PESTICIDE TRAINING PROGRAM OFFERED

PESTICIDE TRAINING PROGRAM OFFERED Eddy County Extension Service will be conducting pesticide applicator training on October 19 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Cost is $10 per person. This class is good for 5 CEU’s. Private applicator testing will not be available if you need to test call and arranged with NMDA 575-646-3007. The information presented may help you prepare for the exams however. These will be in Carlsbad at the Eddy County Extension Office. Dr. Sam Samallidge Extension Wildlife Specialist will be presenting information on gopher control, rodent control, keeping pack rats out of trucks, rattle snakes and more. There is limited space so if you wish to pre-register or if you are in need of special assistance due to a disability please contact the Eddy County Extension Office 887-6595 at least 7 days before the class. This and all programs are available to everyone regardless of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status. New Mexico State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Eddy County Government Cooperating “to put knowledge to work”.

NMSU rodeo team rides away with five event wins in Douglas, Arizona

NMSU rodeo team rides away with five event wins in Douglas, Arizona DATE: 09/28/2017 WRITER: Savannah Montero, 575-646-1614, smontero@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Logan Corbett , 270-293-9242, lcorbett@nmsu.edu Hot, dry, windy weather, faces covered in dirt, and the New Mexico State University rodeo team still came out with a bang. At the Cochise College rodeo in Douglas, Arizona, Sept. 22-23, the men’s team finished first overall and the women’s team placed second. The Aggies had multiple event average winners for the weekend. Assistant Rodeo Coach Oobie Hawkes was asked at the rodeo about how the team was doing. “I just want the kids to go to College Finals and do the best that they can at every college rodeo,” Hawkes said. “We have done well so far at the Cochise rodeo. We are placing in just about everything. It’s just a matter of the student athletes getting their minds right in order to match their talent.” Derek Runyan, sophomore of Silver City, New Mexico, won the average for the tie-down roping event. “Ultimately winning is not my goal, but more of a desirable result of not just going to practice to win at the rodeo,” Runyan said. “Instead I have been practicing to make myself better. So, my goal at every rodeo is to go rope every calf and tie them down without any mistakes and that’s what I have been working on.” Ty Ballard, freshman of Fort Sumner, New Mexico, ended up first for the weekend in the saddle bronc riding. Hayley Dalton-Estes, sophomore of Las Vegas, Nevada, finished first in the goat tying event after completing two quick runs. “It felt good to put a couple of solid runs together, especially since I’m riding a different horse this year in the goats,” Dalton-Estes said. Wyatt Jurney, senior of Las Cruces, won the steer wrestling event. Jurney was asked last Saturday about his outlook on rodeo, along with his placing so far in Douglas. “You have to look at life and rodeo the same. If you’re not having fun with rodeo, then there is no reason to do it, so have fun, try your best and do the best that you can, and that’s what it’s all about,” Jurney said. “I won fourth today. I should have ridden my horse better, but we are headed to the short-go and we are blessed. That is all that matters.” The next college rodeo will be held in Las Cruces, Thursday and Friday Sept. 28-29. For more information contact Logan Corbett at lcorbett@nmsu.edu. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

Chaves County North Eddy County Pesticide workshop

pesticide workshop for Eddy County

Leaky Pipes Everywhere! Understanding Connectivity Along River Corridors

In parched North Dakota, cloud-seeding irks some farmers By dave kolpack, associated press FARGO, N.D. — Sep 24, 2017, 11:56 AM ET

In the parched northern Plains, where the worst drought in decades has withered crops and forced some ranchers to begin selling off their herds, a cloud-seeding program aimed at making it rain would seem a strange target for farmer anger. But some North Dakota growers are trying to end a state cloud-seeding program that's been around for generations, believing it may be making the drought worse. Besides anecdotal accounts from decades of farming, they cite satellite images of clouds dissipating after being seeded and statistics over two decades that they say show less rainfall in counties that cloud-seed than surrounding ones that don't. "You watch the planes seed, you will see storms weaken," said Roger Neshem, a 39-year-old farmer in the northern part of the state who is leading an effort to see if Mother Nature can do better on her own. In response to the push, Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has asked the state Water Commission to review the program. Hank Bodner, a cloud-seeding supporter who chairs the state's Atmospheric Resource Board and the Ward County Weather Modification Authority, said opponents have no scientific basis for their doubts. "We've told them that if we're going to have a meeting to discuss this, you need to come with someone who has a PhD to tell us that we're chasing the clouds away," Bodner said. While Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have been battering the Gulf Coast and Southeast with wind and water, the northern Plains have received little more than dust all summer. Almost one-third of Montana is in exceptional drought. Much of North Dakota is in severe to extreme drought, and even the least affected parts of the state are classified as abnormally dry. The federal government has offered emergency loans to help farmers, and the state has requested a federal disaster declaration that could unlock direct disaster payments to farmers and ranchers hit by the drought. Into all this comes cloud-seeding, which involves spraying fine particles of silver iodide and dry ice into a cloud system. It's done by aircraft in North Dakota, but can be done by rockets or by generators on the ground. The silver iodide causes water droplets in the clouds to form ice crystals that become heavier and fall faster, releasing rain and small hailstones — rather than larger stones that could batter crops. More than 50 countries do it in some fashion: ski resorts use it to add precious powder to their slopes; hydroelectric companies seek to bolster spring runoff that powers generation systems; insurance companies support it to cut down on big hailstorms that require big property damage payouts. Some environmental groups have raised questions about the environmental risk of using silver iodide, but the U.S. Public Health Service says cloud-seeding is safe and the North Dakota farmers who oppose their program aren't doing so because of health concerns. It was hail's threat to small crops that spurred North Dakota to launch its program back in the 1950s. The state currently pays about $400,000 toward the program, or about one-third of the cost, and it operates in seven counties. Most studies suggest cloud-seeding produces more rain, but it's not clear to what extent. The state Atmospheric Resource Board points to a Wyoming study from 2005 to 2014 that reported an increase in snowfall of 5 to 15 percent "during ideal seeding conditions." The board also cites a nearly 50-year-old North Dakota project that estimated a potential rainfall increase of 1 inch per growing season. David Delene, a University of North Dakota professor and editor of the Journal of Weather Modification, said it's difficult to assess the effectiveness of cloud-seeding because it's impossible to tell how much rain would have fallen if the clouds hadn't been seeded. "Statistics aren't always as good as we want because every cloud is different," Delene said. "We're getting positive indications the seeding is working. In order for it to be accepted, you need hundreds of cases." Neil Brackin, president of Weather Modification, Inc., the Fargo company that does the aerial seeding, said he doesn't believe cloud-seeding is making the drought worse. He said he welcomes a review of the program. "We have a good story to tell," he said. Neshem, the farmer, isn't convinced. "It should be their job to prove that it works," he said. "They're the ones taking taxpayer money without any proof that it's doing anything. You have 55 years of seeding in Ward County and if you want to have a true scientific experiment, let's do 55 years without it."

Why Does the Colorado River Need to Sue For Rights?

Why Does the Colorado River Need to Sue For Rights? https://sandiegofreepress.org/2017/09/why-does-the-colorado-river-need-to-sue-for-rights/ San Diego Free Press By Will Falk On Tuesday, September 26, the Colorado River will sue the State of Colorado in a first-in-the-nation lawsuit requesting that the United States District Court in Denver recognize the river’s rights of nature. These rights include the rights to exist, flourish, regenerate, and naturally evolve. To enforce these rights, the Colorado River will also request that the court grant the river “personhood” and standing to sue in American courts…Because our legal system currently defines nature as property, “resourcism” is institutionalized in American law. While climate change worsens, water continues to be polluted, and the collapse of every major ecosystem on the continent intensifies, we must conclude that our system of law fails to protect the natural world and fails to protect the human and nonhuman communities who depend on it. Jensen, while diagnosing widespread ecocide, observes a fundamental psychological principle: “We act according to the way we experience the world. We experience the world according to how we perceive it. We perceive it the way we have been taught.” Jensen quotes a Canadian lumberman who once said, “When I look at trees I see dollar bills.” The lumberman’s words represent the dominant culture’s view of the natural world. Jensen explains the psychology of this objectification, “If, when you look at trees you see dollar bills, you will act a certain way. If, when you look at trees, you see trees you will act a different way. If, when you look at this tree right here you see this tree right here, you will act differently still.” Law shapes our experience of the world. Currently, law teaches that nature is property, an object, or a resource to use. This entrenches a worldview that encourages environmental destruction. In other words, when law teaches us to see the Colorado River as dollar bills, as simple gallons of water, as an abstract percentage to be allocated, it is no wonder that corporations like Nestle can gain the right to run plastic bottling operations that drain anywhere from 250 million to 510 million gallons of Colorado River water per year. The American legal system can take a good step toward protecting us all – human and nonhuman alike – by granting ecosystems like the Colorado River rights and allowing communities to sue on these ecosystems’ behalf. When standing is recognized on behalf of ecosystems themselves, environmental law will reflect a conception of legal “causation” that is more friendly to the natural world than it is to the corporations destroying the natural world. At a time when the effects of technology are outpacing science’s capacity to research these effects, injured individuals and communities often have difficulty proving that corporate actions are the cause of their injuries. When ecosystems, like the Colorado River, are granted the rights to exist, flourish, regenerate, and naturally evolve, the obsolete causation theory, en vogue, will be corrected. ************ American history is haunted by notorious failures to afford rights to those who always deserved them. Americans will forever shudder, for example, at Chief Justice Roger Taney’s words, when the Supreme Court, in 1857, ruled persons of African descent cannot be, nor were never intended to be, citizens under the Constitution in Dred Scott v. Sanford. Justice Taney wrote of African Americans, “They had for more than a century before been regarded as being of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race … and so far inferior, that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect…” And, of course, without rights that white, slave-owning men were bound to respect, the horrors of slavery continued. The most hopeful moments in American history, on the other hand, have occurred when the oppressed have demanded and were granted their rights in American courts. Despite centuries of treating African Americans as less than human while defining them as property, our system of law now gives the same rights to African Americans that American citizens have always enjoyed. Once property, African Americans are now persons under the law. Similarly, despite a centuries-old tradition where women were, in the legal sense, owned by men, our system of law now gives the same rights to women that American citizens have always enjoyed. Once property, women are now a person under the law. It’s tempting to describe this history as “inevitable progress” or as “the legal system correcting itself” or with some other congratulatory language. But, this glosses over the violent struggles it took for rights to be won. The truth is, and we see this clearly in Justice Taney’s words, the American legal system resisted justice until change was forced upon it. It took four centuries of genocide and the nation’s bloodiest civil war before our system of law recognized the rights of African Americans. While the courts resisted, African Americans were enslaved, exploited, and killed. Right now, the natural world is struggling violently for its survival. We watch hurricanes, exacerbated by human-induced climate change, rock coastal communities. We choke through wildfires, also exacerbated by human-induced climate change, sweeping across the West. We feel the Colorado River’s thirst as overdraw and drought dries it up. It is the time that American law stop resisting. Our system of law must change to reflect ecological reality. ************ Colorado River between Marble Canyon (Source: Alex Proimos/Flickr/CC-BY-NC-2.0) This is ecological reality: all life depends on clean water, breathable air, healthy soil, a habitable climate, and complex relationships formed by living creatures in natural communities. Water is life and in the arid American Southwest, no natural community is more responsible for the facilitation of life than the Colorado River. Because so much life depends on her, the needs of the Colorado River are primary. Social morality must emerge from a humble understanding of this reality. Law is integral to any society’s morality, so law must emerge from this understanding, too. Human language lacks the complexity to adequately describe the Colorado River and any attempt to account for the sheer amount of life she supports will necessarily be arbitrary. Nevertheless, many creatures of feather, fin, and fur rely on the Colorado River. Iconic, and endangered or threatened, birds like the bald eagle, greater sage grouse, Gunnison sage grouse, peregrine falcon, yellow-billed cuckoo, summer tanager, and southwestern willow flycatcher make their homes in the Colorado River watershed. Fourteen endemic fish species swim the river’s currents including four fish that are now endangered: the humpback chub, Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker, and bonytail. Many of the West’s most recognizable mammals depend on the Colorado River for water and to sustain adequate food sources. Gray wolves, grizzly bear, black bear, mountain lions, coyotes, and lynx walk the river’s banks. Elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep live in her forests. Beavers, river otters, and muskrats live directly in the river’s flow as well as in streams and creeks throughout the Colorado River basin. The Colorado River provides water for close to 40 million people and irrigates nearly 4 million acres of American and Mexican cropland. Agriculture uses the vast majority of the river’s water. In 2012, 78% of the Colorado’s water was used for agriculture alone. 45% of the water is diverted from the Colorado River basin which spells disaster for basin ecosystems. Major cities that rely on these trans-basin diversions include Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Salt Lake City. Despite the Colorado River’s importance to life, she is being destroyed. Before the construction of dams and large-scale diversion, the Colorado flowed 1,450 miles into the Pacific Ocean near Sonora, Mexico. The river’s life story is an epic saga of strength, determination, and the will to deliver her waters to the communities who need them. Across those 1,450 miles, she softened mountainsides, carved through red rock, and braved the deserts who sought to exhaust her. Now, however, the Colorado River suffers under a set of laws, court decrees, and multi-state compacts that are collectively known as the “Law of the River.” The Law of the River allows humans to take more water from the river than actually exists. Granting the river the rights we seek for her would help the courts revise problematic laws. The regulations set forth in the 1922 Colorado River Compact are the most important and, perhaps, the most problematic. Seven states (Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) are allotted water under the Compact. When the Compact was enacted, the parties assumed that the river’s flow would remain at a reliable 17 million acre-feet of water per year and divided the water using a 15-million acre feet per year standard. But, hydrologists now know 17 million acre-feet represented an unusually high flow and was a mistake. Records show that the Colorado River’s flow was only 9 million acre-feet in 1902, for example. From 2000-2016, the river’s flow only averaged 12.4 million acre-feet per year. So, for the last 16 years, the Compact states have been legally allowed to use water that isn’t there.

