NMPF Recommends Changes to Margin Protection Program to Make It Viable Safety Net for Farmers

NMPF Recommends Changes to Margin Protection Program to Make It Viable Safety Net for Farmers NMPF Press Release The National Milk Producers Federation Board of Directors today unanimously approved a series of recommended changes to the dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP) that will restore several key elements first proposed by NMPF during development of the 2014 Farm Bill. These changes to the MPP will ensure an effective safety net for the nation’s dairy farmers – if the recommendations are adopted by Congress. The recommendations range from changing the way dairy feed costs are calculated, to providing farmers greater flexibility in signing up for coverage and using other risk management tools. The four-point plan was developed by NMPF’s Economic Policy Committee, and reflects feedback from dairy producers, economists and members of Congress.

2017 New Mexico Ag Expo

2017 New Mexico Ag Expo Press Release The 25th Annual Ag Expo will be held at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds in Portales, March 24-25th. The free event features agricultural vendors, home and garden vendors, seminars, demonstrations, food and drawings. Agricultural vendors come from all over the country and even Canada to display their products in the farming, ranching, equipment, and dairy industry. The show hours will be Friday 9 am - 5 pm, and Saturday 9 am - 3 pm. More here

RITF-85: An Introduction to NEPA: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

RITF-85: An Introduction to NEPA: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 RITF-85: An Introduction to NEPA: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 Douglas S. Cram (Assistant Professor/Extension Forestry and Fire Specialist, RITF, NMSU) Nicholas K. Ashcroft (College Assistant Professor/Extension Range Management Specialist, RITF, NMSU) Samuel T. Smallidge (Associate Professor/Extension Wildlife Specialist/RITF Coordinator, RITF, NMSU) Les P. Owen (Director of Conservation Services Division, Colorado Department of Agriculture) http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_ritf/RITF85.pdf

NMSU Grad Student Studying Economic Impact of Water Conservation, Storage Capacity Development

NMSU Grad Student Studying Economic Impact of Water Conservation, Storage Capacity Development, and Crop Diversity in the Tucumcari Project of East-Central New Mexico by Catherine Ortega Klett, NM WRRI Program Manager The Tucumcari Project surrounding the city of Tucumcari, NM, includes about 41,000 acres of irrigable land. Principal features include the Conchas Dam and Reservoir, built on the South Canadian River, plus the Conchas and Hudson Canals, and associated distribution and drainage systems. This water storage and distribution facility constitutes an irrigation district named after Mr. Arch Hurley, who lobbied for its creation in the 1930s. For over half a century, the Arch Hurley Conservancy District (AHCD) has used the approximately 40 miles of main canal and 350 miles of smaller ditches and laterals constructed as part of the Tucumcari Project to deliver water, on average, to almost 700 different parcels of irrigated lands. And for just as long it has been recognized that there are significant water losses in the system, due to such realities as evaporation, canal seepage, and evapotranspiration by canal bank vegetation. Befekadu Habteyes, a PhD student in the NMSU Department of Ag Economics and Ag Business and in the Water Science Management Program, in collaboration with his faculty advisor, Dr. Frank Ward, is conducting a field survey and economic modeling analysis of the AHCD, taking into account the possible effects of different crop choices and of water conservation and storage policies. Read more

Pecos Valley Water Users Organization Meeting

The next quarterly meeting will be March 10 Friday at 10:00 am in the conference room of the Artesia Agriculture Science Center. Proposed Agenda: Pecos Valley Water Users Organization Meeting Agenda March 10, 2017 10:00 Type of Meeting: Quarterly business meeting Meeting Facilitator: Woods Houghton Invitees: all water users in lower Pecos. I. Call to order II. Roll call III. Approval of minutes from last meeting IV. Open issues a) Current balance b) Dialog group state water plan 12 January17 - Eric c) Texas Horn shell muscle, does anyone have an update? V. New business a) Where do we go from here b) Elect Officers for 2017-18 c) From the group VI. Adjournment If you have another agenda item e-mail me. whoughto@nmsu.edu

New Publication n Controling Nuisance Birds

The following CES publication has been revised and is now available online in PDF format. Guide L-212: Controlling Nuisance Birds in New Mexico Revised by Sam Smallidge (Extension Wildlife Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sci. and Natural Resources) http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/L212.pdf

