Electronic Logging Devices and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulations

Circular 689: Electronic Logging Devices and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulations: Impacts on 4-H, FFA, Rodeo, and Other “Not-For-Hire” Hauling Activities Craig Gifford (Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources) Marcy Ward (Extension Livestock Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources) PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR689.pdf

NMSU collaborating in Sustainable Bio-economy for Arid Regions project

NMSU collaborating in Sustainable Bio-economy for Arid Regions project DATE: 02/21/2018 WRITER: Jane Moorman, 505-249-0527, jmoorman@nmsu.edu CONTACT: John Idowu, 575-646-2571, jidowu@nmsu.edu Developing sustainable energy sources is a national quest of scientists in both the private industry and public university sector. Among these endeavors is the recently started Sustainable Bio-economy for Arid Regions project led by the University of Arizona. New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and College of Engineering faculty are among the collaborating investigators within SBAR, which is funded by a five-year grant of up to $15 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The SBAR project will research guayule and guar, two plants that grow well in the Southwest, as potential feedstock for biofuel and for high-value products such as rubber, resin and polysaccharide. “We are excited to contribute to this research,” said College of ACES Dean Rolando A. Flores. “These crops have great potential for the economy of New Mexico and the Southwest.” Currently, natural rubber and guar are raised in limited regions in the world. Industrial economists are concerned that political situations in those regions could impact the price and supply of the raw material. Through SBAR, researchers from the University of Arizona, NMSU, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University, Bridgestone Americas, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service will collaborate to improve research and commercialization of the products from guayule and guar. “This project is coming at a time when various agricultural systems are facing challenges in New Mexico, with many farmers seeking alternative crops that can help maintain and improve farm profit,” said John Idowu, the lead principal investigator for NMSU. “Guayule and guar can serve as the alternative rotation crops that can help farmers in New Mexico to become more profitable.” Guar research at NMSU’s Agricultural Science Center in Clovis has demonstrated that the low-water-use and drought-resistant crop is ideal for New Mexico and the Southwest. Kulbhushan Grover, NMSU associate professor specializing in sustainable crop production, has conducted research on guar since joining NMSU’s Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences in 2009. “Guar gum, which comes from guar seeds, is an important product used in the oil and gas industry and it is also used in many food products and pharmaceuticals,” said Grover. “Demand for guar gum in the United States is up to $1 billion annually, and most of the guar gum used is imported.” Through research and extension activities that will be performed by the SBAR team, farmers in New Mexico will eventually be able to take advantage of this huge market presented by the high demand for guar gum. NMSU faculty joining the world-renowned experts on guayule and guar at the other institutions: – John Idowu, associate professor and Cooperative Extension Service agronomist. His expertise is in soil and plant health. He is the lead for the Extension Education and Outreach thrust of the project and the lead principle investigator for NMSU. He will interface with growers and Extension specialists. – Catherine Brewer, assistant professor of chemical engineering in the College of Engineering. Her expertise is in conversion of biomass to biofuel and other products using thermochemical processes including hydrothermal liquefaction and pyrolysis. She is the lead for the Feedstock Logistics thrust and the K-12 education component of the project in New Mexico, and will investigate how variations in feedstock composition affect downstream processing. – Sangamesh Angadi, associate professor of crop stress physiology. His expertise is understanding water stress responses for a variety of crops including guar, intercropping and cultivation in arid environments. He will focus on guar phenotyping and interface with regional growers. – Paul Gutierrez, professor and Extension agricultural and business management specialist. His expertise is in rural development in low income areas of the Southwest and Mexico. He will focus on community and grower outreach, and the 4-H outreach component. – Kulbhushan Grover, associate professor of sustainable crop production. His expertise is in sustainable crop production to build soil quality and reduce external inputs. He will evaluate the growth and performance of guar seed production with produced water and identify/develop crop management strategies to optimize guar production. – Omar Holguin, assistant professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences. His expertise is in biomass characterization and biochemistry of algae and plant products. He will focus on understanding how plant composition and product quality vary during crop development and storage.