Pecan weevils’ range is growing, warns AgriLife Extension expert

Pecan weevils’ range is growing, warns AgriLife Extension expert Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Bill Ree By Staff Homeowners and pecan orchard operators are being urged to watch for pecan weevils, which can decimate a crop right up to harvest. “This is not a new pest, but what is new is that it’s being sighted in areas where it’s never been found,” said Bill Ree, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service integrated pest management specialist at College Station. “It’s a serious pest, ranking right up there with the ubiquitous casebearer that hits developing pecans early in the season practically statewide. Pecan weevils hit late in the season when the nuts are ready to be harvested. “What’s troubling is we are seeing a considerable geographic movement in a pest that was once fairly isolated,” Ree continued. “We are confident this migration is human-assisted.” The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae, is native to North America and has been collected from all the native hickory species, though detailed knowledge of its distribution is only known within pecan populations, Ree said. “Individual producers must manage this pest if they find it in their orchards, as I have seen an instance where no management was applied for several years and upwards of 95 percent of the pecans had pecan weevil damage,” Ree said. “Unfortunately, management of pecan weevil requires at least two late-season insecticide applications, which also kill beneficial insects, thus indirectly causing problems with secondary pests.” In pecan-producing states, Ree said, there is a potential for spreading the pest from infested to uninfested regions. In Texas, 130 of the state’s 254 counties have recorded outbreaks. The most recent being in Hays and Comal counties with a suspected case in Lynn County. “It is unclear if these new detections were the result of man-assisted movement or not,” Ree said. “But the verified infestations should be a wake-up call for the Texas pecan industry because the detections show for the first time that the Guadalupe River Watershed is now at risk from being slowly but surely contiguously infested. “If one looks at a topographical map of the area, it’s apparent there are no natural barriers to prevent further spread because these newly infested areas are adjacent to streams lined with wild, native, and improved pecans that flow all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. “I hear all too often of new detections in New Mexico and fear for its potential spread even farther west. That potential westward movement into the states of New Mexico, Arizona and California would be a very large industry problem.” He said there have been new detections in New Mexico, and that a westward movement into that state as well as Arizona and California would be a large problem for the industry. Ree suggests one method to help prevent the westward spread is through an expanded multi-state quarantine. He said Texas has a pecan weevil quarantine for all counties except the five most western. The Texas quarantine includes all in-shell pecans as well as cracked pecans and any pecan shipment containing shell pieces. Anyone in Texas in the quarantined area selling or shipping pecans to New Mexico, Arizona, or California must meet the quarantine treatment requirements. Ree said quarantines are effective on the commercial side because most growers are aware of the problem and its potential consequences to the industry, but most homeowners are not. He recalled a pecan weevil outbreak in the early 1970s in Otero County, New Mexico, which took several years to control. “Although the infestation was eventually eradicated, the source of this infestation was unclear; however, one of the residents in the infested area recalled having a grocery sack of ‘bad pecans’ that were collected from the native range of the pecan weevil and were later disposed of in his backyard.” Ree said eastern New Mexico and West Texas infestations most likely are the result of human-assisted movement. He said these pop-up infestations are costly for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to try to eradicate, which often takes years, and are a problem for the industry as a whole. “I don’t have a solution to this problem, but one way I try to address this issue is that I talk about the pecan weevil at all the AgriLife Extension meetings I’m a part of, regardless of whether the county has weevils or not,” he said. “I really feel communication with not only producers but also with the general public is important in getting the word out of the seriousness of this growing problem. “Better communication about this important issue from all those involved with the pecan industry to the general public will be a step in the right direction.” Read more: http://www.dailytrib.com/2017/09/22/pecan-weevils-range-growing-warns-agrilife-extension-expert/#ixzz4tneb7Tkk

This is a notification of this year’s NMDA pesticide disposal event!

This is a notification of this year’s NMDA pesticide disposal event. We will be holding collections at two locations this year: Crop Production Services in Vado on Oct. 10, and Helena Chemical in Albuquerque on Oct. 12. We will also have agricultural plastic recycling services available this year provided by USAg Recycling (eligibility details here: http://www.usagrecycling.com/preparation.html). I have attached an informational flyer that can be shared or posted as needed. NMDA commends all individuals who come together to make this program a success. The proper disposal of pesticides eliminates a potential threat to human health and the environment. Over the last decade we have collected over 400,000 pounds of pesticide products. We hope you continue to utilize the pesticide disposal program by participating this year. Contact me if you have any additional questions or if I can provide more information. Thank you, Jacob Kruse Senior Program Specialist New Mexico Department of Agriculture PO Box 30005, MSC 3AQ Las Cruces, NM 88003 575/646-7049 jkruse@nmda.nmsu.edu www.nmda.nmsu.edu

Farmers, Ranchers Need to Deliver Strong Tax Reform Message To Congress

Farmers, Ranchers Need to Deliver Strong Tax Reform Message To Congress AFBF Press Release Republican congressional leaders, just returning from their month-long August recess, are geared up to revamp and modernize the tax code, making it all the more urgent for farmers and ranchers to share their tax reform priorities with lawmakers…Among farmers’ and ranchers’ top priorities are comprehensive tax reform that helps all farm and ranch businesses; the reduction of combined income and self-employment tax rates to account for any deductions or credits lost; cost-recovery tools like allowing businesses to deduct expenses when incurred; and a continuation of cash accounting, Section 1031 “like-kind exchanges,” and the deduction for state and local taxes. More here

National Milk Oversupply Problem

National Milk Oversupply Problem Politco MorningAg.com About 180 members of the National Farmers Organization, mainly in New York, Vermont and Pennsylvania, are at risk of having no place to sell their milk on Dec. 1 unless they can find a buyer other than Dairy Farmers of America. The NFO members had their contracts terminated due to the overabundance of milk and decreased processing facilities in the region…Brad Rach, NFO's national dairy director, said his organization is doing everything it can to find a new home for the farmers' milk, but things are looking bleak. He added that the oversupply problem is impacting dairy farmers and cooperatives in every region of the country, not just the Northeast. He is hoping the U.S. dairy industry can come together to figure out how to manage the milk supply to prevent a repeat of the nationwide glut. Otherwise, "farmers going out of business will be our supply-management program," he said.

Artesia High School MESA looking for ideas!

I am the sponsor for the MESA club at Artesia High School. Each year we develop a project for our MESA Day competition. This year the project is to have something to do with water. MESA is currently big into using Arduino circuit boards and the programming of the boards. Since Arduino is involved, the students will need to use inputs and outputs to either detect, control, monitor, and/or send out an alarm. I was asking individuals at the high school for ideas and Lynn Worley suggested I contact you to see if you had any ideas as to what we could do for a competition project. I have already contacted some individuals from the dairy industry and Dr. Flynn with NMSU. I am waiting to hear from Dr. Flynn, but I have received a couple ideas from the dairy industry. My cell phone number is 575-749-3338. Thank you, Mark Stone If you have and idea contact on a project that would help Agriculture contact Mark or my self.

