I am Dr. Fernando A. Ibarra Flores and I am married to Dr. Martha H. Martin Rivera with whom I have 2 children, Fernando and Martha Jr. We have been participating in the SRM as students since college in Universidad Autónoma Agraria “Antonio Narro” and the Technological Institute of Monterrey. In 1975 and we continued as members for life to date (2018). As students, we were trained by Dr. Jorge Galo Medina, Dr. Reginaldo De Luna Villarreal, Hector Garza Cantu, Ricardo Vázquez Aldape, Candelario Carrera, Guillermo Nava, among other professors of Antonio Narro and Tecnologico de Monterrey Universities who were also members of the SRM at that time.
Later, both of us started working as experts in Grassland Management and Improvement in the Experimental Ranch “la Campana”, INIFAP-SAGARPA in Chihuahua, Mexico, directed by the prestigious and renowned Doctor Martín H. González (†). In 1980, we engaged in a binational program between INIFAP-SAGARPA, USDA-ARS and CONACYT under the direction of Drs. Howard L. Morton (†), Jerry R. Cox, Gary Frasier, Kenneth Renard, Martin H. Gonzalez (†) and Luis Carlos Fierro, to perform masters studies in grazing management at the University of Arizona. We were directed and supervised by Drs. Howard L. Morton (†), Jerry R. Cox, Lamar Smith, Phill Ogden, Gilbert Jordan (†) and subsequently Doctorate in Management and Rehabilitation of Grazing Lands at Utah State University under the supervision of Drs. Jerry R. Cox, John Malacheck, Allan Rasmusen, Roger Banner, Ben Norton, Christopher Call, Diana Alston, Todd Crowl, Douglas Johnson, Jerry Chatterton and Raymond Miller (†).
During that time, from 1977 to 2007, we worked as researchers at INIFAP and published research and extension work to agricultural producers from different parts of northern Mexico, based in the state of Sonora, where we retired in 2007. During the last 15 years, both of us have served as Master Researchers at the University of Sonora Santa Ana Campus, Sonora, Mexico, in the Department of Administration within the area of Natural Resources.
We have been interested in the SRM since we were in school. Since our entry into the SRM we have been participating personally, as well as through students and producers who accompany us for their personal improvement. During our stay at SRM we have been very fortunate because we keep in touch and communicate with many professionals from different specialties such as research centers and universities in the United States and other countries, as well as with some producers.
We have attended several congresses, trained students and agricultural producers. In addition to attending conferences, visiting regions and meeting with farmers in other environments, as well as learning their work methods, ecosystems, livestock and wildlife in with they live. We consider that we have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet so many students and professionals from different regions of the world with whom we contacted and exchanged knowledge and experiences. The SRM has allowed us to interact with many people and share knowledge, providing us with experience until today. The exchange of information and experiences with partners of the SRM has played a very important role in our professional development and in the support we can provide to livestock producers and managers of the land and natural resources of our country. We have enjoyed society so much that we are already part of other societies such as the International Grassland Society.
The experience and knowledge acquired in our almost 40 years as members of the SRM has been very satisfactory and has helped us to meet many people in different parts of the world, has allowed us to support, train and train students and breeders that directly and indirectly impact on decision making in the management of natural resources. Above all, it has allowed us to enjoy its people and learn and obtain scientific and practical knowledge that have influenced our way of thinking and working in our country. At least 30% of our time is spent as extension agents to train producers in Sonora and various regions of Mexico in the management and improvement of pastures.
The areas most demanded by producers in Mexico are: grazing management alternatives to maximize vegetation, forage and meat production; reduction of invasive species of low fodder value and toxic plants; water and soil retention practices for the rehabilitation of grazing lands; harvest, collection, management and conservation of forage germplasm in pastures; control and management of insects and pests on rangelands, establishment of forage species for livestock and wildlife; management and improvement of habitat for wildlife; and ranching infrastructure and facilities, water and equipment, among others.
We have enjoyed our professional life of agronomists and their close relationship and participation with the SRM, which we are very proud of, and we strongly encourage students and young producers to do so as well and enjoy learning about it. If they were to give us the option of belonging to the SRM again, we would do it without hesitation. Greetings to all.
It is an honor for us to be part of the SRM and we are pleased to invite new generations of students and professionals to join us in order to participate and contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources.