SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham delivered hundreds of millions of dollars for low-interest, low-risk loans to help small New Mexico businesses recover financially from COVID-19 when she signed a loan program measure July 7.

The Small Business Recovery Act of 2020 allocates $400 million from the state’s $5 billion Severance Tax Permanent Fund for loans to small New Mexico businesses and nonprofits and almost $50 million for loans to local governments.

Eligible businesses and nonprofits may borrow two times their average monthly expenses up to a maximum of $75,000. The measure sets the interest rate at one-half the prime rate on the day the loan is made. The initial loan...

NAMBÉ, N.M.—  During a remote hearing of the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, Congressman Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, announced plans to introduce legislation to address the growing threat of COVID-19 scams by empowering the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to hold bad actors accountable.

Citing shocking statistics on the pervasiveness of COVID-19 scams,  Luján explained: “These numbers represent real suffering and loss. That’s why I plan to introduce the Stopping COVID Scams Act of 2020, which would allow the FTC to levy civil penalties on COVID-19 scammers.”

“A stronger FTC with civil penalty...

New Mexico, Arizona planning forest thinning projects

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.— A new understanding was reached the week of July 6 that will ensure that forest thinning projects in six national forests in Arizona and New Mexico will better protect endangered Mexican spotted owls.

The understanding was reached between the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the states of New Mexico and Arizona and the Eastern Arizona Counties Organization.

“This landmark understanding provides better protection for this beautiful endangered bird and the rare, large tree-dominated, upper-elevation habitat that the owls need to survive,” Robin Silver...

New study reveals hidden economic opportunities

SANTA FE — New opportunities for New Mexico farmers to make money have emerged in the New Mexico Farm & Food Economy study prepared by the Crossroads Resource Center and released on June 15.

Based on publicly available data, the 46-page study found that over the last 50 years, farmers in the state spent $14 billion more on animal feed than they sold and $10 billion buying agrochemicals, petroleum products and agricultural inputs sourced out of state each year.

Due to these ever-increasing costs, there has been no gain in net cash income for farmers over the past half century.

Building soil health is an opportunity for farmers and...