Senators Introduce Bill to Reform Antiquated Hardrock Mining Laws

NEWS FROM THE UNITED STATES SENATE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 2017 Senators Introduce Bill to Reform Antiquated Hardrock Mining Laws Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act will ensure mining companies pay their fair share and prevent future disasters like Gold King Mine blowout WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2017, legislation to modernize the nation’s antiquated hardrock mining laws. The bill requires companies to pay royalties for the first time for the ability to extract mineral resources like gold, silver, and copper from public lands, helps ensure that taxpayers aren’t on the hook for cleaning up abandoned mines, and seeks to prevent another toxic spill like the Gold King Mine disaster of 2015. The Gold King Mine blowout spilled 3 million gallons of toxic wastewater into the Animas and San Juan rivers, and communities in New Mexico and Colorado are still waiting for compensation for the damage to their businesses and farms. “It’s time to end the antiquated sweetheart deal that hardrock mining companies have enjoyed for nearly 150 years,” said Udall, who has fought for mining reform continuously since he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998. “Like oil, gas, and coal producers, mining companies need to pay their fair share, but because our mining laws date back to the Gold Rush era, it’s the taxpayers who are on the hook for cleaning up hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines that are poisoning our watersheds and threatening our communities. The Gold King Mine disaster – and the harm it has caused to Navajo Nation and New Mexico communities – show why we need to bring our laws into the 21st century. We no longer travel West by covered wagon and oxen, and our mining laws should no longer favor Manifest Destiny and the domination of the continent. This legislation will help communities across the West clean up these dangerous abandoned mines, and ensure that taxpayers are getting their fare share of the profit from resources mined on public lands.” “Toxins leaking out of thousands of abandoned hardrock mines threaten public health and damage our watersheds every day,” said Heinrich. “In the Southwest, water is our most precious resource and we cannot continue to do nothing while toxic metals are drained into our rivers and drinking water supplies. We cannot wait to take action until another Gold King Mine disaster strikes again. It is time that Congress overhaul our outdated and ineffective federal hardrock mining policy so taxpayers aren’t the ones on the hook when something goes wrong. We must come together and pass these pragmatic reforms to stop future disasters, and protect the health of our communities, our land, and our water.” "The Gold King spill continues to be a reminder of the threat that abandoned mines pose," said Bennet. "Hardrock mining is a part of our heritage in Colorado, but it is long past time to reform our antiquated mining laws. This bill would provide the resources necessary to help clean up the thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado, improve water quality, and prevent a future disaster for downstream communities." “Private companies that profit from mining on public lands ought to pay for using those lands and for cleaning up the messes they’ve created,” said Wyden. “This common-sense legislation would update a century-old law to make sure hardrock mining companies no longer get a free ride when it comes to cleaning up abandoned mines, which threaten public safety and the environment.” “Huge multinational mining companies can extract gold, silver and other valuable hardrock minerals right now that belong to American taxpayers without paying a dime under a mining law passed after the Civil War,” said Markey. "The mining law of 1872 isn’t just outdated, it’s outrageous. We need to ensure that these large mining companies pay their fair share to mine on public lands so that we have the revenue to protect public health and the environment by cleaning up the hundreds of thousands of dangerous, toxic abandoned mines in Western states.” An estimated half million abandoned hardrock mines like the Gold King are scattered across the West, many leaking toxic chemicals and threatening downstream communities. Yet taxpayers are on the hook to cover the $20 billion-$50 billion it would cost to clean up the mines. The lawmakers' bill offers a common-sense solution to take the burden off taxpayers. Current law dates back to 1872 and allows companies to take gold, silver, copper, uranium and other minerals from public land without paying any royalties. The lawmakers' bill would update the law and impose a common-sense royalty on hardrock mining companies — similar to that paid by oil and gas and coal companies for decades — to help pay for abandoned mine cleanup and prevent future disasters. The bill is also supported by U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). Udall, Heinrich, Bennet, Wyden, Markey, and Luján championed similar House and Senate bills in 2015. “The Gold King Mine spill was a painful reminder of the legacy of hardrock mining in the West that has resulted in thousands of abandoned mines that contain toxic materials,” said Luján. “That’s why I am working with my colleagues in the House on similar legislation to update outdated laws that have left the American people to bear the brunt – and the cost -- of addressing the damage that has been done to our land and water. We must act to ensure that mining companies contribute to the much-needed effort to clean up abandoned mines.” The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2017 would: - Require hardrock mining companies to pay an annual rental payment for claimed public land, similar to other public land users. - Set a royalty rate for new operations of 2 percent-5 percent based on the gross income of new production on federal land (would not apply to mining operations already in commercial production or those with an approved plan of operations). - Create a Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund for abandoned mine cleanup. The fund would be infused by an abandoned mine reclamation fee of 0.6 percent-2 percent. - Give the Secretary of the Interior the authority to grant royalty relief to mining operations based on economic factors. - Require an exploration permit and mining operations permit for noncasual mining operations on federal land, valid for 30 years and as long as commercial production occurs. - Permit states, political subdivisions, and Indian Tribes to petition the Secretary of the Interior to have lands withdrawn from mining. - Require an expedited review of areas that may be inappropriate for mining, and allow specific areas be reviewed for possible withdrawal. ### Contacts: Jennifer Talhelm (Udall) 202.228.6870 / Whitney Potter (Heinrich) 202.228.1578 / Samantha Slater (Bennet) 202.228.5905 / Sam Offerdahl (Wyden) 202.224.5039 / Giselle Barry (Markey) 202.224.2742 / Joe Shoemaker (Luján) 202.225.6190

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF TRICHOMONIASIS Wenzel, J, Gifford, C., Hawkes, J1 Introduction

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF TRICHOMONIASIS Wenzel, J, Gifford, C., Hawkes, J1 Introduction Trichomoniasis is a disease that can be economically devastating in a short period of time. Trichomoniasis is caused by the protozoa, Tritrichomonas foetus, and does not cause the animal to show clinical signs. Additionally, there is no treatment to cure infected animals making the disease difficult to control if proper preventative practices are not followed. A susceptible cow that is bred by an infected bull will become infected with the organism, and will generally abort, resume cyclicity, and then may settle thereby infecting all bulls that breed her while she is infected. Infected bulls will then transmit the disease to the cows he breeds and the disease spreads rapidly through the herd. Trichomoniasis is known to reduce herd fertility, and the economic impacts from reproductive losses can be substantial for the livestock enterprise with extensive implications for both production and economic sustainability. However, the full extent of economic damages associated with a Trichomoniasis outbreak in New Mexico livestock operations has not been evaluated. Therefore, a series of factors that are impactful to the economic profile of the livestock production unit were considered in a recent survey of known positive premises across New Mexico. Physiological factors that were found to be most economically impacted included: calf crop percentage, conception rate, cull rates, weaning weights and re-establishment of the herd. Impacts associated with Trichomoniasis are not a one-year recovery process, but rather a long-term situation that requires intensive management by the livestock producer to return to profitability. Cost and Return Estimate A representative livestock enterprise was employed in the modeling process using the New Mexico State University cost and return estimate generator. The representative ranch had 400 mother cows, 1:20 bull/cow ratio, 15% replacement rate, and a 91% weaned calf crop. The comparative analysis cost and return estimate for a Trichomoniasis infected herd had the same number of mother cows, 1:20 bull/cow ratio, 35% replacement rate and a 64% weaned calf crop. These values were determined through survey responses. Economic Implications of Trichomoniasis in New Mexico The percentage of weaned calves in the Trichomoniasis positive ranches across New Mexico fell by almost 37% after the disease was identified. Economic impacts associated with fewer calves are multifaceted for the production unit. First, the reality of selling fewer calves has a significant impact on the return for the enterprise. Second, due to the extreme environment in NM, most producers find it necessary to raise their own replacement heifers in order to match their animals to the environment. A reduction in weaned calves will constrain the producer decision making process as forward planning is evolving. Not only were fewer calves weaned, but market calves were lighter with the presence of Trichomoniasis thus further reducing gross returns. The result of lighter calves was representative of approximately $21 per cow. Overall, this research model indicated that economic impacts of Trichomoniasis were in excess of $300.00 per cow on the representative livestock enterprise. Conception rates were 90.55% for the disease free enterprise, and 64.5% for the enterprise exposed to Trichomoniasis. The physiological and economic impact is stated in weaned calves. When the disease is present, effects on conception are significant. Conception may be delayed by several cycles. It is estimated that every cycle that a cow does not breed reduces her calf’s weaning weight by as much as 50 pounds. In addition, many cows will not rebreed, and will have to be sold as open cows. Cows that were pregnant, at pregnancy check may abort at any point up to 240 days of gestation. Perhaps the most devastating is the loss in calf crop which can be 10- 50% the first year depending on the rate of transmission in the herd which is largely dependent on the number of infected bulls. Replacement of the aggregate breeding herd holds economic challenges that are both financial and genetic. Trichomoniasis has been shown to alter the genetic composition of the breeding herd. New Mexico producers must select for cows that can produce in an environment where forage is often limiting, and it can take decades to build a herd adapted to the challenging environment. Thus, purchasing replacement heifers is not common for the majority of New Mexico producers. Generations of family choices relative to the development of the mother cow herd have been devastated by this Trichomoniasis. This impact is very challenging to determine a specific economic value through the implementation of the representative cost and return estimate, but reduced calving percentages associated with Trichomoniasis makes it necessary to purchase replacement females. This additional cost is only partially offset with increased cull sales. Costs associated with the replacement of bulls was estimated to exceed $80,000 for the representative model. Testing The only known way to eliminate the disease, and to prevent infection is to test bulls; thus, Trichomoniasis testing is a positive investment for the livestock entity. The cost of a Trichomoniasis test was estimated to be $46.21 per bull as determined by the survey average. Relative to the potential economic loss associated with the disease should the enterprise become infected, this cost would appear to be a positive return on investment. In addition, annual testing will also facilitate positive working relationships with neighboring livestock enterprises. Collaborative efforts to increase Trichomoniasis testing in a region is an encouraged concept and is the most effective method to eliminate or minimize spread of the disease. Table 1. Economic Profile of Trichomoniasis in New Mexico Without Trich Per Cow With Trich Per Cow Number of Cows 400 400 Calf Crop Percentage 91% 64% Weaning Weight Heifers 495 486 Weaning Weight Steers 515 509 Trich Test/Bull $0.00 $0.00 $46.25 $0.12 Bull Cost $8,000.00 $20.00 $91,107.14 $227.77 Total Return $242,063.00 $605.16 $166,114.00 $415.29 Total Cost $165,037.00 $412.59 $249,822.00 $624.56 Return Above Total Costs $77,025.00 $192.56 -$83,708.00 -209.27 Change in Return -$401.83 Summary Table 1 provides a summary of the economic impact of Trichomoniasis. The introduction of this disease in a livestock enterprise will have economic impacts. These impacts will change both liquidity and solvency. The overall impact of the study determined that all factors when combined will have a total economic impact to the livestock enterprise of greater than $400 per cow. Annualized return on investment would exceed 129% in this scenario. A return with a level of significance as presented allows the livestock enterprise owner/management team to make an easy decision- initiate and sustain Trichomoniasis testing. 1 – All with New Mexico State University, Department of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources Wenzel, J -Extension Veterinarian Gifford, C.- Extension Beef Specialist Hawkes, J. – Ag Economist and Department Head

