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Agriculture runs deep in Larry Reagan's blood. As President of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, he bridges the gap between policy and pasture, advocating for the 22,000 members who make up the state's oldest and largest agricultural organization.

"Raising cattle is a calling, not just a job," Reagan explains during this enlightening conversation with Caroline Romo of the New Mexico Beef Council. His journey from insurance customer to influential agricultural leader parallels the organization's own mission - often misunderstood as simply an insurance provider when its true purpose lies in advocacy, lobbying, legal action, and education.

Reagan's personal operation reflects the adaptive nature of New Mexico ranching. With only 14 inches of annual rainfall in his region, he's spent 25 years implementing cross-fencing systems for optimal cattle rotation. This attention to detail extends to animal welfare, with Reagan emphasizing that stress reduction is paramount for cattle health. "Everything we can do to minimize stress in our cattle is helping our cattle," he notes, highlighting the profound care that underpins responsible ranching practices.

The conversation reveals the Farm Bureau's inclusive approach to agriculture, welcoming everyone from small organic producers to large cattle operations under one mission: telling agriculture's story authentically. As Reagan puts it, agricultural producers are "doing it the best they can to the most rigorous standards," feeding their own families the very food they produce. His favorite beef dish? The quintessentially New Mexican green chili stew - a fitting culinary representation of the state's rich agricultural heritage.

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