And a county beautification project will see a landscaped walking path along Lovington Highway, Route 18, northerly from the Events Center for a mile and a half, nearly to the McAdams Park. Road transportation, always of importance, has been improved. The state has repaved most of the Lovington Highway, Route 18, from center Hobbs to 10 miles north at Humble City. In the field of agriculture and cattle, County Extension Agent Wallace Cox, who last year counted 19,000 cows on 14 dairy farms, mostly in the area north of Hobbs and south of Lovington, this year reports there are about 30,000 cows roaming the 14 spreads and that four new dairy farms are being established. Cheese-making also is a growing industry in the county with at least one plant planning major expansion.
Lea County continues to hold second place in New Mexico in peanut production.
Alfalfa crops and corn silage growth constitutes much of the agriculture, with the silage important for feeding at the dairy farms. In addition, according to Cox, there has been an approximate 25 percent increase in green chile and onion production on the several farms in the county. Charlie Hoye is a Hobbs freelance writer. All rights reserved. No material on this site may be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express written permission of the New Mexico Business Journal.