The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) has announced the appointment of Shelton Dodson as its new Director of Public Affairs. Dodson brings with him a wealth of experience, having spent 24 years as a broadcast journalist in New Mexico and Texas.
Throughout his career, Dodson has received several awards, including News Story of the Year and News Reporter of the Year from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association in 2006. He launched his career in 1994 at KVIA-TV in El Paso, demonstrating his versatility by taking on roles such as reporter, anchor, videographer, and editor. According to an NMDA press release, Dodson later held similar positions at KENS5-TV in San Antonio, KOB-TV in Albuquerque, and KFOX-TV and KDBC-TV in El Paso.
In response to his appointment, Dodson said: "Working for NMDA is a dream job for me. To be able to apply my experience and knowledge of this state to the task of promoting New Mexico’s agriculture industry is a win-win situation. NMDA is about so much more than growing chile, picking pecans, milking cows and raising beef. I’m excited to tell the stories that demonstrate just how much we do and how well we do it."
New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte also expressed his support for Dodson's appointment: "We feel Shelton brings a unique skill set to our department. His extensive experience in visual storytelling will help NMDA communicate with and inform the public in a way that few other agencies can. The fact that he’s a fourth-generation New Mexican who knows our state and understands the enormous impact agriculture has here only makes this hire even better for all of us."
The role of NMDA involves promoting the viability of state agriculture while ensuring a fair marketplace, food safety, and economic development. The department collaborates with both public and private sectors to facilitate global trade, maintain regulatory compliance, and focus on responsible resource management for agriculture. Additionally, NMDA ensures a safe food supply and conducts diagnostic analyses, according to the Department of Agriculture webpage provided by the State of New Mexico.
