March 20, 2026
Chelenzo Farms is a 350-acre regenerative farm in the high mountain desert outside Cerrillos. My wife, Chelsea, and I started this farm as a means to build a healthier life on the land. We practice dryland farming and ecosystem restoration and use livestock to restore degraded soil. In a region that has experienced more than two decades of continuous drought, Indigenous water harvesting methods have helped ensure we conserve every drop of water we can.
The Save Our Bacon Act, Section 12006 in the current Farm Bill, would harm small farms that are doing right by the land. According to an analysis by Harvard Law School, SOBA could nullify at least 11 New Mexico regulations, including importation requirements that protect our cattle, sheep and goats from tuberculosis, brucellosis and other diseases. Losing these state-level disease protections is an immediate threat to our animals and our livelihood. It would also infringe on states’ ability to innovate and create new programs to support small farmers like us.
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, our representative and member of the House Rules Committee, has the authority and the responsibility to oppose these provisions. The 11,890 farms across District 3 are counting on her to protect local control before it is too late.
Lorenzo Dominguez, Cerrillos