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The City of Portales is located on the eastern plains of New Mexico, surrounded by many acres of productive agricultural land and natural resources. Portales is the county seat of Roosevelt County and has a close relationship to the City of Clovis, 19 miles to the northeast. Approximately 62% of Roosevelt County’s population lives within the Portales municipal boundaries. Portales is an agricultural community and also a college town. Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) calls Portales home with its main campus. Between ENMU’s three campuses, it graduates over 400 students a year and is the third largest university in New Mexico. Education is the largest employment sector in Portales, making up just over 25% of the labor force. The many cultural and educational activities provided by ENMU are an important asset to the City, which helps attract visitors to Portales and make it a desirable place to live. The ENMU College of Fine Arts provides musical and dramatic programs and is home to a local symphony orchestra. Other community events in Portales include the Annual Heritage Days Celebration, the New Mexico Agricultural Expo, the Peanut Valley Festival, and the New Mexico 4-H Rodeo Finals. Portales is also home to the Blackwater Draw Museum and the Roosevelt County Museum. Agriculture is an important component of Portales’ economic base and an important aspect of the City and County’s culture and history. Roosevelt County leads New Mexico in the production of several crops, including corn, milo, wheat, peanuts, alfalfa, and potatoes. Dairy production is also a significant component of the agricultural industry in Portales and has the potential to become even more so. Evidence of this is the $200 million cheese plant being built midway between Portales and Clovis. The plant will use up to 65 million gallons per day of milk produced in eastern New Mexico. Cannon Air Force Base is another asset to Portales that contributes to its economy and workforce. Cannon Air Force Base is located about 11 miles from Portales and is home of the 27th Special Operations Wing. Approximately 150 families associated with the base live in Portales.
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