Director Position 3: New Mexico James Sloan

James Sloan

Age as of March 1, 2026:     40

Residence Location: La Mesa, New Mexico

Place of Operation: La Mesa, New Mexico

Business Experience: Over the past five years I’ve managed the farm day to day, making most financial and operational decisions myself. I’m looking to strengthen planning, forecasting, and efficiency while keeping hands-on control. My goals are to improve profitability and cash flow, reduce reliance on a single person, and build reliable budgeting and reporting systems. 

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Ag Business and Accounting

Current Boards: 

• Elephant Butte Irrigation District 

Nominating Committee Slated: Yes

Strategic & Visionary Thinking: Strategic and visionary thinking for diversifying your farm to sustain longevity starts with a clear, future oriented mission and guardrails that balance growth, risk, and stewardship. Begin by articulating a long-term vision—how you want your farm to look in 10, 20, and 30 years across production, markets, and environmental influence. Conduct a comprehensive resource and risk assessment: land, water, labor, capital, climate resilience, and market dynamics. 

Corporate Governance: As a board member of EBID Water District, I champion corporate governance grounded in transparency and accountability. Our framework emphasizes independent oversight, clear board and management roles, and rigorous risk management to ensure reliable water service and prudent public stewardship. By delivering accessible financial disclosures, performance metrics, and open channels for stakeholder input—customers, regulators, and the community—we foster trust and informed decision-making. EBID’s focus on competitive procurement, strong internal controls, and timely audits demonstrates how transparency mitigates conflicts of interest and strengthens accountability. This governance approach, aligned with ethical culture and long-term value creation, sustains resilience and community confidence.

Financial Expertise: As chair of the EBID Water District Budget Committee, I oversee fiscal planning, transparency, and accountability to ensure reliable water services for our community. Our process emphasizes disciplined budgeting, risk assessment, and long-term stewardship of scarce resources, balancing operational needs with capital investments. I collaborate with board members, and district staff to review revenue forecasts, expenditure requests, and reserve adequacy, while prioritizing essential maintenance and compliance. On the family farm, prudent financial management mirrors these principles: meticulous record-keeping, deliberate cost control, and proactive planning for seasonal cycles.

Communication: My strongest communication experience stems from serving on the EBID Water District and American AgCredit nominating committees. I’ve facilitated productive discussions, gathered diverse stakeholder input, and translated complex issues into clear, actionable guidance. These roles honed my listening, diplomacy, and concise messaging. 

Technology: I’ve used a lot of technology on the farm, including moisture monitoring systems and expense-tracking apps. I strongly believe technology can simplify farming, boost productivity, and free up time to spend with my family. Embracing innovation helps me work smarter, not harder, while preserving essential family moments.

Human Resource Management: We maintain 15 full-time employees and expect seasonal staff to total 40–60. I focus on training full-time employees to take more responsibility and provide pay incentives to boost productivity. This strategy rewards performance, strengthens core team capability, and aligns compensation with output, supporting sustainable growth and service consistency.

Risk Management: Farmers don’t love risk, but they manage it daily. Farming is long-term and cannot eliminate all risk. We mitigate it by learning from the past to inform the future—using data, planning, and steady practices to reduce uncertainty and protect long-term value.

Leadership: Being a leader is not contingent on a title or a particular setting. Whether one serves on a farm, within a church, or on governing boards, leadership is accessible to all. I seek out individuals wiser than myself, study their practices, and thoughtfully adapt and refine them to enhance my own leadership. Leadership demands hard work, dedication, and a sustained commitment to growth. By observing effective mentors, embracing continuous improvement, and applying those lessons with intention, I strive to elevate my leadership each day.