Catron County Extension Service Agent Tracy Drummond presents award to Marge McKeen, as Tom Dean, NMSU SW District Cooperative Extension Service co-director looks onPhoto and article by Mary Alice Murphy

Marge McKeen was awarded the annual New Mexico Outstanding Agriculture Leadership Award recently by the New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences for outstanding contributions to the State of New Mexico. She was unable to attend the ceremony, which took place on April 20, 2018.

She and her husband, Hugh B., organize and host Ranch Days over two days each April to bring students from the region to their ranch near Alma, N.M., to learn more about the ranching lifestyle and what goes into it, including branding. She began the ag in the classroom in Reserve schools, before it became popular and moved it to the McKeen's ranch to better show the students various aspects of the ranching business.

Because Marge did not attend the ceremony, Tom Dean of New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service arranged, unbeknownst to the honoree, to have Catron County Extension Agent Tracy Drummond present the award to her at the first day of Ranch Days, April 24, 2018.

Dean said she was selected from nominations from across the state. She is an active member of the Frisco Cowbelles and has been active in the state Cowbelles and the New Mexico Beef Council. She is a past winner for the Diamond in the Rough award for women in agriculture. Marge and Hugh B. also host an annual Father's Day picinic at their ranch. She volunteers at the Catron County Fair each year. She is beginning her 56th year as a 4-H leader. Marge has also served on the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Council for more than 30 years, where according to the letter of nomination from Drummond, Marge has championed everything from the 4-H program to the Range Improvement Task Force.

"Marge is a perfect candidate for this award," Drummond said. "She has leveraged knowledge, talents, partnerships and resources from throughout New Mexico in service to agriculture."