roundtable in Santa Rosa

Please join NMSU Corona Range and Livestock Research Center and the Guadalupe County Cooperative Extension Service in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, October 18th starting at 8 a.m. for the next Let’s Talk! Breakfast in Town roundtable discussion, followed by Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training or recertification. It will be held at the Blue Hole Convention Center. This is a free event to attend but please register at www.corona.nmsu.edu to allow us meal planning. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Attached is the event flyer with more details. We hope to see you there, Shad

PECANS ARE FALLING.

PECANS ARE FALLING. Pecan nuts grow in two phases. The first phase includes pollination, nut enlargement, and water stages. This usually occurs between the dates of May 1 to August 15. Phase II is kernel filling and shell hardening. This usually occurs from August 15 to November 1. Close to the date when the first phase of nut development is complete, the third nut drop, called the August drop occurs. But pecan trees can’t read a calendar and this is determined by heat units. This usually occurs from August to mid-September. This year it was more into September to now. It causes greater concern to pecan growers and homeowners because of the large size of the nuts at this time. Although the percentage shed is generally low, 8 to 10 percent. Some trees in the area this year have had very high percent shed however. Embryo abortion is considered to the reason for this late drop. By the time August/September drop takes place, the embryo has attained full size, the ovary has about completed its enlargement and the pecans will soon begin to harden. Premature shedding will occur when something affects the embryo. If the embryo aborts after the shell hardens, the nut usually matures, but will be hollow or what is commonly called a pop. Although the causal factors for embryo abortion are not known, some researchers consider the following situations, to be related to embryo abortion: • A severe drought or later stress. This is more likely to occur in poor soils and it frequently takes place during the water stage. • A prolonged period of excess moisture. Lack of air in the soil impairs the root system capacity to absorb water and nutrients required by the pecan tree. • Hot, dry winds can increase water loss by increasing the pecan tree moisture requirements due to high transpiration rates. • Insects (Shuck-worm, southern green stinkbug, pecan weevil). Puncturing of the ovary wall, the future nutshell will cause nuts to fall in 3 or 4 days. • Any physical damages that can disturb the ovary wall (shell) of pecans. In general this has been a stressful year due to the changes of temperature cool then hot, and water requirements of the trees. Rainwater not only helps supply water to the trees it also has a higher leaching capacity for leaching salts from around the roots. Salt can cause a physiological drought in the trees, which cause embryo abortion. With the rains some people did not keep up with the water requirement of the trees. Look at a sampling of the fallen nuts and check for insect damage to the shuck or the shell. Pecan Weevil has increased its territory in Texas and some counties in New Mexico so if you find a whole in the nut and a grub inside bring that to the Extension Office. If you are having a high August nut drop, all you can do is water correctly, not too much, and not too little and take care of the crop you have left. Subscribe to Eddy County Ag news at: http://nmsueddyag.blogspot.com/ Eddy County Extension Service, New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. All programs are available to everyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. New Mexico State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Eddy County Government Cooperating

Put Farm Safety into Practice

Put Farm Safety into Practice As harvest begins for many across the country, it's important to remember farm safety rules that will keep everyone out of harm's way on the farm. This week is National Farm Safety and Health Week where the theme is "Putting Farm Safety into Practice." Agriculture is among the nation's most hazardous industries with a work-related death rate of 22.2 deaths per 100,000 workers annually according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To help farmers and ranchers stay up to date on farm safety practices, the U.S. Agricultural Centers' has created a YouTube channel where they have more than 100 videos on a variety of topics, including grain bin safety, heat illness, tractor rollovers and agricultural vehicle lighting and marking requirements. Click here to watch the videos. National Sorghum Producers wishes all of our farmers a safe and bountiful harvest.

Confirmation Hearing Held for Two USDA Nominees

Confirmation Hearing Held for Two USDA Nominees The Senate Agriculture Committee held a confirmation hearing Tuesday for Steve Censky, the nominee for deputy agriculture secretary, and Ted McKinney, the nominee for the newly created position of undersecretary for trade and foreign agriculture affairs. The nominees only received questions from six of the 21 committee members during which they addressed key topics such as crop insurance, trade barriers, rural broadband expansion and climate change. The committee is expected to vote on their nominations sometime next week once they resume from the three-day Rosh Hashana recess. The House is also in recess this week only having pro forma sessions on Monday and Thursday; however, GOP leaders are planning to roll out their tax reform plan next week once they resume Monday, September 25.

Aamodt Settlement Act Signed into Law by Interior Secretary Zinke

Aamodt Settlement Act Signed into Law by Interior Secretary Zinke by lajicarita By KAY MATTHEWS On September 15 Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke took a few minutes out of his attack on our national monuments to announce in the Federal Register that all conditions of the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act have been met and it is officially a done deal. This adjudication determines both ground and surface water rights of the four Pojoaque Basin pueblos, Nambe, Tesuque, San Ildefonso, and Pojoaque, and all non-pueblo residents. As I’ve laid out in previous La Jicarita articles, these conditions stipulate that 1) the necessary water supply that must be delivered to the Pueblos via the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System—2,381 afy—has been permitted by the State Engineer; and 2) “The State has enacted necessary legislation and has provided funding as required under the Settlement Agreement.” As I’ve also laid out in previous La Jicarita articles, Taos County has filed an appeal of its protest of the Top of the World water transfer that supplies part of that water to the Pueblos. And the County of Santa Fe passed a resolution in 2015 stating that it will not appropriate its share of the $261 necessary to fund the Regional Water System “until the legal status of County Roads running through the Settling Pueblos has been resolved.” San Ildefonso Pueblo is claiming that county roads that cross through its “external boundaries” belong to the pueblo and is seeking easement payments. The county claims that it has rights of way on all the roads in question. There has been no resolution of this controversy that has pitted the Pueblos against the non-Pueblo residents of the affected county lands. Dave Neal, an officer of the Northern New Mexicans Protecting Land, Water, and Rights (NNMProtects), a group of Valley residents who have fought both the Aamodt Settlement and to resolve the road easement issue, told La Jicarita that Zinke has extended the deadline for this road resolution from September 15 to November 15, but that the county remains determined that no funds will be released until county residents are assured easements. Even with this extension, could this mean that the Settlement may actually come up short on its requisite water supply and funding and fail to be implemented (the State also failed to pass a required $9 appropriation in last year’s legislative session)? Another possible roadblock would be the failure to complete the Regional Water System by 2024, the deadline stipulated for completion in the Settlement Act. None of this seems to bother the powers that be behind this 51 year old adjudication who have pushed this controversial project through the legal process with little regard for fairness, cost, burdensome bureaucracy, the abrogation of the transfer protest process, the cumulative impacts of moving paper water from basin to basin, dipping one more straw into the Rio Grande, and most importantly, the changing nature of our environment and climate that could easily render water supply inadequate or even nonexistent. The legal process does allow for a challenge to the Final Decree, which is being mounted by many of the 300 plus non-Pueblo Pojoaque Valley residents who objected to the terms of the settlement but whose objections were dismissed by the court overseeing the adjudication. They have now filed a notice of appeal to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, represented by Blair Dunn of the Western Agriculture, Resource and Business Advocates law firm. This will be an uphill battle considering the forces deployed against it. Just one last note about Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. While questions should always be raised about how local communities are consulted when public lands are assigned certain restrictions, such as national monument designation, that’s not really what Zinke’s agenda is about. His aim is to aid and abet the movement within the Republican Party to privatize as many public lands as possible in order to turn them over to the extractive industry. As Outside Magazine reported on Zinke’s secret memo to Trump on his review of the monuments, which was leaked to the press, the GOP’s official platform states: “Congress shall immediately pass universal legislation providing for a timely and orderly mechanism requiring the federal government to convey certain federally controlled public lands to states.” The American Lands Council, based in Utah, is spearheading the movement, which makes the Bears Ears and the Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments the most vulnerable. lajicarita | September 21, 2017 at 11:02 am | Tags: Aamodt Adjudication Settlement, American Lands Council, Bears Ears National Monument, Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, NNMProtects | Categories: Acequias, Climate Change, Groundwater, New Mexico Office of the State Engineer, Private Property, Public Lands, Water Adjudication, water and acequias | URL: http://wp.me/p2bCkq-1JR

