SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Is the state buying up too much land from private property owners? That’s among the growing concerns from some lawmakers and people in the ag industry amid conservation efforts in New Mexico.
“Anytime that these bills come up or these issues come up… where there is excessive state money put out for people to buy land out of agriculture, we are concerned,” said Secretary-Treasurer of the New Mexico Federal Lands Council, Caren Cowan.
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It’s a debate whether New Mexico should be allowed to purchase big portions of private land for conservation efforts. The concern has prompted Republican lawmakers like Sen. Steven McCutcheon to block the state from doing so. “When the state acquires for the purpose or under the guise of conservation, conservation is the last thing that happens to the property. The property is just set aside. Nothing is done to it,” said Sen. McCutcheon.