VADO, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — As part of what the Trump Administration is calling the "re-industrialization" of America, the federal government wants people to pursue careers in local industries, such as agriculture here in Southern New Mexico.On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling visited Big Sky Dairy in Vado and the Seco Spice farm in Anthony, New Mexico, to meet with workers and leaders and discuss how to boost the workforce in these local industries.According to Sonderling, t...
VADO, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — As part of what the Trump Administration is calling the "re-industrialization" of America, the federal government wants people to pursue careers in local industries, such as agriculture here in Southern New Mexico.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling visited Big Sky Dairy in Vado and the Seco Spice farm in Anthony, New Mexico, to meet with workers and leaders and discuss how to boost the workforce in these local industries.
According to Sonderling, the move is to push students to consider these careers, like agriculture and dairy, saying that they pay well and don't require a four-year degree.
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"We're working with local workforce boards and the education system locally to say, 'hey, look at these jobs here in southern New Mexico. Look at these jobs that are high-paying, that there's demand, that people want products from New Mexico, especially in agriculture, dairy, chili-- of course-- peppers. And how we inspire the next generation of workers," Sonderling said.
Sonderling also said that as part of the tour, he wanted to see up close and in real-time how a dairy farm operates, seeing how new technology, such as artificial intelligence, comes into play.
"I wanted to see the full chain," Sonderling said. "We all have that vision of somebody with their hands milking a cow. But this industry, like many others, is getting much, much more sophisticated as it comes to technology. And I was able to see how modern-day dairy farms operate. Everything from raising the cattle all the way through the process of them giving birth to then finally milking... And the way artificial intelligence is impacting all fields, you may not think it's impacting an industry like dairy, but it is."
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