Army Worm complex found in Alfalfa

I have been getting reports of Army worm complex in Alfalfa, sorgum, on and other crops. Here is a good publication for beet http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_a/A334/welcome.html We get all three here in Eddy County so we also have western and yellow. Control is the same. Get out there find them and spray them. Products labeled for Army worms include products labeled for alfalfa caterpillar. They are lepidopetera insects so those products labeled for alfalfa and Lepidopetera are available consult with your Crop Protection Chemical Supplier. READ and FOLLOW the label. Any specific Question give me a call. I had one producers ask why I did not make pesticide recommendations directly in these articles. We have not had any real changes in available active ingredients, for a long time. Most are no longer patent protected, and there are a lot of generic products and or reformulation of products with new names that your crop protection suppler has access to. So it makes it difficult to use trade names. If you have a question about a product how it might work give me a call I can look up the Active Ingredient and know how that should work for you.

NMSU Animal Science professor, students earn top awards

NMSU Animal Science professor, students earn top awards DATE: 08/29/2017 WRITER: Kristie Garcia, 575-646-4211, kmgarcia@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Shanna Ivey, 575-646-2515, sivey@nmsu.edu Several individuals representing the New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences were honored at the Western Section of American Society of Animal Science’s annual meeting this summer. Jennifer Hernandez-Gifford, an associate professor of reproductive physiology in the NMSU Department of Animal and Range Sciences, received the Young Scientist Award, which is awarded through a nomination process only one time per year. The award recognizes outstanding research achievement by a candidate age 40 or younger. Ryan Ashley, an assistant professor in the NMSU Department of Animal and Range Sciences, nominated Hernandez-Gifford for the award. Young Scientist Award nominees’ research activities are evaluated in terms of contributions to greater efficiency or quality of livestock production or utilization. Research from Hernandez-Gifford’s lab is expected to help reproductive physiologists provide novel and innovative methods to ensure economic success for livestock producers while feeding the world’s growing population. The long-term goal of Hernandez-Gifford’s research is providing knowledge about the physiological role and mechanism of action of ovarian WNT signaling molecules in follicular development in the adult ovary. Kendall Samuelson was honored by the Western Section Young Scholar Recognition program. She earned a doctorate in animal science with an emphasis in ruminant nutrition last December. The Young Scholar Recognition program acknowledges the research accomplishments of current and/or recent doctorate and graduate students in the Western Section of ASAS. This program recognizes only two graduate students and one doctorate student each year. Samuelson’s research primarily focuses on feedlot cattle nutrition and management with an emphasis in protein metabolism, growth promoting technologies, stress physiology and animal health. Doctoral candidate Eben Oosthuysen gave an oral presentation at WSASAS titled, “Blood oximetry responses of glycerin-supplemented and immune-challenged calves” and a poster presentation titled, “Hydration status, health and performance of newly received feedlot heifers in response to delayed processing.” He was also selected as the junior platform speaker for the annual Canadian Society of Animal Science – American Society Animal Science meeting. His presentation was titled, “Blood gas analysis as diagnostic tool for early detection of respiratory disease in cattle.” Oosthuysen is expected to receive his doctorate in animal science with a minor in agricultural business in December. Stacia Prosser, a doctoral student majoring in animal science with a concentration in reproductive physiology, earned third place in the graduate student paper competition. Her oral presentation was titled, “In utero inhibition of chemokine receptor four signaling alters peripheral blood immune response during early pregnancy in ewes.” In this project, she examined inflammatory proteins as they pertain to a signaling axis that is believed to be critical to early pregnancy maintenance. Sierra Pillmore, an animal science major, earned second place in the undergraduate poster competition. The title of her poster was, “Supplementation of crude glycerin via drinking water alters feed intake of sheep.” The American Society of Animal Science’s mission is to foster the discovery, sharing and application of scientific knowledge concerning the care and responsible use of animals to enhance animal and human health and well-being. The Western Section is comprised of 12 states from the United States, 11 states from Mexico and three provinces from Canada. Its 2017 annual meeting was held in Fargo, North Dakota. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

Hay Market Report

It has been difficult the past few months. You can e-mail me at whoughto@nmsu.edu PRICES FOR ALFALFA (Please fill in Prices) Hay Quality Price per ton Custom baled In the field Premium Top Quality Other Quality GENERAL CONDITIONS (Please fill in information as pertaining to county) % of Cut Complete: Market Activity: Climate: Pest Conditions:

