What NMSU Cooperative Extension Is
The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach arm of New Mexico State University's College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. NMSU describes it as a "unique federal, state, and county partnership" with staff in all 33 counties and many Tribal areas. Extension says its faculty reach more than 650,000 New Mexicans, about one-third of the state's population, and work with more than 1,000 organizations and 10,000 volunteers. The service was created by the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, according to the New Mexico 4-H 101 guide.
Your County Office
Every one of the 33 counties has an Extension office, and Rio Arriba County has a main office plus a sub-office in Tierra Amarilla. Tribal Extension is listed separately and serves the Navajo Nation, Southern Pueblos, Northern Pueblos and the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Each office has its own phone number; for example, Santa Fe County is 505-471-4711 and Socorro County is 575-835-0610. The full directory is on the Extension impact page, and county office information is also at aces.nmsu.edu/county/.
The county office is where most families first meet Extension. It is usually where you find the county fair book, the 4-H agent and local workshops. Newer buildings are changing that: the Curry County Extension Office opened in September 2023 at the Curry County Fairgrounds in Clovis, a roughly 6,272-square-foot, nearly $4 million facility with offices, a multipurpose space and a demonstration kitchen, according to NMSU.
Program Priorities
- Positive youth development
- Agriculture and natural resources
- Health and wellness of families
- Community development
- Empowering students
4-H
4-H is available in every New Mexico county. Per the 4-H 101 guide, programs are open to youth ages 5 to 19, the 4-H year runs October 1 to September 30, and there are more than 200 projects, from rocketry and rabbits to leadership and trades. Extension's own summary lists ages 9 to 19, and the Chaves County fair book uses a Cloverbud division for ages 5 to 8, so ask your county what applies. Extension staff supervise the program, volunteers lead much of the work, and the County Extension 4-H Agent oversees it in each county. Families can enroll through Zsuites and complete the NM 4-H 101 module there, or contact the county office.
The 4-H office is also your route to the fair. Chaves County, for example, requires enrollment by March 31 and project enrollment by May 1 for its 2026 fair. See our county fairs guide for details.
Other Youth Programs
- AgXplorer. Agricultural literacy for elementary students.
- Progressive Ag Safety Day. In Roosevelt County, third graders rotate through 10 safety stations.
- Growing Forward Farm. Fourth-grade tours in San Juan County each fall and spring.
- Youth Ranch Management Camp. Since 2011, over 200 youth ages 15 to 19 have attended (nmyrm.nmsu.edu).
- Aggie Next Step. Postsecondary planning for grades 8 to 12.
Help for Producers
Extension's agriculture and natural resources work includes NM Indian Livestock Days, which began in the 1970s in Las Cruces and moved to the Four Corners region in 1996. It also includes virtual fencing, which Extension says helped a Fowler Cattle Company herd after the 2022 Black Fire that scorched more than 325,000 acres. In 2023 Extension provided 86 grassland monitoring kits; 76 percent of participants reported increased knowledge and 64 percent said they would use the information, saving an average of $2,179 per operation. Producers can also use the free Stay Safe Working with Horses web module (staysafewithhorses.org), first developed in 2013.
Family, Health and Finance
Extension offers Mind Matters, a mental health program for ages 12 and up, and Extension Get Fit, a strength training program for ages 55 and older that meets twice weekly for one hour. Financial resources are at mymoney.nmsu.edu. NM EDGE offers about 400 classes a year to roughly 1,200 public employees.
Tribal and Statewide Programs
Tribal Extension serves the Navajo Nation, Southern Pueblos, Northern Pueblos and the Jicarilla Apache Reservation, and the Eastern Navajo Fair 4-H Junior Livestock Show in Crownpoint is run through the McKinley County Extension office. Extension also placed 17 interns statewide in 2024 (extension.nmsu.edu/internships), and in Socorro County runs a 4-H Skills School on Mondays at the Socorro Youth Center for children ages 3 to 12. Offerings vary by county, so a program you see in one place may not be available in another.
Extension also supports the road to the New Mexico State Fair. At the 2026 Sandoval County Fair, 163 blue ribbon winners qualified for the State Fair, which opened September 10, 2026 at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque, and qualifying livestock exhibitors also go on to compete there.
How to Get Started
- Find your county office in the directory and call the phone number listed for it.
- Ask the 4-H agent about enrollment, fair books and deadlines.
- Ask the ag agent about workshops, monitoring kits and soil or forage questions.
- Ask to be put on the county newsletter list, since many offices post newsletters and fair books online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an Extension office in my county?
Yes. NMSU says there are staff in all 33 counties.
How do I join 4-H?