NMSU rodeo team competes in Tsaile, Arizona; Freshmen bring their game

NMSU rodeo team competes in Tsaile, Arizona; Freshmen bring their game DATE: 09/21/2017 WRITER: Savannah Montero, 575-646-1614, smontero@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Logan Corbett , 270-293-9242, lcorbett@nmsu.edu The New Mexico State University rodeo team brought some heat to the game during the Dine College National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association rodeo Sept. 15-16 in Tsaile, Arizona. “I am extremely proud of the freshmen,” said Logan Corbett, NMSU rodeo coach. “This first rodeo was new territory for them and they competed great.” The NMSU men’s team placed second and the women’s team ended up obtaining third. Broc Lindburg, freshman from Las Vegas, received first in the average of a long and short round in the saddle bronc riding event. Jace Cooley, senior bronc rider, finished second. Cauy Pool, NMSU freshman, placed second in the bareback riding event. “I did pretty good. I’ve been practicing and working out a ton in order to be competitive in college rodeo,” Pool said. “So, the fact that I got second at my first one really makes me confident for the season.” He explained that it was an awesome rodeo with great horses. Derek Runyan, of Silver City, New Mexico, and Trevor Scott, of Twin Falls, Idaho, split fourth in a four-way draw in the tie-down roping average. NMSU team roping partners Lucas Mckenzie and Carl Sweazea took second place in the average for the weekend. Anna Barker, senior from Rochester, Washington, ran two quick barrel racing runs to end up splitting second overall for the first rodeo. Hometown cowgirl of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Zoanne Billings won second in the breakaway roping during last week’s rodeo. “It felt really good to place well this weekend,” Billings said. “I had been in a slump the past two seasons, so it gave me a big confidence boost to score and rope sharp and I am excited for the rest of the season.” Lauren Kelsey, freshman of Oxford, Colorado, received fourth overall in the breakaway event. Savannah Montero, senior of Winnemucca, Nevada, placed second in the goat tying competition. “I was ecstatic with my two runs,” Montero said. “I tied two quick runs in the low sevens and my horse worked great. It is going to be a tough year in the goat tying event; there are tons of great competitors this season.” Bailee Johnston, NMSU freshman, had a wild goat tying run during the first round. She said her horse ran left in order to avoid a collision with the goat, then the horse ran over Johnston. “She stepped on my upper leg as she went over me and I got up to finish my run because I was always taught to keep going no matter what,” Johnston said. “My adrenaline helped me finish my run and I was glad I was able to do that, even though I was sore when I got out of the arena.” Luckily, the team has their Student Athletic Trainer Michael Gregory attend the college rodeos. “My goals for this season are mainly to do everything in my power to keep all of you healthy and competing,” Gregory said, “by providing treatment when needed and educating the athletes on how to manage injuries when we’re not at the events.” The next NIRA rodeo will be held at Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona, Sept. 22-23. For more information contact Corbett at lcorbett@nmsu.edu. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

Details still sketchy on pistachio grower requirements under FSMA

Details still sketchy on pistachio grower requirements under FSMA Western Farm Press By Cecilia Parsons Uncertainty exists with the deadline for pistachio growers to comply with the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) in the Food Safety Modernization Act drawing near…On-farm contamination of pistachio nuts with salmonella or E.coli can come from humans, soil, water, and animals. Awareness of how these sources can possibly introduce pathogens to a crop can comes from evaluating management practices and the observation of daily operations. Just because pistachio nuts don’t hit the ground during harvest does not eliminate contamination risks, says Harris. For example, dust from a nearby dairy can be a source especially around pistachio harvest…the two most common pathogens found on pistachio nuts are the salmonella strains Montevideo and Senftenberg. More here

Texas vs. New Mexico water lawsuit now pending in the U.S. Supreme Court could take as long as another decade to be resolved

LAS CRUCES - The Texas vs. New Mexico water lawsuit now pending in the U.S. Supreme Court could take as long as another decade to be resolved, a consultant water attorney for the city said during a recent meeting.  "It's going to be much longer than four years," Jim Brockmann said in response to a question posed by Las Cruces City Councilor Ceil Levatino. "It's very complex litigation. The state of New Mexico hasn't even filed counterclaims or cross claims. "If I was really going to take my best guess, I'd say closer to 10 years than to four." What's next? The litigation has pitted the state of Texas against New Mexico in a U.S. Supreme Court battle over groundwater use in southern New Mexico. The case has consumed the attention of major water users in the region, including cities, farmers and irrigation districts, many of whom could see ramifications from the eventual outcome. In particular, many are worried about a curtailment of water use that could result. In February, the Supreme Court agent who is overseeing the lawsuit declined a request by the state of New Mexico to throw out the case. Las Cruces city councilors also heard Monday from Assistant New Mexico Attorney General Tania Maestas, who gave an update on the litigation. She said there could be oral arguments related to the motion to dismiss, but if not, the case will proceed with New Mexico filing its formal response to the lawsuit and possibly making its own allegations, known as counter-claims. "This is when we actually get to state points that we feel are especially important to the citizens here and the water users here in New Mexico," she said. City-AG's office partnership The city, as a major groundwater user in Doña Ana County, is "very clearly aligned" with the New Mexico Attorney General's Office in the lawsuit, Brockmann said. The lawsuit boils down to control over groundwater in south-central New Mexico, he said. The city believes the state of New Mexico is the controlling authority. "So it's absolutely critical for us that we communicate and coordinate with the state Attorney General's Office to make sure that those groundwater rights that are administered under state law are protected under state law," he said. "And that is a primary position for the attorney general in that litigation." The Las Cruces-based Elephant Butte Irrigation District, which delivers river water to farmers throughout Doña Ana County, has opposed the state of New Mexico's position in lawsuit.  Maestas said current Attorney General Hector Balderas has talked with EBID about their stance in the case, which hadn't been done previously. Also, EBID has started having technical-oriented discussions with a group of groundwater users known as the Lower Rio Grande Water Users Organization. That group has been carrying out work on the technical information that would be key to any settlement of the lawsuit. Brockmann said the water users group, which includes the city of Las Cruces, had been working not only because of the Supreme Court litigation but also because of an ongoing water adjudication case in state district court. That long-term proceeding will legally define water rights for water users throughout Doña Ana County. Origins The lawsuit arose out of 1938 Rio Grande Compact, which apportioned river water among three U.S. states, experts have said. New Mexico’s measuring point for delivering water to Texas was the Elephant Butte Reservoir — roughly 100 miles north of the actual Texas state line. The river water released from the reservoir serves farmers in the New Mexico-based Elephant Butte Irrigation District and the Texas-based El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1, as well as in Mexico. Groundwater pumping in that same 100-mile stretch, however, has been the purview of the New Mexico State Engineer’s Office. The groundwater and river water systems are connected. Texas has argued that New Mexico has allowed over-pumping of groundwater, undermining El Paso irrigators’ share of river water. A 2010 agreement between EBID and the El Paso irrigation district attempted to resolve a longstanding dispute over apportioning water. Former New Mexico Attorney General Gary King challenged the agreement in federal district court, which onlookers said prompted Texas to file its lawsuit against New Mexico at the U.S. Supreme Court.  EBID has continued to back the operating agreement of 2008. Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, dalba@lcsun-news.com or @AlbaSoular on Twitter.

