico and Texas in early June. 

He warned that an outbreak could have devastating consequences for the cattle industry. Paterson said an official told him only two people in the region are qualified to perform the inspections that a serious outbreak would require.

To that end, the association added to its priorities 鈥渁 dedicated animal-disease preparedness capacity鈥� that would promote rapid detection and alerts, response teams and education for producers, along with livestock disease surveillance and planning in case of an emergency outbreak.

Sen. Pat Boone, R-Elida,  said New Mexico鈥檚 ranches are more susceptible to the screwworm, as they are larger and more remote than those in Texas, where cattle operations are easier to monitor.

鈥淎t stake is our very industry itself,鈥� Boone said.

In addition to its priorities, Paterson outlined the industry鈥檚 concerns, including legislation that sought to regulate stream access and another one to limit the use of firearms. A bill that would have banned certain types of weapons failed at the Roundhouse last legislative session.

Paterson defended firearms as a practical necessity on ranches, citing accounts of Native American and Hispanic producers using guns to protect livestock from packs of feral dogs.

鈥淔irearms on a ranch are legitimate working tools, and the right of law-abiding New Mexicans to possess and use them is protected by our state constitution,鈥� Paterson said.

Rural firearm use is often misunderstood by urban lawmakers, said Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer, R-Farmington.

鈥淪hooting somebody in Albuquerque is different than shooting 17 dogs that are eating your sheep or cows,鈥� Sharer said.

Paterson also urged lawmakers to scrutinize any potential greenhouse-gas regulations that do not account for rural New Mexicans who drive long distances for animal feed, school and medical care, often with no access to public transit.

He said the agriculture industry鈥檚 dependence on diesel equipment could turn potential mandates into 鈥渁 regressive cost imposed on people with the fewest alternatives.鈥�

Paterson said the issues driving the cattle industry鈥檚 concerns were nonpartisan. 

鈥淭his is not a Republican or a Democratic issue,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is a New Mexico issue, and we implore you to work with us on it.鈥�

Keelin Fisher is a business reporter for the Journal. You can reach her at kfisher@abqjournal.com.