New Colorado Conservation Services Division Director Hired

Les Owen of Las Cruces, New Mexico, will assume the role of the Colorado Department of Agriculture's Conservation Services Division Director. Owen shares more about the role he will be taking in August

Owen: "We work with the 76 Soil and Water Conservation Districts throughout Colorado, noxious weed, biocontrol, groundwater, fumigation, weekly forage programs are all part of the division. I'll be working a lot with representing agriculture in federal land management decisions, policies and planning. Threatened and endangered species issues that may impact agriculture — that is all going to be on my plate."

And he understands the many challenges the ag industry faces as he grew up on a family ranch in Corona, New Mexico, and is the current Natural Resource Program Manager with the New Mexico Department of Ag. He has also held the Natural Resources Policy and Planning Analyst position in which he facilitated conflict mediation between ranchers and federal agencies including the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Other positions in Owen's career include a 4-H Extension Agent and a research associate with the New Mexico State University's Department of Agricultural Economics and Range Science.

He continues with what he is looking forward to in his new role.

Owen: "It is an excellent opportunity in the ag industry — it is part of me and how I was raised and what has been important to me all my life. This just seems like a great opportunity to go to a new area and work with great folks in agriculture industry and be an advocate to ensure that an already vibrant ag industry in Colorado and to try and help in someway stay that way."