How a California groundwater case could affect Nevada and the West

How a California groundwater case could affect Nevada and the West The Nevada Independent By Daniel Rothberg …The case looks to clarify what rights Native American tribes have to groundwater on reservations. In 1908, the Supreme Court said tribes possessed a federal right to surface water, but lower courts have since clashed over whether or not those rights extend to groundwater. …For nearly 100 years, courts have differed and danced around the issue of whether reservation rights include groundwater. But in March, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals gave a definitive answer in the affirmative, extending groundwater rights to a California tribe in the Coachella Valley around Palm Springs. The three-judge panel said the federal government, in establishing reservations, had impliedly earmarked groundwater for tribal use. The court took the additional step of explicitly saying a tribe’s federal groundwater rights preempt state law. Tribes applauded the Ninth Circuit ruling in Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians vs. Coachella Valley Water District, et. al. And several attorneys who work on Native American resource issues said they expected to see a maelstrom of litigation as tribes act on the ruling. But the decision left many questions unanswered, and that uncertainty worries arid states where water is scarce. Where do the states’ water laws fit into the Ninth Circuit’s decision? That is the central question in the amicus brief from Laxalt on behalf of attorneys general in Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Authority over water traditionally belongs to the states. They decide how water is regulated and allocated. States are concerned that losing any control over management could further endanger aquifers that provide drinking water and often support ranching, mining and farming operations. New claims to unaccounted groundwater rights — rights that would preempt state law — could disrupt an already strained system, they argue. And the recent ruling might indirectly affect water rights on federal land that’s been reserved for national parks or military bases. Some have even argued it could affect the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s proposed pipeline project. The case history – May 2013: A Palm Springs-based tribe, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, sues two California water agencies to assert a priority right to groundwater. The tribe, with more than 400 members and 31,000 acres, criticizes how the public agencies have managed the aquifer and said they want to play a greater role in its governance. The two agencies publicly question its motives, suggesting there might be a financial incentive. – June 2014: The U.S. government joins the case and argues that the tribe’s priority rights — under what is known as the “reserved rights doctrine” — extend to groundwater. – March 2015: A district court judge rules that reserved rights include groundwater. – March 2017: The Ninth Circuit upholds the ruling. – July 2017: The agencies appeal to the Supreme Court. – August 2017: Nevada, with nine states, files a brief urging the Court to hear the case. About the reserved rights doctrine The basis for federal water rights stem from a 1908 Supreme Court case, Winters v. United States. In the Winters case, the court ruled that through establishing an Indian reservation, the federal government had impliedly allocated enough water necessary to fulfill the reservation’s purpose. In a 1963 Supreme Court case, these rights were applied to all public lands, including national monuments and wildlife refuges. The court has refined the doctrine since then, but it has never conclusively answered the question of whether reserved rights include groundwater. The Supreme Court hasn’t entirely avoided the issue. In a 1975 case involving the Death Valley National Monument, the court said that the U.S. government could protect groundwater on federal land from over-pumping. (In the case, pumping threatened the pupfish at Devils Hole.) The Ninth Circuit cited the case in its March opinion: “If the United States can protect against groundwater diversions, it follows that the government can protect the groundwater itself.” There were three significant findings in the appellate decision: 1) Tribes have a federal reserved right to groundwater on their land. 2) As federal water rights, they preempt conflicting state law. 3) The rights are not lost even if they haven’t been used in the past. What that means is up for interpretation. “It’s not clear what that would mean, for state law to be preempted,” said Leon Szeptycki, an attorney who leads a water policy group at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment. The potential impact on Nevada and other states Laxalt writes of “potentially devastating consequences” if the Supreme Court decides to let the Ninth Circuit decision stand. Giving preemption to federal rights could disrupt the state’s ability to manage water and impact economies that have relied on groundwater for years, he argues. Since almost all of Nevada’s groundwater is allocated or over-allocated, he argues that the “longstanding and settled appropriation regime will be disrupted by new, unaccounted-for federal reserved groundwater rights claims that are suddenly asserted for the first time.” The result is that the new claims could push out people who have already built communities or businesses around their water rights. “Existing groundwater users may lose their established right to use that water, or be subject to curtailment in the inevitable times of scarcity,” he wrote. Given that 85 percent of Nevada land is owned by the federal government, Laxalt said that the state includes a large portion of land where possible claims could be made. When the case was pending before the Ninth Circuit, two Nevada tribes signed onto a brief supporting the Agua Caliente tribe. The Agua Caliente case was also cited during a recent hearing on the water authority’s proposed pipeline, which would convey billions of gallons of groundwater to Las Vegas. A lawyer for the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation raised the Ninth Circuit ruling during a hearing on the 263-mile pipeline project that has been held up by several legal actions. Tribes could assert reserved rights in areas where SNWA would want to pump groundwater. “There is a potential that it could apply to the pipeline project as well,” said Howard Watts, a spokesman for Great Basin Water Network, which is leading the legal fight against the project. Nevada’s opposition to the Ninth Circuit ruling taps into a larger debate about the role that the federal government should play in managing land. When the attorney general announced the amicus brief, he framed it as “challenging federal overreach on groundwater rights.” In a press release, Laxalt said he was taking “necessary steps to clarify states’ groundwater rights and ensure Nevada’s best interests are being protected from unnecessary and unwarranted federal interference.” Throughout the brief, Laxalt argued that favoring federal water rights would also undermine the state’s ability to make its own choices. The ruling, Laxalt wrote, “has left the states with great uncertainty in an area of paramount sovereign importance.” Is the Supreme Court likely to hear it? That depends on who you ask. Lawyers in the “yes” camp say that the Ninth Circuit decision has national implications and would settle a topic that has led to conflicting outcomes. In the past, state courts have reached differing conclusions on how these rights fit in with state water law. Wyoming’s Supreme Court said tribes did not have a federal groundwater right. In a later case, the Arizona Supreme Court said there was a right, just within the framework of state law. Others are skeptical. Monte Mills, an assistant professor at the University of Montana’s Indian Law Clinic, said he thinks the Supreme Court will be reluctant to hear the case until the lower courts decide how much groundwater should be allocated to the Agua Caliente tribe. Supporters and opponents agree on one thing: if the Ninth Circuit opinion stands, a flood of litigation is coming.

Ag Assembly focus on getting technology down on the farm Las Cruces Sun-News By Jason Gibbs

LAS CRUCES – It may take time to teach an old farmer new tricks. But technological innovations in agriculture stand to boost the industry if they can be put into use in the fields. The discussion surrounding how to get the industry to embrace emerging technology came to the fore during the inaugural Ag Assembly event, hosted by NMSU’s Arrowhead Center earlier this month. Ag Assembly brought to the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum a series of productive agricultural market leaders to talk about demands from the front lines, translating ideas from vision to reality, and the future of technical investment in agriculture. More: NM health tech startups invited to new virtual accelerator at Arrowhead Center Vonnie Estes, a consultant and former vice president of business development for Caribou Biosciences, said incubators and accelerators, such as Arrowhead’s AgSprint, are a valuable link in getting emerging technology to the marketplace. “One of the biggest values is just putting the entrepreneur in an ecosystem that helps them,” Estes said. “I see how far those young people get from where they started, just learning how to pitch their ideas to someone, get some of the science done, get some of the work done and then attract investment. It puts them in an ecosystem where people can help them. They come out the other end and they are ready to move forward. If you are trying to do that alone in Las Cruces with no one to talk to except yourself, it takes a long time to get there.” Estes noted the world population is expected to rise from 7.3 billion to 9.7 billion by 2050 and, with the added risk to crop production brought on by climate change, farmers must increase production with fewer inputs and on less land. More: Ag survey finds planted land in New Mexico is up slightly A consumer focus on health and wellness has spurred a demand for new varietals with enhanced nutritional attributes and new protein sources that are non-animal, she said. Changes brought on in the 1980s and 1990s have become more complex as consumers have become resistant to some of the genetic modification practices and the introduction of digital management for everything from irrigation to plant health monitoring and fertilizer application. The technology is currently available to analyze satellite images of cropland, monitor in-field conditions, assess crop and soil health, feed that information to agricultural robots for tilling, irrigation, weed control and more. Applications are available that combine the information into predictive analytics to help the producer plan for upcoming seasons and to control cost. More: NMDA, NMSU ag college leaders seek input from producers New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte spoke later in the conference during a panel discussion with other agricultural leaders. Witte noted the digital revolution was simply the latest in the ongoing revolution of agriculture. Buy Photo Garrey Carruthers, New Mexico State University's president opened the Ag Assembly Event, put on by NMSU's Arrowhead Center, Thursday Aug. 10, 2017 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. (Photo: Josh Bachman/Sun-News) “Agriculture has been through a number of technological revolutions, from the mechanization of cotton picking to improved irrigation efficiencies from water delivery systems,” Witte said. “In fact, in New Mexico, research indicates the Mogollon Indians developed primitive irrigation systems to improve crop growth. As the world population continues to grow, land and water resources become limited. The technology developed and promoted at events such as this will be critical to producing the food to feed our families, neighbors, the state, nation and world. “The agriculture and food sector continues to evolve through technology to help address resource challenges such as labor, high cost of inputs relative to a low margin product,” Witte continued. “These innovators have had success and my goal is to encourage others to pursue their passion and dreams and help address some of our critical issues through their own innovative solutions.”

APHIS Removes Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in the Palmview Area of Hidalgo County, Texas

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION DA-2017-24 August 18, 2017 SUBJECT: APHIS Removes Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine in the Palmview Area of Hidalgo County, Texas TO: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials Effective August 8, 2017, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens or Mexfly) quarantine area in Palmview, Hidalgo, County, Texas. On March 10, 2017, APHIS and TDA established a Mexfly quarantine in the Palmview area of Hidalgo County, Texas, restricting the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to noninfested areas of the United States. Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with TDA and the Texas citrus industry to eradicate the transient Mexfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine after three Mexfly life-cycles elapsed with negative detections in this area. This removal of the quarantine area is reflected on the following designated website, which contains a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/fruit_flies/quarantine.shtml For additional information on the Mexfly quarantine area, please contact National Fruit Fly Policy Manager John Stewart at 919-855-7426. Osama El-Lissy Deputy Administrator Plant Protection and Quarantine ________________________________________ Questions about APHIS programs and services? Contact Us STAY CONNECTED: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Preferences | Unsubscribe | Help ________________________________________ This email was sent to whoughto@nmsu.edu using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service · 4700 River Rd · Riverdale, MD 20737

NMSU honors Carlsbad banker, former Regent with Presidential Medallion

NMSU honors Carlsbad banker, former Regent with Presidential Medallion DATE: 08/18/2017 WRITER: Jane Moorman, 505-249-0527, jmoorman@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Garrey Carruthers, 575-646-2035, president@nmsu.edu Don Kidd knows the value of an education and he actively supports providing educational opportunities for the people of New Mexico. New Mexico State University honored the Carlsbad banker, former New Mexico Senator and former NMSU Regent with the Presidential Medallion during the 2017 fall convocation Aug. 15. “We are honoring Don Kidd for his advocacy for higher education, for his service to NMSU as a supporter and former Regent, for his service in the New Mexico Legislature and for the many years of mentoring he has provided to students and his colleagues,” said NMSU Chancellor Garrey Carruthers. This is the third NMSU recognition Don Kidd has received. He received an honorary doctorate in 2006 and the College of Business Traders Award in 2009. Kidd and his wife, Sarrah, also were honored with a special Donor Recognition during convocation “in honor of their unwavering generosity and visionary leadership in philanthropy and service that has impacted countless New Mexicans.” While Don Kidd’s profession is banking, the Western Commerce Bank chief executive officer’s service to New Mexico goes beyond the financial world. “Being associated with the university has provided the opportunity to affect people’s lives,” Kidd said. “I appreciate having the opportunity to be a factor in their lives at a very important time.” Those opportunities have come in the form of co-sponsoring the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship bill as a state senator, establishing a transfer scholarship for NMSU-Carlsbad students to attend NMSU’s Las Cruces campus, and establishing the Don and Sarrah Kidd Endowed Chair in Literacy in the College of Education. “Education is a little like money; it’s not important unless you do not have any,” Kidd said. Kidd began his association with NMSU by working with the Carlsbad branch beginning in 1972. He served as an NMSU Regent from 1985-1991 before representing Eddy, Lea and Otero counties as the District 34 Senator from 1993 to 2005. Co-sponsoring the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship is one of his most memorable accomplishments during his tenure in the legislature. “The state has given out 114,000 scholarships,” he said. “I’m sure a good portion of those students would not have had a chance to go to college without the lottery scholarship.” Another way Kidd and his wife, Sarrah, have encouraged students to continue their education is with the Don and Sarrah Kidd NMSU Scholarship Fund. “I wanted to do something that would last,” he said. “We started the transfer scholarship program for Carlsbad students. We give two scholarships a year to students transferring to the Las Cruces campus.” Kidd has a list of the recipients of the scholarship and has kept track of their accomplishments. “I believe we have given 58 scholarships and have a 90-percent graduation rate,” he said. “The key to this high graduation rate is that they have to show signs that they can succeed. They have to have 47 hours at the branch and a 3.2 grade point average to be eligible for the scholarship.” In addition, a separate scholarship endowment in the College of Business is geared to non-traditional students who do not qualify for the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship, those who are single parents with a dependent child, those who have a financial need and those who are majoring in accounting or finance in the College of Business. Kidd realizes that reading is the key to education. He is a past chairman of the Carlsbad Literacy Program. The Don and Sarrah Kidd Endowment Chair in Literacy in the NMSU College of Education was established in 2008 to attract and reward high quality teaching, research, service and outreach to New Mexico’s public schools. The chair also collaborates with the New Mexico Coalition for Literacy whose focus is adult literacy. Besides being on the NMSU Board of Regents, Kidd has been a supporter of the NMSU Art Gallery and KRWG-TV. He has been an NMSU Foundation Board member and a member of the NMSU Crimson Society. He is a member of the NMSU Pioneers and President’s Associates. Kidd’s support of higher education also includes being a past president of the New Mexico Education Assistance Foundation, and serving on the New Mexico Roundtable on the Future of Higher Education. Kidd encourages professional continuing education. He is one of the founding directors and past chairman of the Western States School of Business housed at the University of New Mexico, and is a past president of the New Mexico Bankers Association and a member of the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers Association. He has also been involved with the New Mexico Appleseed, which strives to correct structural barriers to opportunity by designing and advocating for effective solutions through policy, legislative and market-based reform of issues like hunger, education and homelessness. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) are hosting free Domestic Well Water Testing events in Ruidoso

New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) are hosting free Domestic Well Water Testing events in Ruidoso on August 18 and 19, 2017 and Pecos on September 9, 2017. These well water testing events are great opportunities for area residents to check pH, specific conductance, and the levels of arsenic, fluoride, iron, sulfate, and nitrate in their well water. NMED and DOH staff will also be available to discuss concerns related to private wells and water quality. The Ruidoso event will take place at the Eastern New Mexico University- Ruidoso at 709 Mechem Drive, in Ruidoso. Water samples will be accepted from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, August 18, and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 19. The Pecos event will take place at the Pecos Municipal Building at 92 South main Street, in Pecos. Water samples will be accepted from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 9. To participate, residents need to bring at least a quart of their well water to the event. Well water should be collected in a clean container, prior to any treatment, and as close to the time of the event as possible. Participants should allow water to run a couple of minutes prior to collecting well water. Stay Connected with New Mexico Environment Department

I head it through the Grape Vine

Fourth annual Grape Day at NMSU set for Aug. 25 DATE: 08/16/2017 WRITER: Tiffany Acosta, 575-646-3929, tfrank@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Daniel Goodrich, 505-929-3942, goodrich@nmsu.edu New Mexico State University will host its fourth annual Grape Day from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, at the Fabian Garcia Science Center, 113 W. University Ave. The event is free and open to the public. “This event is geared to those who have an interest in wine grapes and topics related to wine making,” said Daniel Goodrich, project coordinator for NMSU’s Viticulture program. “This year we have a program that will contain information for amateur grape growers, hobbyist winemakers, industry professionals and the backyard vine growers.” The event begins with a presentation from Nathan Blair, Rio Grande Winery sales and marketing manager, about wine myths from 8:10 to 9 a.m. NMSU Extension Entomologist Carol Sutherland will follow with a presentation about insects in the vineyard/insects and grapes from 9:10 to 10:10 a.m. Gill Giese, NMSU’s Viticulturist, will make a presentation from 10:20 to 11:20 a.m. and Dale Ellis, amateur vine grower and wine maker/AGE 458 professor, will conclude the event with a presentation on what to do with all those grapes and home/boutique winemaking from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information on the program visit http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/viticulture/. - 30 -

Animal Behavior, Livestock and Pets Dr. Temple Grandin Albuquerque

Animal Behavior, Livestock and Pets When:  Thursday, August 31, 2017 Where:  Albuquerque, NM I Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown Hotel  Time: 5:30pm -9pm Join us for this special event featuring: Dr. Temple Grandin Come spend an evening with Dr. Temple Grandin, professor of animal science at Colorado State University, consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior.  Dr. Grandin will discuss livestock, design set up, pets, and general animal behavior.  You will find this talk informative and unforgettable.  "You got to get away from words if you want to understand any animal. It thinks in pictures, it thinks in smells, it thinks in touch sensations - little sound bites like, it's a very detailed memory." ~Dr. Temple Grandin   EVENT SCHEDULE   5:30pm Doors Open 6:30 Dr. Temple Grandin Speaks 7:45 Q & A with Dr. Temple Grandin Photo Opportunity Book Signing 9:00 Event Ends  For more information on this exciting event please visit https://futurehorizonsinc.regfox.com/an-evening-with-dr-temple-grandin-albuquerque-nm.

NMSU researchers develop flavorful green chiles

NMSU researchers develop flavorful green chiles DATE: 08/14/2017 WRITER: Adriana M. Chavez, 575-646-1957, adchavez@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Paul Bosland, 575-646-5171, pbosland@nmsu.edu With green chile season well under way, many people are rushing to grocery stores and roadside stands to stock up on New Mexico’s favorite fruit (yes, chile is considered a fruit). Although many people associate Hatch with all New Mexican green chile, Hatch green chile does not refer to any one chile pepper variety, causing purchases of green chile to be inconsistent in heat, flavor and size. In fact, some chile labeled Hatch is actually grown in Mexico. Paul Bosland, director of the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University and NMSU Regents professor, recommends that consumers should instead ask for green chile labeled NuMex. Those chiles are developed by researchers at New Mexico State University for the best in flavor components and specific heat levels, from mild to hot. In fact, the institute uses the slogan, “All the best is NuMex.” “One thing people have to realize is chiles have different flavors and heat levels,” Bosland said. “We always like to tell people that it’s kind of like when you go to the store to get apples. Many different apples have different flavors. Green chile is the same way.” Bosland said NuMex green chiles have been developed over the past couple of decades to have the best flavor. “Growers were telling us that the chiles now out there produce lots of fruit and have good disease resistance, but they don’t have that traditional green chile flavor,” Bosland said. That kind of feedback from growers led researchers to redevelop the NuMex 6-4 breed of chile as the NuMex Heritage 6-4, and the New Mexico Big Jim chile as NuMex Big Jim. “They have five to six times the flavor as the standard green chile that you see out on the roadside,” Bosland said. Researchers also developed NuMex Sandia Select with a higher heat level than the NuMex Heritage 6-4 and the NuMex Big Jim. The Sandia chile was originally developed for red chile, with a thin wall that lends itself to drying and grinding into powder. “The growers again asked us if we could make a thick-walled Sandia so it could be used as a green chile, and so we did,” Bosland said. NuMex chiles are available at several well-known distributors such as Hatch Chile Express and Biad Chili Mesilla, where it is available dehydrated. “They just have better flavor (compared to other chiles), that’s the biggest difference,” said Chris Biad, partner at Biad Chili Mesilla. “The other ones just don’t even come close. We’ve been selling chile for close to 60 years, and I wouldn’t use anything else.” Danise Coon, an NMSU senior research specialist who works with the Chile Breeding Program, said it is important to listen to industry demands in order to keep New Mexico chile growers competitive on a worldwide basis. “We listen to the demand, we listen to what’s changing in the industry and we try to stay ahead of industry needs,” Coon said. “We do that by developing varieties and cultivars with higher yields, disease resistance and more flavor compounds.” The NMSU Chile Pepper Institute, located on the second floor of Gerald Thomas Hall on campus, sells frozen green chiles and seed varieties year round. For more information, visit https://cpi.nmsu.edu, or call 575-646-3028. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

Reward offered as cattle killers strike again in Eddy County

Reward offered as cattle killers strike again in Eddy County Carlsbad Current-Argus By Adrian C Hedden Eddy County ranchers and law enforcement continue to be vigilant as reports of cattle being shot on local ranches increase. Brooke Wilson said 11 cows in total were killed this summer on or near her property on Angel Ranch Road. Most recently, Wilson said she found a cow shot to death at her property on Saturday. Investigators believe the killings were perpetrated with a high-caliber rifle from within half a mile. A $21,000 reward was announced Wednesday by the Eddy County Sheriff's Office for information leading to an arrest. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) donated $10,000, with the Bureau of Land Management and the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association kicking in $5,000 each. More here

New Mexico Delegation Urges Swift Appointment of New Mexico Rural Development State Director

New Mexico Delegation Urges Swift Appointment of New Mexico Rural Development State Director Lawmakers say position, currently vacant, is critical for managing USDA’s programs that provide hundreds of loans & grants each year in NM USDA RD provided more than $1.7 billion in New Mexico over the past 7 years WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representatives Steve Pearce, Ben Ray Luján, and Michelle Lujan Grisham urged U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to appoint a Rural Development (RD) state director for New Mexico as soon as possible, to continue the critical mission of USDA RD to administer programs that provide hundreds of loans and grants each year for rural New Mexico, and to promote economic growth and improve quality of life in the state. Over the last seven years, USDA RD has provided New Mexico with more than $1.7 billion in “crucial support during a time of poor economic growth in our state, especially for many rural communities,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Perdue. President Trump has not appointed a New Mexico USDA RD director since taking office in January. “Given the diversity and unique characteristics of New Mexico, we believe that strong state director leadership is essential to providing robust and efficient levels of service for our struggling rural communities,” the delegation wrote. “New Mexico is a majority-minority state, with the highest proportion of Hispanic residents of any state and the second-highest proportion of Native Americans, and includes many unique and historic rural agricultural communities. Economic changes in the agriculture and other industries in all corners of our state are leading many communities to turn to USDA RD for assistance.” The delegation continued, “USDA RD’s mission is especially important in our state because New Mexico has one of the highest poverty rates in the nation at 20.4 percent. New Mexico is 50th in poverty among those who work full time year round and is one of six states where income inequality is greater for rural households than for urban households. In addition, New Mexico has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation today. While the energy and tourism sectors are showing some recent strength, employment in the agriculture sector declined by 3.5 percent last year. These employment losses are projected to reach 5.7 percent by 2020. USDA RD programs have helped New Mexico’s rural communities remain resilient, however more work is urgently needed to bring economic growth up to the level enjoyed by rest of the country.” "I can say from experience that having a state director in place with knowledge of the state helps improve program performance, increases the profile of the agency and grows investments in needed rural areas,” said Terry Brunner, former New Mexico state director for USDA RD. “This position was made available for presidential appointment because Congress recognized that the administration must have an on-the-ground presence in rural communities." The delegation said that USDA RD has helped over 3,000 families in New Mexico participate in projects and create new opportunities to improve quality of life and spur economic growth in the state. The full text of the letter is available below and here. Dear Secretary Perdue: Thank you for your service as the Secretary of Agriculture. We write to respectfully request that a qualified New Mexico Rural Development State Director be named as soon as possible in order to continue the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development (USDA RD) mission in our state. This position is critical to providing on-the-ground leadership for USDA to manage over 5,000 loans, grants, and assistance programs. USDA RD provided more than $1.7 billion in New Mexico over the past seven years, crucial support during a time of poor economic growth in our state, especially for many rural communities. This funding came primarily through affordable loans, which can create new jobs and fund rural infrastructure projects at a good value for taxpayers. In that time, USDA RD has helped communities and over 3,000 families do projects and create opportunities to make their lives better and spur economic growth. Given the diversity and unique characteristics of New Mexico, we believe that strong state director leadership is essential to providing robust and efficient levels of service for our struggling rural communities. New Mexico is a majority minority state, with the highest proportion of Hispanic residents of any state and the second-highest proportion of Native Americans, and includes many unique and historic rural agricultural communities. Economic changes in the agriculture and other industries in all corners of our state are leading many communities to turn to USDA RD for assistance. USDA RD’s mission is especially important in our state because New Mexico has one of the highest poverty rates in the nation at 20.4 percent. New Mexico is 50th in poverty among those who work full time year round and is one of six states where income inequality is greater for rural households than for urban households. In addition New Mexico has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation today. While the energy and tourism sectors are showing some recent strength, employment in the agriculture sector declined by 3.5 percent last year. These employment losses are projected to reach 5.7 percent by 2020. USDA RD programs have helped New Mexico’s rural communities remain resilient, however more work is urgently needed to bring economic growth up to the level enjoyed by rest of the country. To enable USDA to work effectively to face these challenges, New Mexico needs a state director who can understand the local context and ensure that USDA RD resources match the economic and social development needs of our diverse communities. Therefore, we respectfully urge you to appoint a State Director as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention to my/our request and we hope you will consider New Mexico’s needs on this and other important matters under your leadership at USDA. If we can be of any assistance in your work at the Department, please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely, ### Contacts: Jennifer Talhelm (Udall) 202.228.6870 / Whitney Potter (Heinrich) 202.228.1578 / Joe Shoemaker (Luján) 202.225.6190 / Keeley Christensen (Pearce) 202.329.2862/ Gilbert Gallegos (Lujan

