Luna County unemployment tops 10 percent

DEMING – Luna County continues to top the state for local unemployment, with a preliminary rate of 10.3 percent unemployed in October, as reported by the Department of Workforce Solutions last Friday.

Data released by DWS indicated a drop of employed Luna County workers from September to October, a loss the Deming Workforce Solutions office attributes partly to a seasonal drop in demand by agricultural employers.

“The green chile harvest starts winding down, but other farm workers continue to harvest watermelons or pumpkins locally,” said Roberto Montoya of the Deming Workforce Solutions office. He also pointed to increased mechanization across the agricultural sector as a factor pressuring employment downward. The preliminary unemployment rate for October is very close to the unemployment rate in October of 2016, which was 10.5 percent of a slightly smaller labor force.

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Montoya also pointed out that Deming food manufacturer Mizkan, a major local employer, typically reduces its production line in October.

Statewide, New Mexico reported an increase of 13,100 nonagricultural jobs between Octobers of 2016 and this year. The industry adding the most jobs in that time frame was leisure and hospitality, adding 4,000 jobs, followed by professional and business services, and construction. All aggregate gains in jobs were in the private sector, with government employment shrinking overall.

Notably, one sector that has been identified by local government, education, and business leaders as a potential growth area for Luna County showed healthy growth in private sector employment across New Mexico. Education and health services added 2,000 jobs statewide during the same 12-month period, while health care and social assistance added 600 jobs.

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“It is no secret that the jobs created in the many sectors of the industry are usually well-paying positions,” said Cassie Arias, the director of Deming Luna County Economic Development organization. “In rural areas, they are often very high-paying positions above the mean median income.”

Arias also cited local healthcare and social services as a factor in luring new industries to invest in the community. She hailed expanded facilities and positions at Mimbres Memorial Hospital, as well as the recent launch of a summer Health Careers Academy in an effort to train a local workforce and stimulate increased economic activity — including more quality jobs.

Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-546-2611 (ext. 2608) or adammassa@demingheadlight.com.