The Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) is a consortium of local and tribal governments and public/private partnerships working together to solve regional challenges and create a vibrant central New Mexico. The MRCOG mission is to strengthen individual communities by identifying and initiating regional planning strategies through open dialogue and collaboration between the member governments. Representing the counties of Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance, and Sandoval, we provide planning services in the areas of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land-use, water, and economic development. We provide a forum for groups and individual communities to meet and address regional issues. By working together as a region, we're able to identify and implement short and long term policy decisions that are critical to a healthy community and prosperous NM. Much of the transportation planning support we provide to the outlying areas of the region occurs through the Rural Transportation Planning Organization, and to the urban core through the Metropolitan Planning Organization. The majority of data collection and analysis work is performed region-wide and can be customized to meet individual needs. We also manage the popular commuter rail service: the NM Rail Runner Express. Our regional water planning effort addresses a fundamental concern of local governments: how will we meet future water needs? Likewise, the Agriculture Collaborative focuses on another scarce resource: local farmland, which as a result of urban encroachment, is dwindling. Our regional economy cannot be prosperous without jobs, and through Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico offices, we are assisting area employers while providing quality resources for people exploring career opportunities. We also assist the regional economy by providing a summary of the region's economic conditions and recommended activities for growth and development.