NMSU program guides leaders in food, agriculture, natural resources

NMSU program guides leaders in food, agriculture, natural resources DATE: 03/01/2017 WRITER: Jane Moorman, 505-249-0527, jmoorman@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Claudia Trueblood, 575-646-6691, nmal@nmsu.edu Who will be the next leaders in the food, agriculture and natural resource industries in New Mexico? The 4-H and FFA youth development programs instill leadership qualities in school- and college-age youth that they may then call upon in their daily lives or in the future during their careers. But how will these leaders step up now and have the skills to translate the industries’ concerns into proposals for change, agreements or laws? That question is being addressed by the New Mexico Agricultural Leadership program, housed at New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. “The purpose is to identify and support effective leadership within sectors of food, agriculture and natural resources in New Mexico,” said Claudia Trueblood. Trueblood is the coordinator of the NMAL program that was founded in 2001 by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and transferred to NMSU in 2008. “The program aids participants in the development of skills so they can become stronger and more effective leaders in their industry and communities,” she said. This goal is accomplished by exposing class members to direct experiences and interactions with a variety of businesses, social settings and political environments, both domestically and internationally. “We want to develop knowledgeable, multicultural leaders for New Mexico’s food, agricultural and natural resources industries,” Trueblood said. Alumni of past classes include Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte and NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service director Jon Boren, as well as other NMSU College of ACES faculty. The list includes employees of New Mexico Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Farm Credit of New Mexico, Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, Dairy Producers of New Mexico, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau and New Mexico Hay Growers Association. Class members have also been from private industry including ranching, farming, banks and farm equipment and supply companies. The current class members are Lacy Levine, NMDA program manager, agricultural programs and resources division in Las Cruces; Dustin Ptolemy, Farm Credit of New Mexico, vice president, business development manager in Roswell; Valerie Huerta, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, regional director in Mora; Newt McCarty, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service agricultural agent in Valencia County; Ryan Garcia, NAPI assistant corn crop manager in Farmington; Cheri Lujan, East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District district manager in Estancia; Alicia Briggs, New Mexico Cattle Growers Association deputy director in Albuquerque; Shannon Norris, NMSU College of ACES recruiting and retention coordinator; and Toby Boone, Sierra Soil and Water Conservation District district manager in Truth or Consequences. During the 15-month program eight seminars include meetings with experts in their respective fields, on-site tours and meetings with business and government leaders. “This program is designed for individuals interested in improving their leadership skills for their current and future careers,” Trueblood said. “The participants have the opportunity to deepen their understanding about themselves and about issues relevant to our state.” Through the seminars participants enhance their knowledge and understanding of major issues relevant to leaders in their fields. Topics include economics and policy, national and international trade, cultural awareness, energy including renewable and oil and gas, water issues and management, urban vs. rural agriculture and the role of institutions. “On-site tours allow the class members to broaden their perspectives by understanding processes through asking questions directly to the people responsible for the operation,” Trueblood said. The tours take them to all parts of the state from the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners region to the oil fields of southeast New Mexico. They also spend time in Santa Fe visiting with state leaders about issues affecting the industry. “The people we have met have different concepts of agriculture in the wide range of industry. This has broadened my mind,” Garcia said. The seminars include trips to Washington, D.C., and a foreign country; this year it will be Belize. During the trip the members meet business and government leaders and learn about the national and international issues impacting the food, agricultural and natural resource industries. “This program helps us to not only expand their knowledge in the fields around the state, nationally and internationally, but also it helps us to develop and improve our leadership skills,” McCarty said. “Prior to taking this class I had never had any formal leadership training,” Ptolemy said. “One of the first seminars was about figuring out your leadership style. Once I became comfortable with my leadership style, I’ve been able to build my skills around that.” “It has helped me create and enhance my leadership skills to better interact with people, colleagues and our membership,” Huerta said. “One of the greatest things about this program is that it allows the participant to take what you learned from each of the seminars and meetings, and take it back to their local program so the leadership skills don’t just stay with the individual but it goes to the company or businesses we represent as well,” Norris said. The application period for the next class of the New Mexico Agricultural Leadership program is currently open. To learn more about the program and to apply visit aces.nmsu.edu/nmal/. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews