The New Mexico Department of Agriculture and the New Mexico State Fair announced the 2024 New Mexico Farm and Ranch Families of the Year on Sept. 12 at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque. The Wagner and Major families were honored in person at the fairgrounds.
The Wagner family, long established in Corrales, has been named Farm Family of the Year. Augustin Wagner Sr. started farming in Corrales in 1910, with 55 acres of farmland for growing green chile, alfalfa and a small variety of fruits and vegetables. The Wagner family, which today is led by Augustin’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren, now farms more than 300 acres in Corrales and Socorro, plus runs a farm store, restaurant, corn maze and hay rides and hosts an annual apple festival.
Randell and Lynn Major, owner-operators of a commercial cattle operation across three ranches in Socorro and Catron counties, have been named Ranch Family of the Year. The Major family has ranching roots that date back to 1886, when Randell’s great-grandfather drove a herd of cattle from Colorado to a ranch just north of Magdalena, New Mexico. Over the years, Randell has served on several committees, including the New Mexico Federal Lands Council, and has served as southwest regional vice president and president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association. They are pictured in the top photo. (Photo courtesy of EXPO New Mexico)
