Electronic Logging Devices and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulations

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

NMSU collaborating in Sustainable Bio-economy for Arid Regions project

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

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

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

Mexican gray wolf population bounces back in Southwest

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

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

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

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

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

Drought forces painful choices for New Mexico ranchers

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

NMSU Tucumcari performance bull sale largest ever to include online auction March 10

NMSU Tucumcari performance bull sale largest ever to include online auction March 10 NMSU By Jane Moorman The largest offering of bulls in the history of the Tucumcari Performance Bull Test and Sale will be presented at the annual sale on Saturday, March 10. The sale is the conclusion of the performance test held at New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari. Viewing of the animals will begin at 10 a.m., followed by lunch at noon and the sale beginning at 1 p.m. “This is probably the biggest performance test sale we have ever had at this facility with 142 bulls and 15 yearling heifers,” said Marcy Ward, NMSU’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Extension livestock specialist. “There will be bulls from five different breeds, including Angus, Hereford, Red Angus, Charolais and, for the first time, Braunvieh.” For more information about the producers and the bulls being sold, go http://tucbulltest.nmsu.edu/

Mananging risk for forage.

One of the primary strategies for managing risk is transferring the risk outside the farm or ranch through insurance products or other mechanisms. Crop insurance dates back to the 1930s in the United States. However, until the last few years there have not been many insurance options available to forage producers. That has changed considerably in recent years. This article provides a brief summary of the currently available options that can help protect forage producers against production losses. ...To read more point your browser to: http://RightRisk.org/news

Water quality requirements under FSMA

Water quality: The final rule adopts the general approach to water quality proposed in the supplemental rule, with some changes. The final rule establishes two sets of criteria for microbial water quality, both of which are based on the presence of generic E. coli, which can indicate the presence of fecal contamination. No detectable generic E. coli are allowed for certain uses of agricultural water in which it is reasonably likely that potentially dangerous microbes, if present, would be transferred to produce through direct or indirect contact. Examples include water used for washing hands during and after harvest, water used on food-contact surfaces, water used to directly contact produce (including to make ice) during or after harvest, and water used for sprout irrigation. The rule establishes that such water use must be immediately discontinued and corrective actions taken before re-use for any of these purposes if generic E. coli is detected. The rule prohibits use of untreated surface water for any of these purposes. The second set of numerical criteria is for agricultural water that is directly applied to growing produce (other than sprouts). The criteria are based on two values, the geometric mean (GM) and the statistical threshold (STV). The GM of samples is 126 or less CFU of generic E. coli per 100 mL of water and the STV of samples is 410 CFU or less of generic E. coli in 100 mL of water. The GM is an average, and therefore represents what is called the central tendency of the water quality (essentially, the average amount of generic E. coli in a water source). STV reflects the amount of variability in the water quality (indicating E. coli levels when adverse conditions come into play—like rainfall or a high river stage that can wash waste into rivers and canals). Although this is an over simplification, it can be described as the level at which 90 percent of the samples are below the value. The FDA is exploring the development of an online tool that farms can use to input their water sample data and calculate these values. These criteria account for variability in the data and allow for occasional high readings of generic E.coli in appropriate context, making it much less likely (as compared to the originally proposed criteria for this water use) that a farm will have to discontinue use of its water source due to small fluctuations in water quality. These criteria are intended as a water management tool for use in understanding the microbial quality of agricultural water over time and determining a long-term strategy for use of water sources during growing produce other than sprouts. If the water does not meet these criteria, corrective actions are required as soon as is practicable, but no later than the following year. Farmers with agricultural water that does not initially meet the microbial criteria have additional flexibility by which they can meet the criteria and then be able to use the water on their crops. These options include, for example: Allowing time for potentially dangerous microbes to die off on the field by using a certain time interval between last irrigation and harvest, but no more than four consecutive days. Allowing time for potentially dangerous microbes to die off between harvest and end of storage, or to be removed during commercial activities such as washing, within appropriate limits. Treating the water. Testing: The final rule adopts the general approach to testing untreated water used for certain purposes proposed in the supplemental notice, with some changes. The rule still bases testing frequency on the type of water source (i.e. surface or ground water). In testing untreated surface water—considered the most vulnerable to external influences—that is directly applied to growing produce (other than sprouts), the FDA requires farms to do an initial survey, using a minimum of 20 samples, collected as close as is practicable to harvest over the course of two to four years. The initial survey findings are used to calculate the GM and STV (these two figures are referred to as the “microbial water quality profile”) and determine if the water meets the required microbial quality criteria. After the initial survey has been conducted, an annual survey of a minimum of five samples per year is required to update the calculations of GM and STV. The five new samples, plus the previous most recent 15 samples, create a rolling dataset of 20 samples for use in confirming that that the water is still used appropriately by recalculating the GM and STV. For untreated ground water that is directly applied to growing produce (other than sprouts), the FDA requires farms to do an initial survey, using a minimum of four samples, collected as close as is practicable to harvest, during the growing season or over a period of one year. The initial survey findings are used to calculate the GM and STV and determine if the water meets the required microbial quality criteria. After the initial survey has been conducted, an annual survey of a minimum of one sample per year is required to update the calculations of GM and STV. The new sample, plus the previous most recent three samples, create a rolling dataset of four samples for use in confirming that that the water is still used appropriately by recalculating the GM and STV. For untreated ground water that is used for the purposes for which no detectable generic E. coli is allowed, the FDA requires farms to initially test the untreated ground water at least four times during the growing season or over a period of one year. Farms must determine whether the water can be used for that purpose based on these results. If the four initial sample results meet the no detectable generic E. coli criterion, testing can be done once annually thereafter, using a minimum of one sample. Farms must resume testing at least four times per growing season or year if any annual test fails to meet the microbial quality criterion. There is no requirement to test agricultural water that is received from public water systems or supplies that meet requirements established in the rule (provided that the farm has Public Water System results or certificates of compliance demonstrating that the water meets relevant requirements), or if the water is treated in compliance with the rule’s treatment requirements. In September 2017, the FDA posted a list of methods it has determined to be scientifically valid and at least equivalent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s method 1603, which is referenced in the Produce Safety rule.