6 month Extension on Texas Horn Shell listing

As some of you may already know, the FWS has announced a 6-month extension on the final listing decision of the Texas Hornshell. The link to the Federal Register Notice is below. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-08-10/pdf/2017-16887.pdf DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 [Docket No. FWS–R2–ES–2016–0077; 4500030113] RIN 1018–BB34 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 6-Month Extension of Final Determination on the Proposed Endangered Status for Texas Hornshell (Popenaias popeii) AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of the comment period. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 6-month extension of the final determination of whether to add the Texas hornshell (Popenaias popeii), a freshwater mussel species from New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico, to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We are also reopening the comment period on the proposed rule to list the species, for an additional 30 days. We are taking this action to extend the final determination based on substantial disagreement regarding the status of Texas hornshell in Mexico. We will submit a final listing determination to the Federal Register on or before February 10, 2018. DATES: The comment period on the proposed rule that published August 10, 2016 (81 FR 52796), is reopened. We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. If you comment using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 08/10/2017 and available online at https://federalregister.gov/d/2017-16887, and on FDsys.gov 2 ADDRESSES), you must submit your comments by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods: (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS–R2–ES–2016–0077. You may submit a comment by clicking on “Comment Now!” (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R2–ES–2016–0077; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chuck Ardizzone, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Coastal Ecological Services Field Office, 17629 El Camino Real #211, Houston, TX 77058; on the internet at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/TexasCoastal/; by telephone 281–286–8282; or by facsimile 281–488–5882. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background On August 10, 2016, we published a proposed rule (81 FR 52796) to list the Texas hornshell as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife under the Act is located in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17.11(h). The publication of this proposed rule complied with a deadline established in a court-approved settlement agreement (Endangered Species Act Section 4 Deadline 3 Litigation, No. 10–377 (EGS), MDL Docket No. 2165 (D.D.C. May 10, 2011)). That proposal had a 60-day comment period, ending October 11, 2016. We reopened the comment period for 30 days on May 30, 2017 (82 FR 24654), in order to hold two public hearings on the proposed rule. For a description of previous Federal actions concerning the Texas hornshell, please refer to the August 10, 2016, proposed listing rule (81 FR 52796). We also solicited and received independent scientific review of the information contained in the proposed rule from peer reviewers with expertise in Texas hornshell or similar species ecology and identified threats to the species, in accordance with our July 1, 1994, peer review policy (59 FR 34270). Section 4(b)(6) of the Act and its implementing regulations at 50 CFR 424.17(a) require that we take one of three actions within 1 year of a proposed listing: (1) finalize the proposed rule; (2) withdraw the proposed rule; or (3) extend the final determination by not more than 6 months, if there is substantial disagreement regarding the sufficiency or accuracy of the available data relevant to the determination. Since the publication of the proposed rule, there has been substantial disagreement regarding the interpretation of the limited surveys that exist for Texas hornshell in Mexico. This situation has led to a significant disagreement regarding the current conservation status of the species in Mexico. Therefore, in consideration of the disagreements surrounding the Texas hornshell’s status, we are extending the final determination for 6 months in order to solicit information that will help to clarify these issues. With this 6-month extension, we will make a final determination on the proposed rule no later than February 10, 2018. 4 Information Requested We will accept written comments and information during this reopened comment period on our proposed listing rule for Texas hornshell that was published in the Federal Register on August 10, 2016 (81 FR 52796). We will consider information and recommendations from all interested parties. We intend that any final action resulting from the proposal be as accurate as possible and based on the best available scientific and commercial data. Due to the scientific disagreements described above, we are particularly interested in new information and comments regarding the status of and threats to any Texas hornshell population in Mexico. If you previously submitted comments or information on the August 10, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR 52796), please do not resubmit them. We have incorporated previously submitted comments into the public record, and we will fully consider them in the preparation of our final determination. Our final determination concerning the proposed listing will take into consideration all written comments and any additional information we receive. You may submit your comments and materials concerning the proposed rule by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We request that you send comments only by the methods described in ADDRESSES. If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire submission—including any personal identifying information—will be posted on the website. If your submission is made via a hardcopy that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this 5 information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy submissions on http://www.regulations.gov. Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule, will be available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Coastal Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may obtain copies of the proposed rule on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS–R2–ES–2016– 0077, or by mail from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Coastal Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Authority The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Dated: August 4, 2017. Stephen Guertin, Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Billing Code 4333-15 [FR Doc. 2017-16887 Filed: 8/9/2017 8:45 am; Publication Date: 8/10/2017]

NM WRRI annual water conference to be held at New Mexico Tech

NM WRRI annual water conference to be held at New Mexico Tech DATE: 08/10/2017 WRITER: Catherine Ortega Klett, (575) 646-4337, coklett@nmsu.edu The public is invited to attend the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute’s 62nd Annual New Mexico Water Conference, “Hidden Realities of New Water Opportunities.” An informative program is scheduled, and several special events are planned. The day-and-a-half conference will take place Aug. 15-16 at the Macey Center on the New Mexico Tech campus. This is the first time the annual water conference will be held at New Mexico Tech, and New Mexico Tech President Stephen G. Wells will give the first talk of the conference, “The Landscape of Water – Past, Present and Future.” Following Wells, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall will update participants on federal efforts related to water, including action on the federal Drought Bill. Sen. Udall will also moderate a panel of representatives from various water sectors in New Mexico that includes Myron Armijo, Beth Bardwell, Terry Brunner, John Fleck, Paula Garcia and Tanya Trujillo. Speaker and panelist biographical sketches are available on the conference website. Also scheduled for the morning session is State Engineer Tom Blaine, who will provide an update on state water issues. William Alley will give Tuesday’s luncheon address. He was chief of the Office of Groundwater for the U.S. Geological Survey for almost two decades and is currently the director of science and technology for the National Ground Water Association. Alley’s presentation is, “Meeting the Challenges of the World’s Dependence on Groundwater.” Several panel discussions will feature experienced water specialists addressing questions about farmland retirement, innovations in watershed management, underground storage and recovery projects, use of brackish and impaired waters in New Mexico and the Rio Grande Compact. The Wednesday luncheon will feature an update on the NM WRRI’s major water initiative, the Statewide Water Assessment. Conference attendees are encouraged to take part in one of two optional field trips scheduled for Monday, Aug. 14. Hosted by the Bureau of Reclamation, one trip is to the river restoration project in the San Acacia Reach. Hosted by the Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Aquifer Mapping Program, the other trip is to the San Agustin Plains. Everyone attending the conference is invited to a reception from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, in the atrium at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources. The Mineral Museum and gift shop will be open, and participants can enjoy appetizers, a cash bar and talking with friends and colleagues. A highlight of the annual water conference is the poster session, which this year includes over 48 posters, most by university students from across the state. The 90-minute session on Wednesday morning allows students, faculty, agency staff and private entities to network with colleagues from throughout the state and region, providing opportunities for collaboration. For more information, please visit the conference website at https://nmwaterconference.nmwrri.nmsu.edu/2017/.

Seneator Udall whants to know what Producers need from the 2018 farm bill.

