My grandfather, the late James V. Curtis (commonly known as Rip), created a legacy for our family. This legacy was built upon hard work, quality native grass seed, and community. Although my grandfather passed early in my life, he made a valuable impression on me. Rip was tough, but his passion for his community and love for agriculture were stronger than any man I will ever know. In 1956, my grandfather founded Curtis & Curtis Seed, a seed supply business with one goal - to leave the land better than we found it. 62 years later, I became a managing partner of the very business that he founded on the principles of faith, service, and integrity.
Today, I am proud to be a 5th generation New Mexican and carry these same principles and input them into my business practices and livelihood. I am also proud to have a lifetime of experiences on our family ranching operation. The Curtis family still owns the original homesteads and continues to operate the oldest continually registered Angus Herd in the State of NM. My name is T.J. Curtis, and I am confident that my experiences, education, and passions align seamlessly with Ag Trust Farm Credit’s mission.
I received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Eastern New Mexico University with minors in human resource management, Spanish, and marketing. Shortly after, I obtained my Instrument Pilot’s license. As I approach my 25th year as a licensed pilot, I continue to complete all training requirements and exams on a yearly basis. Aviation is not only a passion, but also an important business tool. We can cover the remote areas of the Southwestern United States looking for Native grass harvest opportunities and see areas that are not accessible via roadways.
Shortly after Graduating from College, I had the opportunity to live in Sonora, Mexico and attend the University of Sonora in Hermosillo. I lived with a progressive farming family and learned Farming, Ranching, and Business Practices. This opportunity helped me see the world from a different perspective and is a highlight of my life.
Early in my career, I was honored to serve New Mexico seed producers as President of the New Mexico Seedsmen Association. This position enabled me to advocate for and represent the New Mexico seed industry on a state and national level. As President, I oversaw the financial affairs of the association, assisted in the planning and organization of our yearly convention, and distributed scholarships to New Mexico youth. I also had managerial experience at Curtis & Curtis Inc, where in 2002, we were awarded MDA International Marketer of the Year, as well as ACI NM Business of the Year.
In 2009, I relocated to Cimarron, Kansas, where I oversaw the construction and relocation of 10,000 head dairy facility. 2015 brought the opportunity to own Kingdom Dairy in McCook Nebraska. This gave me experience in multi-state ownership and management of large-scale agricultural operations. My time in the dairy industry was valuable and provided the opportunity to serve agriculture in a new capacity.
In 2016, Forget-me-not Farms, our farm in Cimarron, was awarded a prestigious state acclamation of Dairy Farm of the Year. During this time, I served Kansas farmers and ranchers through my involvement within the Kansas Livestock Association as a member of the executive committee, board of directors, and chairman of the Dairy Council and served on the Western States Dairy Board. I was an active member of the Cimarron, Kansas Airport Board of Directors and advocated specifically for agricultural aviation services. Additionally, I was a member of the Dean Foods Animal Welfare Advisory Council and 21st Century North American Dairy Club.
Currently, I am managerially involved in five local businesses. Each business varies greatly, providing me extensive experience in many different fields. In 2018, I became a managing partner at not only Curtis & Curtis, LLC, but also Tierra Environmental Services, LLC - a reclamation business that works hand-in-hand with our goal of leaving the land better than we found it. In 2019, I added managing partnerships in Agri-Plan Crop Insurance, Branded Screen Printing & Embroidery, and Cielo Azul, LLC. I am immersed in a different sector of the agricultural industry daily, as each business provides a benefit to agriculture in a different way.
Born in New Mexico, raised in Curry County and a graduate of Clovis High, I am a proud member of the community. I served as chairman of the City of Clovis Civil Aviation Board from 2018 to 2022, and I have been active within the Clovis Chamber of Commerce for many years and as chair of Ag 50 in 2018-2019. I am also a member of the NM Amigo’s. As a bank director at Ag Trust Farm Credit, I aim to leverage my previous experiences and future opportunities toward strengthening our agricultural community.