Enroll through Zsuites and complete the NM 4-H 101 module, or contact your County Extension office.
Does Extension serve Tribal communities?
Yes. Tribal Extension serves the Navajo Nation, Southern Pueblos, Northern Pueblos and the Jicarilla Apache Reservation.
New Mexico Listings Covered by This Guide
- Bernalillo County Pressure Canner Testing
Home canners bring pressure canner gauges for testing in a Wednesday afternoon session. Held several times each year; the most recent session was November 11, 2026.
1510 Menaul Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107 | (505) 243-1386 | Organizer: Bernalillo County Extension Office Official event details - Curry County 4-H Show Savvy Workshop
Spring workshop at the Extension Office that prepares young exhibitors for the show ring. Held each year; the most recent workshop was April 10, 2026.
Clovis, NM | Organizer: Curry County Extension Office Official event details - New Mexico 4-H State Shooting Sports Contest
Statewide 4-H shooting sports contest staged at the NRA Whittington Center near Raton, with a shooting sports dance on May 2. Held each year; the most recent dates were April 30 to May 3, 2026.
Raton, NM | Organizer: New Mexico 4-H Official event details - Otero County 4-H Livestock Tag Day
Junior livestock exhibitors tag their market animals at the fairgrounds; the most recent first session was May 28, 2026 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., with a second tag day on June 6, 2026.
401 Fairgrounds Road, Alamogordo, NM 88310 | Organizer: Otero County Extension Official event details - Otero County 4-H County Contests
County-level 4-H contests with required RSVP at the Extension office and fairgrounds; the most recent date was June 2, 2026, after weeks of practice in consumer decision making and horticulture.
401 Fairgrounds Road, Alamogordo, NM 88310 | Organizer: Otero County Extension Official event details - Northern District 4-H Novice and Junior Shooting Sports
District shooting sports day for novice and junior 4-H members at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton. Held each year; the most recent date was June 9, 2026.
Raton, NM | Organizer: New Mexico 4-H Official event details - New Mexico 4-H Rodeo - San Miguel County
Weekend stop on the statewide 4-H rodeo circuit hosted in San Miguel County. Held each year; the most recent dates were June 13-14, 2026.
Las Vegas, NM | Organizer: New Mexico 4-H Official event details - Curry County 4-H County Contest Awards Night
Awards evening for the county 4-H contests held at the Extension Office; families RSVP by phone. Held each year; the most recent night was June 8, 2026.
Clovis, NM | (575) 763-6505 | Organizer: Curry County Extension Office Official event details - Southeast District 4-H Contests
Held each year in Tucumcari; the most recent dates were June 16-18, 2026. Shooting sports are at the Quay County Fairgrounds and other contests use Mesalands Community College and other sites.
1100 S. Camino Del Coronado, Tucumcari, NM | Organizer: NMSU Cooperative Extension Official event details - Northern Regional 4-H Livestock School
Regional hands-on livestock school for 4-H members held at the Bi-County Fairgrounds in Prewitt; the most recent dates were June 19-20, 2026. Held each year at a rotating regional site.
Prewitt, NM | Organizer: NMSU Cooperative Extension Official event details - San Juan County 4-H Poultry Clinic
Pre-fair clinic for 4-H poultry exhibitors in the McGee Park poultry barn; the most recent session was July 8, 2026, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Farmington, NM | 505-334-9496 | Organizer: San Juan County 4-H Official event details - San Juan County 4-H Hop Along Rabbit Fun Day
Rabbit project practice day for 4-H members at the McGee Park rabbit barn before the county fair; the most recent session was July 16, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Farmington, NM | 505-334-9496 | Organizer: San Juan County 4-H Official event details - Quay County 4-H Rodeo
Held each year at the fairgrounds rodeo arena; the most recent dates were July 24-25, 2026. Past editions drew about 72 4-H youth competing in goat tying, pole bending, barrel racing and roping for buckles and saddles.
Tucumcari, NM | Organizer: Quay County Extension Service Official event details - Curry County 4-H Horse Show
Horse show hosted by Curry County 4-H alongside the county fair; it is separate from the state horse show series. Held each year; the most recent show was August 8, 2026.
Clovis, NM | Organizer: Curry County Extension Office Official event details - New Mexico 4-H Rodeo Finals
Statewide finals for 4-H rodeo competitors held in Farmington; the most recent dates were Sept. 4-6, 2026. County qualifying rodeos run through the summer.
Farmington, NM | Organizer: NMSU Cooperative Extension Official event details - New Mexico 4-H Food Challenge
Statewide 4-H cooking contest held at Expo New Mexico during state fair season. Held each year; the most recent date was September 19, 2026.
Albuquerque, NM Official event details - Artesia 4-H Club and Cloverbuds
Eddy County 4-H club for Artesia families that meets the second Sunday of the month at 3 pm at the shooting range and includes a Cloverbud group for younger children.
Artesia, NM - Bernalillo County Extension Office (NMSU)
Albuquerque office of the NMSU Cooperative Extension Service serving Bernalillo County with 4-H youth, urban agriculture and Master Gardener programs.
Albuquerque, NM | 505-243-1386 - Blue Jeans and Boots 4-H Club
Carlsbad 4-H club meeting the second Thursday at 5:30 pm in the Eddy County Extension Office.
Carlsbad, NM - Brushpoppers 4-H Club
Eddy County 4-H club that gathers on the second Tuesday at 5:30 pm at the Carlsbad Extension Office.
Carlsbad, NM - Catron County Extension Office (NMSU)
NMSU Extension office for Catron County, based in Reserve, a very large ranching county in southwest New Mexico with its fair held in August.
Reserve, NM - Chaves County Extension Office (NMSU)
NMSU Extension office in Roswell serving Chaves County ranchers, growers and 4-H families ahead of the late-July Chaves County Fair.
Roswell, NM | 575-622-3210 - Cibola County Extension Office (NMSU)
Cibola County office of NMSU Extension in Grants, offering agriculture, 4-H and home economics help; Cibola youth show at the joint fair with McKinley County.
Grants, NM | 505-287-9266 - Clayton Cloverbuds
Union County 4-H group. Younger-member Cloverbuds group that meets in the Annex Room in Clayton on Tuesday evenings.
Clayton, NM - Colfax County Extension Office (NMSU)
NMSU Extension office for Colfax County in Raton, supporting northern ranchers and the Springer-based county fair held each July.
Raton, NM - Cottonwood 4-H Club and Cloverbuds
Artesia-area 4-H club and Cloverbud group meeting the first Monday at 5:30 pm at the Eddy County fairgrounds.
Artesia, NM - Curry County Extension Office (NMSU)
Clovis office of NMSU Extension serving Curry County dryland and irrigated farmers, dairy producers and 4-H clubs on the Texas border.
Clovis, NM | 575-763-6505 - De Baca County Extension Office (NMSU)
De Baca County Extension office at Fort Sumner serving small eastern-plains ranches and the county 4-H program.
Fort Sumner, NM - Dona Ana County Extension Office (NMSU)
Las Cruces office of NMSU Extension for Dona Ana County, covering Mesilla Valley chile, pecan and onion growers plus 4-H and Master Gardeners.
Las Cruces, NM | 575-525-6649 - Eddy County Extension Office (NMSU)
Eddy County Extension office in Carlsbad serving Pecos Valley farmers and ranchers and youth who show at the Artesia county fair.
Carlsbad, NM - Folsom 4-H Club
Union County 4-H group. Meets Monday evenings at the Baptist Church in Des Moines.
Des Moines, NM - Folsom Cloverbuds
Union County 4-H group. Younger-member Cloverbuds group that meets Monday afternoons at the Baptist Church in Des Moines.
Des Moines, NM - Grant County Extension Office (NMSU)
NMSU Extension office in Silver City for Grant County, assisting southwestern ranchers, gardeners and 4-H members.
Silver City, NM | 575-388-1559 - Guadalupe County Extension Office (NMSU)
Guadalupe County Extension office at Santa Rosa supporting local livestock producers and 4-H clubs.
Santa Rosa, NM - Happy Rock 4-H Club
Union County 4-H group. Meets in the Annex Room in Clayton, usually on Sunday afternoons.
Clayton, NM - Harding County 4-H Show Stock Sales Guide
NMSU Harding County Extension publishes a yearly guide to spring show pig, lamb and goat sales across New Mexico; the 2024 edition covers 20 sales between March and May.
NM - Harding County Extension Office (NMSU)
Harding County Extension office in Mosquero, a tiny county seat on the northeastern grasslands, serving ranchers and 4-H.
Mosquero, NM - Hidalgo County Extension Office (NMSU)
Hidalgo County Extension office in Lordsburg serving bootheel cattle ranchers, pecan and cotton growers and 4-H families.
Lordsburg, NM | 575-542-9291 - Johnson Mesa 4-H Club
Colfax County 4-H club that hosts the county general and novice-junior-senior contests at the Colfax County Fairgrounds in Springer.
NM - Kountry Klovers 4-H Club
Carlsbad 4-H club meeting the first Tuesday at 5:30 pm in the Extension Office.
Carlsbad, NM
Plus 71 more. Find yours on your county's page in the New Mexico directory.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.