If you have comments that you want to make fill our this form and send it to Senator Udall office. Beverly Allen SENM Field Representative Office of United States Senator Tom Udall 102 W. Hagerman, Ste A, Carlsbad, NM, 88220 or e-mail it. 2017 Farm Bill Listening Sessions Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback to our office, as Congress prepares to begin preparing for a new Farm Bill in 2018. Please be as detailed as you can when providing recommendations on changes to programs. 1) What programs would you like to continue to see in the 2018 Farm Bill? Why? Do you have any suggestions for improvement? 2) What programs would you like to see removed from the Farm Bill? Why? 3) What would you like to see added to the Farm Bill? Why? 4) Do you currently participate in any farm bill programs? If so which ones? 4a) Of the Farm Bill programs you participate in, are there changes to the program you believe could make the program more effective? (i.e. eligibility, paperwork reduction, ease of access, design for states like NM, etc.) Which of the following farm bill titles are important to you and why? Check all that apply, circle the sub-programs you participate in/are important to you.  Crop Commodity Programs (Title I and Title XI include - Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX))  Dairy & Livestock (Title I and Title XII include - Margin Protection Program (MPP), Dairy Product Donation Program (DPDP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements)  Conservation (Titles II and XI include - Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP),and Crop Production on Native Sod (“sodsaver”))  Nutrition (Title IV includes - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP))  Rural Development (Title VI includes - Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grants, Access to rural broadband telecommunication services, Integration of information technologies (Internet), Rural Energy Savings Program, and Rural Business Development Grants)  Research, Extension, and Related Matters (Title VII includes - Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, Forestry Products Advanced Utilization Research Initiative, and Agricultural and food law research)  Energy (Title IX includes - Agricultural and food law research, Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Assistance Program, Biobased Markets Program, and Biobased Markets Program)  Crop Insurance (Title XI and XII include - Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO), Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX), and Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP))

The USDA Agriculture Census is coming in December

The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land - whether rural or urban - growing fruit, vegetables or some food animals count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year. So at the current price of pecan a lot of people could be included. The Census of Agriculture, taken only once every five years, looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. For America’s farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future, and their opportunity. This information is not available by producer but is included in a county information. Even if you do not fill out a schedule F with the IRS you may fill our a census form. The information from the Census determines how much funds Eddy County receives for a lot of programs including, Cooperative Extension, Farm Service Agency programs, Natural Resource Conservation Service programs. USDA will be mailing our forms in December or you can fill out the questionair at www.agcounts.usda.gov.

New Mexico Wild/Feral Horse Summit

New Mexico Wild/Feral Horse Summit  The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State  University (NMSU‐ACES) will be hosting the first New Mexico Wild/Feral Horse Summit at the Crowne  Plaza Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Friday, August 11, 2017.  The objective of this event is to  bring together experts, land managers, land users, and researchers to discuss the issues surrounding the  management of New Mexico (NM) wild/feral horse populations.    Although NM is the western state with the second lowest population of wild horses and burros  (170 according to 2016 estimates published by the BLM), unauthorized horses on public land allotments,  especially in checkerboard areas of the northwestern part of the state, are cause for alarm among land  managers and users alike.  On rangelands not far from the checkerboard, BLM and USFS are striving to  find creative ways of managing wild horses on the Jicarilla Joint Management Area (JMA). In 2014, it was  estimated that horse populations were almost 3 times higher than appropriate levels for JMA. With  annual population growth rates at 20%, the horse‐related challenges continue to worsen across the  region.  Additionally, there is concern that wild horses are negatively impacting wildlife habitat including  habitat of already declining mule deer populations.  These types of challenges occur on other federal  and state managed and tribal lands in New Mexico and west wide.   The Summit will feature speakers from several government agencies who will provide updates  on the current state and magnitude of the New Mexico wild/feral horse management challenges.  Speakers include Dr. Ralph Zimmerman, DVM, with the NM Livestock Board, Dr. Tolani Francisco, DVM,  with the USDA Forest Service, Mr. Jeff Tafoya, with the USDI Bureau of Land Management, and Dr. Scott  Bender (DVM).  The NM Wild/Feral Horse Summit begins at 9:00am and concludes at 4:00pm, lunch will  be provided.  An important objective of this summit is to allow ample time for discussion to identify  opportunities for collaboration among members of the research community at NMSU‐ACES and land  management agencies and land users.  Please RSVP to Dana Wiebe at wiebed@nmsu.edu by 1200pm on  Wednesday 9 August 2017.    For more information please contact Dr. Samuel Smallidge ssmallid@ad.nmsu.edu or 575‐646‐5944.

