Duane Gillis
Precinct 1
Show InfoDuane Gillis is a 4th generation farmer who has been farming all his life. He and his wife Cheryl, as well as his brother and sister, farm Gillis Farms and incorporated it in 2000. He says that they come from a long line of chile growers in the Hatch Valley. His entire family is involved in agriculture, with son Darren now a 5th generation farmer and heavily involved in the farm and daughter Amanda living on a ranch in Hachita.
Chile is the Gillis’ specialty but they also grow onions, pecans, alfalfa, and corn. The farm has earned awards for conserving water in the Hatch Valley. He hopes to see more people coming back to farm.
Joe Paul Lack
Precinct 2
Show InfoJoe Paul Lack was born in 1955 in Las Cruces and has been in agriculture ever since. He has operated a custom hay business and after marrying his wife Rosie, the couple began farming in Hatch in the late 70s.
His agriculture degree from NMSU has been put to good use with his extensive farming operations stretching from Caballo down to Rincon. He has branched out from hay to include cotton, corn, chile, pecans and a registered Brangus cow calf operation.
He feels water is the lifeline of the Ag community and that’s a large part of why he is serving on the EBID board.
Steve Lyles
Precinct 3
Show InfoSteve Lyles grew up on a family farm in Hagerman. After earning a crop science degree at NMSU he returned to Hagerman to farm. He then spent three years in California working for a large corporate farm before returning to New Mexico in ’85. He has been farming a wide variety of vegetable crops in the Mesilla Valley since ’90.
He and his wife have five children.