Udall, Heinrich Urge USTR Lighthizer to Support New Mexico's Pecan Farmers and Lower Tariffs on Pecan Exports

Udall, Heinrich Urge USTR Lighthizer to Support New Mexico's Pecan Farmers and Lower Tariffs on Pecan Exports WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich joined a bipartisan group of six other senators in urging U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to help New Mexico's pecan farmers increase exports by taking action to lower the tariffs on pecan exports to India. India’s current high tariffs on pecans are impacting New Mexico and American pecan farmers, and have created a trade barrier not imposed on other tree nut producers. In a letter to Lighthizer, the senators note that the current tariff on U.S. pecans entering India is much higher than that of other tree nuts – 36 percent, compared to 10 percent for pistachios and almonds. Balancing the disparity in tariffs by lowering the pecan tariff would allow for increased imports and would generate greater revenue for India without impacting any domestic industry, since India has no significant domestic pecan production. “There are fewer nations in the world that hold greater potential for economic cooperation and trade partnership with the United States than India. Our shared democratic values and common commitment to free markets present American businesses with tremendous possibilities in South Asia,” the senators wrote. “As you and the Administration continue to explore new opportunities to grow the economy through trade and promote American agriculture, it is imperative that a key part of strengthening our trade relationship with India is reducing the tariffs that are impeding U.S. agricultural exports.” The senators highlighted the benefits a lowered tariff would have on rural communities saying, "Additionally, increasing U.S. pecan imports to India presents an opportunity to advance issues important to rural America. The pecan industry contributes over $3.75 billion to the rural economies of the 15 pecan-producing southern states stretching from the Carolinas to California, and exports alone over the last 10 years added an additional $1.25 billion in economic activity in rural America." New Mexico is the second largest pecan-producing state in the U.S. In 2015, New Mexico’s pecan crop received a premium per pound price of $2.50 for the 73 million pounds produced. In addition to Udall and Heinrich, the letter is signed by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Luther Strange (R-Ala.), and John McCain (R-Ariz.). Full text of the letter is available here and below. Dear Ambassador Lighthizer: In President Trump’s recent joint press statement with Prime Minister Modi in the Rose Garden, the president mentioned the importance of removing the barriers to the export of U.S. products to India. We want to draw your attention to one barrier in particular, India’s high agricultural tariffs, and urge you to work with India to reduce these tariffs. India’s rapidly changing economy, growing middle class, and demand for consumer-oriented agricultural products are positive market indicators for U.S. export growth. However, restrictive import tariffs on certain agricultural products are constraining agricultural trade and undermining development of deeper trade relations. One example is the current disparity in the tariffs India charges on products classified as tree nuts. The current tariff on U.S. pecans entering India is approximately 36%, while the tariff for other similar products, such as pistachios and almonds, is much lower at 10%. Reducing the tariff on all tree nuts will encourage increased imports of a type of commodity that enjoys popularity in India and will generate greater revenue for the country. For pecans in particular, any increase in imports from the U.S. would not impact domestic pecan production in India because the country currently produces very little, if any, pecans. Additionally, increasing U.S. pecans imports to India presents an opportunity to advance issues important to rural America. The pecan industry contributes over $3.75 billion to the rural economies of the 15 pecan-producing southern states stretching from the Carolinas to California, and exports alone over the last 10 years added an additional $1.25 billion in economic activity in rural America. There are fewer nations in the world that hold greater potential for economic cooperation and trade partnership with the United States than India. Our shared democratic values and common commitment to free markets present American businesses with tremendous possibilities in South Asia. As you and the Administration continue to explore new opportunities to grow the economy through trade and promote American agriculture, it is imperative that a key part of strengthening our trade relationship with India is reducing the tariffs that are impeding U.S. agricultural exports. Thank you for your attention to this request. Sincerely, ### Contacts: Jennifer Talhelm (Udall) 202.228.6870 / Whitney Potter (Heinrich) 202.228.1578

REQUEST FOR QUOTES TO CONDUCT WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANNING

Surface Water Quality Bureau Our mission is to preserve, protect, and improve New Mexico's surface water quality for present and future generations. ________________________________________ REQUEST FOR QUOTES TO CONDUCT WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANNING Purpose The Surface Water Quality Bureau (Bureau) of the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) requests quotes from regional public comprehensive planning organizations to conduct water quality management planning as defined under sections 205(j) and 303(e) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). These funds are made available through a Request for Quotes (RFQ) as this is the appropriate approach through the State of New Mexico Procurement Code given the duration and amount of an award. In response to this RFQ NMED seeks detailed quotes (i.e. proposals) to conduct water quality management planning. While all quotes focused on water quality management planning are welcomed, those which will fund activities that clearly address the State’s water quality goals to preserve, protect and improve the water quality in New Mexico are likely to be rated highest. In this respect, NMED encourages quotes focused on Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), Use Attainability Analyses (UAAs), or other water quality management planning activities that will directly address identified water quality impairments but do not overlap with development of watershed based plans that are eligible for funding through NMED’s 319(h) program. Funding for the work program is dependent on the receipt of federal grants authorized under Section 604(b) of the federal Clean Water Act. The New Mexico Environment Department anticipates having funds available for award in early 2018. Contact Person The contact person for this request for quotes is: Heidi Henderson, Monitoring, Assessment and Standards Section, Surface Water Quality Bureau, N.M. Environment Department, Harold Runnels Building - 1190 St. Francis Drive, N2109, P.O. Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502. Telephone: 505-827-2901. E-mail Address: heidi.henderson@state.nm.us. A complete copy of the RFQ can be requested from the contact person or downloaded from the Bureau website: https://www.env.nm.gov/surface-water-quality/. All inquiries regarding the RFQ or its supporting documentation must be made to the contact person. Submission of Quotes Any questions regarding the RFQ must be submitted to Heidi Henderson by October 2, 2017. The Bureau will prepare a response to any questions received and will post the responses to the Bureau website for review by all offerors before the final submission of quotes is due. An original and three copies of the quote must be submitted by registered mail or delivered in person for review to the contact person at the above address by 4:30 PM, MDT on October 18, 2017. Electronically mailed quotes and hardcopy quotes received after this deadline will not be accepted. ________________________________________ NMED does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age or sex in the administration of its programs or activities, as required by applicable laws and regulations. NMED is responsible for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning non-discrimination requirements implemented by 40 C.F.R. Part 7, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. If you have any questions about this notice or any of NMED’s non-discrimination programs, policies or procedures, you may contact: Kristine Pintado, Non-Discrimination Coordinator New Mexico Environment Department 1190 St. Francis Dr., Suite N4050 P.O. Box 5469 Santa Fe, NM 87502 (505) 827-2855 nd.coordinator@state.nm.us If you believe that you have been discriminated against with respect to a NMED program or activity, you may contact the Non-Discrimination Coordinator identified above or visit our website at https://www.env.nm.gov/non-employee-discrimination-complaint-page/ to learn how and where to file a complaint of discrimination. ________________________________________ TMDL AND ASSESSMENT TEAM CONTACT: Heidi Henderson 505-827-2901 https://www.env.nm.gov/surface-water-quality/tmdl/

NMSU Rodeo Team prepares for upcoming season with 22 new athletes.