NMSU Carlsbad environmental monitoring facility allays public concerns

NMSU Carlsbad environmental monitoring facility allays public concerns DATE: 08/07/2017 WRITER: Linda Fresques, 575-646-7416, lfresque@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Russell Hardy, 575-234-5555, rhardy@nmsu.edu Over the past 26 years, the scientists and lab technicians at New Mexico State University’s Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center have been monitoring the air, soil, water and people residing in the area surrounding the Department of Energy Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Fortunately, with little to no variance in environmental conditions related to WIPP, it’s mostly been a routine endeavor. Except on the one-time occasion when it wasn’t. In 2014, the WIPP facility, a deep geologic repository for defense-related nuclear waste, was suddenly shut down due to an underground fire Feb. 5. On Feb. 14, an unrelated underground radiation event occurred due to an improperly packaged drum that ruptured and released radioactive contamination into the underground WIPP ventilation system. CEMRC personnel were the first to detect and notify the public and DOE about the release. Only small amounts of radioactive contamination escaped the WIPP site, located in southeastern New Mexico’s Chihuahuan desert some 28 miles from the city of Carlsbad. The level of radiation released was low and localized, posing no threat to the environment, workers or residents in the area. “WIPP had been operating with no events for 15 years before the 2014 release,” said CEMRC Director Russell Hardy. “There had been some speculation that maybe our services weren’t needed, until the release. We provide the community a certain level of comfort in knowing that we will supply accurate and important information. It is why we are here.” The facility provides free lung and whole body scans for WIPP workers and people over the age of 13 who reside within a 100-mile radius of the WIPP site through its Lie Down and Be Counted program, now in its 20th year. Thus far, nearly 1,500 people have been scanned, approximately 40 of them after the 2014 release, showing no cause for radiation-related health concerns. “We can detect things down to the eighth and ninth decimal points – very tiny amounts,” said Hardy. In fact, the Lie Down and Be Counted scans can detect higher levels of cesium in people due to smoking and eating wild game, both of which are unrelated to the operation of WIPP. CEMRC, part of NMSU’s College of Engineering, began monitoring in 1997, two years before the WIPP facility first accepted its first shipment of radioactive waste in 1999. “We were the first and to date, only, nuclear facility to begin monitoring before operation began so that we could establish a baseline for comparison so that we would be able to discern any impact on the community,” Hardy said. CEMRC monitoring revealed radiation contamination from a 1960s Cold War-era underground nuclear warhead test site some 5 miles away from the WIPP facility, which yielded minimal levels of radioactive levels that were much higher than those resulting from the 2014 release. CEMRC also detected a spike in radiation levels three days following the 2011 Fukishima Daiichi power plant meltdown following a tsunami in Japan. After about a month, Hardy says, Fukishima originated radiation was no longer detected. “It took roughly three days to travel 10,000 miles,” said Hardy, noting that the fuel rods used by various nuclear facilities have their own, identifiable footprint which allows identification of the source. In the event of a release at the WIPP repository or anywhere else, the CEMRC monitoring equipment would be able to detect and identify its origination. On a daily basis, CEMRC scientists collect and analyze samples from the environmental filters inside the WIPP repository. Twice a month, they collect and analyze samples from five air filters outside the facility. They also analyze the drinking water from the five local water municipalities: Carlsbad Sheep Draw and Double Eagle, Otis, Malaga, Hobbs and Loving. Surface water and sediment sampling is conducted at three reservoirs on the Pecos River which are heavily used for irrigation and recreation. They are looking primarily for by-products of the nuclear fission process – plutonium, americium and cesium. They are also looking for heavy metals or salts that might also be included in the waste. This work is conducted by CEMRC’s staff comprising radio chemists, environmental chemists and lab technicians. Led by Hardy, who became director in 2012, the group is supported by DOE funding that first came in 1991 and was renewed in 2015 with a $15 million contract. Hardy, who is former president of New Mexico State University Carlsbad and has a background in business, admits, “I never had a chemistry class in my life. It was a pretty steep learning curve.” However, he adds, his expertise is in managing the facility and its grant and contract obligations. The lifecycle of the WIPP repository, originally estimated to end in 2035, has now been extended to 2050, and, says Hardy, some expect it to go beyond that date. Currently, the community is pursuing a new interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel that was slated to be stored at the Nevada Yucca Mountain site. That was halted under the Obama administration. “There are 110 nuclear plants in the United States and 30 of them have closed but still have nuclear fuel on their premises with no place to go,” said Hardy. This past March, Carlsbad and Eddy, Hobbs and Lea counties applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license to develop a shallow, dry storage repository that will house waste encased in concrete and lead containers. The containers would have a 40-year life span, giving the federal government time to make decisions as to what should be done with the waste. The NRC has two years to review the proposal. If approved, an appeal will be made to Congress to fund the facility. “So far, we’re the only one in the game,” said Hardy. “Something has got to be done. This solution will be a lot safer and less expensive. It would be another opportunity for CEMRC to perform independent environmental monitoring and communication to assure residents of their safety.” - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

2018 Farm Bill

WOODS NOTE: If you like the County Extension information you need to mention Extension education as part of the farm bill including 4-H. If you use GMO cotton, or most any herbicide and insecticides you have benefited from work done by Agriculture Experiment Stations. You may not realize all that Extension and Experiment stations do. Good Morning, Congress is working on the next farm bill and Congresswoman Lujan Grisham is asking for producers input. Please circulate the attached worksheet to producers and return them to Elizabeth Reitzel at Elizabeth.Reitzel@mail.house.gov or by mail 400 Gold Ave. SW, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102. 2017 Farm Bill Listening Sessions 1) What programs would you like to continue to see in the 2018 Farm Bill? Why? Do you have any suggestions for improvement? 2) What programs would you like to see removed from the Farm Bill? Why? 3) What would you like to see added to the Farm Bill? 4) Do you currently participate in any farm bill programs? If so which ones? Which of the following farm bill titles are important to you and why? Please check all that apply, note the names of important programs under each topic area and explain why the programs are important to you.  Crop Commodity Programs (Title I and Title XI include - Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX))  Dairy & Livestock (Title I and Title XII include - Margin Protection Program (MPP), Dairy Product Donation Program (DPDP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements)  Conservation (Titles II and XI include - Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP),and Crop Production on Native Sod (“sodsaver”))  Nutrition (Title IV includes - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program, Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, Community Food Projects Grant Program, Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program, Geographic Preference: School Food Procurement, Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program, Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Technology for Direct Marketing)  Rural Development (Title VI includes - Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grants, Access to rural broadband telecommunication services, Integration of information technologies (Internet), Rural Energy Savings Program, and Rural Business Development Grants, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program)  Research, Extension, and Related Matters (Title VII includes - Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, Forestry Products Advanced Utilization Research Initiative, and Agricultural and food law research)  Energy (Title IX includes - Agricultural and food law research, Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Assistance Program, Biobased Markets Program, and Biobased Markets Program)

USDA and SCORE Launch Innovative Mentorship Effort to Support New Farmers and Ranchers

This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFSA/bulletins/1af58d7 USDA and SCORE Launch Innovative Mentorship Effort to Support New Farmers and Ranchers 08/05/2017 02:09 PM EDT DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 5, 2017 – U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with officials from SCORE, the nation’s largest volunteer network of expert business mentors, to support new and beginning farmers. Today’s agreement provides new help resources for beginning ranchers, veterans, women, socially disadvantaged Americans and others, providing new tools to help them both grow and thrive in agri-business. ________________________________________

Livestock being targeted.

EDDY COUNTY, New Mexico - Detectives with the Eddy County Sheriff's Office are investigating two separate cattle shootings. Reports show detectives responded to the 600 block of Angel Ranch Road on August 1st in reference to several cattle that had been shot and killed. A total of eleven cattle were found dead between two separate properties. Further investigation revealed that a high-caliber rifle was used within a half-mile radius of the residences. The cows that were shot are described as a red roping steer, a black cow, a black cow with a white face, two black angus cows, and a black bald cow, according to the Sheriff's Office. We're told the total value of the cattle is about $17,000-$20,000. Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage is asking citizens to contact law enforcement if they see suspicious outside activity in the rural ranching communities. If you have any information regard these cases please contact Lt. Matthew Hutchinson or Detective Daniel Taschner at 575-887-7551. Eddy County Cattle Growers, Eddy County Crime Stoppers are offering reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. Under NM State Law this is extreme credulity to animals and may be prosecuted as such. It is not know if these recent shooting are related to earlier shooting this year.