Why ‘cloud seeding’ is increasingly attractive to the thirsty west

Why ‘cloud seeding’ is increasingly attractive to the thirsty west AgWeek.com By Sophie Quinton Machines that prod clouds to make snow may sound like something out of an old science fiction movie. But worsening water scarcity, combined with new proof that “cloud seeding” actually works, is spurring more states, counties, water districts and power companies across the thirsty West to use the strategy. Last month, a study funded by the National Science Foundation proved for the first time that the technology works in nature. That study, combined with other recent research, has helped make cloud seeding an attractive option for officials and companies desperate to increase the amount of water in rivers and reservoirs…Major urban water districts in Arizona, California and Nevada have funded cloud seeding in the Rocky Mountains for over 10 years and are now close to signing an agreement with officials in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming to split the cost of nine more years of seeding

Mexican gray wolf population bounces back in Southwest

Mexican gray wolf population bounces back in Southwest Arizona Republic Endangered Mexican gray wolves rebounded from a deadly 2015 to reach a population of 113 in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico last year, the most since the species returned to the wild almost 20 years ago, federal and state biologists announced Friday. The population of wolves, first reintroduced from captive breeding into the two states in 1998, had grown by fits and starts to 110 two years ago before dropping back to 97 at the end of 2015…Fifty wild-born pups survived the year, compared with just 23 in 2015…Arizona has favored placing captive-born pups with wild packs in the state lately, instead of releasing pairs to form new packs. The tactic remains risky, Robinson said, as the annual census shows only three of six wolves fostered in this manner apparently survived last year. New Mexico, meanwhile, has secured a court injunction barring new releases into that state for the time being.

NMSU to host annual fruit tree pruning workshop at Alcalde on March 8

NMSU to host annual fruit tree pruning workshop at Alcalde on March 8 DATE: 02/23/2018 WRITER: Jane Moorman, 505-249-0527, jmoorman@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Shengrui Yao, 505-852-4241, yaos@nmsu.edu ALCALDE – Spring is just around the corner, so it is time to prune fruit trees but some gardeners may not be sure how to prune. New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences has the answer. A fruit tree pruning workshop will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday, March 8, at NMSU’s Sustainable Agriculture Science Center at Alcalde. “We will have presentations on pruning basics, common training systems and some new developments for each species,” said Shengrui Yao, NMSU Extension fruit specialist. “After that, there will be a hands-on session in the field.” The species will include apples, peaches, cherries, apricots, and plums trees, and blackberry bushes. “Home gardeners, small-acreage farmers and commercial fruit growers are all welcome to attend this event,” Yao said. “However, this workshop is limited to 35 participants.” The workshop is organized by agricultural agents Tony Valdez, NMSU Taos County Extension; Donald Martinez, Rio Arriba County Extension; Tom Dominguez, Santa Fe County Extension; Tory Hougland, Extension associate with the Rural Agricultural Improvement and Public Affairs Project; and Yao. Register online at rsvp.nmsu.edu/rsvp/treepruning, or call Augusta or Ann at 505-852-4241. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

After Two Decades And 6,000 Studies, Scientists Find GMO Corn Is Actually Good For You

After Two Decades And 6,000 Studies, Scientists Find GMO Corn Is Actually Good For You ScienceAlert.com By Chelsea Gohd …Perhaps some of this distrust will be put to rest with the emergence of a new meta-analysis that shows GM corn increases crop yields and provides significant health benefits. The analysis, which was not limited to studies conducted in the US and Canada, showed that GMO corn varieties have increased crop yields worldwide 5.6 to 24.5 percent when compared to non-GMO varieties. They also found that GM corn crops had significantly fewer (up to 36.5 percent less, depending on the species) mycotoxins - toxic chemical byproducts of crop colonization. Some have argued that GMOs in the US and Canada haven't increased crop yields and could threaten human health; this sweeping analysis proved just the opposite. More herehttps://www.sciencealert.com/after-two-decades-and-6-000-studies-scientists-find-gmos-in-corn-are-actually-good-for-you

Drought forces painful choices for New Mexico ranchers

Drought forces painful choices for New Mexico ranchers Associated Press Susan Montoya Bryan …On the high desert plains west of Cuba, fifth generation rancher Casey Spradley and her husband have been ranching on their own for about 20 years. They are the caretakers of the land first homesteaded by Spradley’s great-grandparents nearly a century ago. The Spradleys have a contingency plan for drought. Just a trace of rain fell last summer, forcing them to sell their calves early along with heifers that would have been ready to have calves this year. Now with the dry winter and unfavorable forecast, they made the decision — a tough one that Spradley said came with two and a half weeks of tears — to sell more. It will take years to rebuild the herd. “I’ve looked for other pastures and there’s just not any out there right now because I think everybody is a little bit worried that we are going to have a dry summer,” she said. “People are trying to hold on to what little grass they have for this coming year.” More https://apnews.com/e08645246d2b445d8e16ffbd0d68059d/Drought-forces-painful-choices-for-New-Mexico-ranchers