NMSU Rodeo Team prepares for upcoming season with 22 new athletes. DATE: 09/08/2017 WRITER: Savannah Montero, 575-646-3223, smontero@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Logan Corbett, 270-293-9242, lcorbett@nmsu.edu The New Mexico State Rodeo Team’s season is going to start out with a boom, during the month of September and beginning of October, having four rodeos. Twenty-two freshmen and transfers were recruited over spring and summer coming from various states and one even from Canada. Starting Sept. 15 and 16 rodeos will begin in Tsaile, Arizona. The following rodeo will be held in Douglas, Arizona, during the weekend of Sept. 22 and 23. On Thursday and Friday, Sept. 28 and 29, an event will be held at the Las Cruces fairgrounds, where the Aggies will compete on their home base. The last rodeo for the fall season will be in Tucumcari Oct. 13 and 14. “I have high expectations for our team this year,” said NMSU Rodeo Coach Logan Corbett. “We graduated quite a few key players on our team last year and so we had to do a lot of recruiting. I’m excited for this year’s team.” Last year the women’s team won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Grand Canyon Region (Arizona and New Mexico) and the men’s team placed second overall. Out of the 22 new athletes, Corbett added 15 new bull, bareback and saddle bronc riders to the team. This is outstanding for the region due to the lack of rough stock riders during the past year. Last year on the team there was only one bareback rider, five saddle bronc riders and three bull riders. “What made me want to come down to NMSU from Canada was hearing about all of the positives about this rodeo team and about the school itself,” said Chad Hartman, freshman bull rider at NMSU. “The team also has the best coach if you want to succeed and make your dreams a reality.” The group also recruited a very competitive transfer student from Cochise College: junior Hayley Dalton-Estes. She competes in three events: goat tying, breakaway roping and team roping. She won the goat tying title for the Grand Canyon Region and was second overall in the breakaway roping last year, along with qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo held at Casper, Wyoming, in two of her three events. Corbett has high expectations for the senior rodeo competitors as well. “I expect that the senior team members will be role models for the underclassmen,” Corbett said. “With three years of experience traveling to rodeos, and only one year left, seniors typically realize that this is it, and they buckle down and compete really well.” He hopes that his freshmen will understand how fast their four years will go by and that these athletes put in a full 100 percent. Every practice is critical along with every rodeo; it is necessary to work hard in order to qualify for the College National Finals. Zoe Billings, NMSU senior rodeo athlete, set her goals for the upcoming season. “I’m making my goals more about what needs to be done for success rather than about placing,” she said. “My goals are to not break any roping barriers and to keep all of my goats down.” Another new freshman barrel racer, Clay Barry, came all the way from Kennewick, Washington, to rodeo for New Mexico State. This women’s team athlete has a very interesting story. “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to meet new people and see what the future has in store for me at NMSU,” Barry said. “I started a church back home called ‘The Ride of Faith Church’ and I am excited to bring it not only to NMSU and this region, but to the different rodeo communities that surround the area and see where God takes it.” Corbett said the Aggie Rodeo Team members are ready for an unforgettable rodeo season. For more information, go to http://aces.nmsu.edu/rodeo/. - 30 - Follow NMSU News on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nmsunews Follow NMSU News on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NMSUNews

ANIMAL SUPPLY POINTS SEEKING LIVESTOCK-RELATED DONATIONS

ANIMAL SUPPLY POINTS SEEKING LIVESTOCK-RELATED DONATIONS The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has established Animal Supply Points for livestock and other animals in areas affected by Hurricane Harvey and has set up a phone bank to take calls from those who would like to make a donation. “These ASPs have been set up to shelter animals and for the storing and distribution of hay and feed and as a location from which to coordinate volunteer assistance,” said Dr. Andy Vestal, AgriLife Extension emergency management specialist, College Station. Vestal said AgriLife Extension, Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension and Texas Sea Grant personnel in each affected county, along with agriculture-related agencies and industry organizations, continue to assess agricultural and coastal/marine commerce and resource damage. “We also report animal issues and request state and private sector donated resources to address unmet needs,” he said. “County AgriLife Extension agents are assisting with small and/or large animal shelters in 42 counties. In addition to animal shelters, the agency is supporting a network of Animal Supply Points.” Vestal said donations to these locations are being supported through the Animal Supply Point Phone Bank at 979-845-7800. Donors contacting the phone bank will have their items matched to the needs at locations in the supply point network in counties from the Coastal Bend to southeast Texas. Jeff Ripley, AgriLife Extension associate director – county operations, College Station, said livestock-related donations are needed and those general items being requested are: — Feed for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, poultry and other livestock. — Buckets, troughs, and other equipment for livestock feeding and watering. — Hay for livestock consumption. — Livestock panels and gates for temporary holding facilities. — Shavings and bedding materials for animals. Ripley said pet food may also be needed at some of the locations. “Not all locations will need the same items, so when people call the phone bank we will try and connect them with the location needing those items they want to donate,” Ripley said. “We are only equipped to accept these donations at one of our active Animal Supply Points.” “We’re asking that items that are not livestock-related be donated to Red Cross, Salvation Army or another charity of choice,” Ripley said. “But we will gratefully accept those items needed to provide food, shelter and protection to any livestock that have been displaced.”

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) and the Farmer Veteran Coalition will launch a new joint program at the New Mexico State Fair

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) and the Farmer Veteran Coalition will launch a new joint program at the New Mexico State Fair, Sept. 7. NMDA has partnered with the Farmer Veteran Coalition to develop a logo that will help New Mexico veteran farmers to differentiate their products in the marketplace. The nationally known Homegrown by Heroes logo has been combined with the NMDA’s NEW MEXICO - Grown with Tradition® logo. “Our veterans have ensured that we have our freedom, and the Farmer Veteran Coalition is helping to ensure our food security,” Jeff Witte, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture, said. “NMDA is proud to work with this outstanding organization and their hero members,” he added. The launch will begin at 4 p.m. with the unveiling of the logo at the Agriculture Building west of the Manuel Lujan Commercial Building. There will be samples of produce grown by local veterans from Not Forgotten Outreach, Inc. of Taos, which will be the first group to use the new logo. Live entertainment will also be presented in the courtyard. The partnership with the Farmer Veteran Coalition will help expand the program’s reach to other veterans and veteran programs within New Mexico. The Farmer Veteran Coalition provides a wide variety of services to assist veterans in making a successful transition into an agricultural career. Not Forgotten Outreach provides veterans with opportunities to improve relationships, build comradeship while they enhance “mindfulness” and personal well-being. As the first organization to put the logo to use, their hope is that local restaurants, retailers and consumers will be more apt to support our local veterans. “Veterans have dedicated their lives to serving their nation and after military service, farming becomes a natural transition due to the fact that they are now feeding the country with healthy locally grown food,” Director of Not Forgotten Outreach, Don Peters said. “The fact that the State of New Mexico is adopting the ‘Home Grown by Heroes’ logo indicates to the military families that they are supported by the state after military service.” B-roll captured at the Not Forgotten Outreach Farm, as well as the locations of the billboards bearing the combined logo, will be available to the media at the event. Local veterans involved in the agriculture industry interested in using this logo may contact the NMDA Marketing Department at tastethetradition@nmda.nmsu.edu for further information

Palomino filly. Shoes on all four feet

The Following Found Livestock Notice Has Been Posted on the NMLB Website: NOTICE ID 2822 - 09/05/2017 The following described livestock was/were found by the NMLB without ownership being known: Palomino filly. Shoes on all four feet. The livestock was/were found at: Pirtle Dairy on Hobson Rd. - Roswell, NM 88201 Brand(s) described on livestock: No Brand Please Contact Inspector Reed Wheeler at 575-840-5372 if you have information regarding ownership of the described livestock. NOTICE EXPIRATION DATE: 09/11/2017 Livestock are being held in Chaves County DOCUMENTS AND/OR IMAGES: WIN_20170823_163509.JPG WIN_20170823_163440.JPG WIN_20170823_163450.JPG