8th Annual Food Protection Alliance Conference

This is complex see https://extension.psu.edu/fsma The Produce Safety rule establishes, for the first time, science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption. The rule is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to implement the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. The final rule went into effect January 26, 2016. The first major compliance date for large farms, other than sprout operations, is set to begin on January 26, 2018. However, the FDA has announced that routine inspections associated with the Produce Safety rule will not begin until the spring of 2019 to allow time for more guidance, training, technical assistance, and planning. Large sprout operations were required to meet an earlier compliance date: January 26, 2017. Conference April 17-18, 2018 Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Center 1510 Menaul Extension NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104 Hello NM Food Alliance Members! The Southwest Border Food Protection and Emergency Preparedness Center is hosting the 8th Annual Food Protection Alliance Conference to be held at the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Center in Albuquerque. The registration is live on www.preparingnewmexico.org or go to 8th Annual Food Protection Alliance . The draft agenda (attached) contains several high profile current event topics affecting New Mexico including continued discussion of FSMA implementation. For the largest producers implementation of the Rules has begun. The Conference intends to bring everyone up to date as to how FSMA affects producers by business size and what products they produce or process. Please register today! Some travel expense reimbursement may be available, please contact Janet with any questions jswitte@nmsu.edu .

USDA Launches Webpage Highlighting Resources to Help Rural Communities Address the Opioid Crisis

USDA Launches Webpage Highlighting Resources to Help Rural Communities Address the Opioid Crisis WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2018 – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today unveiled a new webpage featuring resources to help rural communities respond to the opioid crisis. “While no corner of the country has gone untouched by the opioid crisis, small towns and rural places have been particularly hard hit,” Hazlett said. “The challenge of opioid misuse is an issue of rural prosperity and will take all hands on deck to address. The webpage we are launching today will help rural leaders build a response that is tailored to meet the needs of their community.” The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that more than 63,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016. More than half of those deaths involved opioids, including prescription drugs and heroin. USDA is playing an important role to help rural communities address this national problem at the local level through program investment, strategic partnerships and best practice implementation. In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump, which included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. In the area of quality of life, the Task Force included a recommendation to modernize health care access. The report highlighted the importance of telemedicine in enhancing access to primary care and specialty providers. The Task Force also found that improved access to mental and behavioral health care, particularly prevention, treatment and recovery resources, is vital to addressing the opioid crisis and other substance misuse in rural communities. To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB). USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

reen chile Chicken Chilaquiles

1 lb. NuMex green chile 1 lb. thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breast ¼ cup minced yellow onion 3 cloves garlic minced 24 yellow corn tortillas 2 cups cooking oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 ½ C Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 2 tbsp. coarse sea salt Add salt, pepper, garlic, onion, NuMex green chile and chicken to crock pot, slow cooking for 6-8 hours. Once cooked, use forks to shred chicken in crock pot and let stand for half an hour to marry and infuse flavors. In a large skillet, pour in 2 cups of cooking oil and set heat to medium. Cut tortillas into 1 ½” slices. Fry strips in oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain onto paper towel to remove excess oil and sprinkle each batch with a little sea salt. Repeat until finished. Lay fried tortilla strips on baking sheet and layer with shredded chicken and chile pepper mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and place into preheated over for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Recipe from the 1st Annual Biad Chile Tough Book of Green Chile Recipes, available from the CPI. 

USDA Launches Webpage Highlighting Resources to Help Rural Communities Address the Opioid Crisis

USDA Launches Webpage Highlighting Resources to Help Rural Communities Address the Opioid Crisis WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2018 – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today unveiled a new webpage featuring resources to help rural communities respond to the opioid crisis. “While no corner of the country has gone untouched by the opioid crisis, small towns and rural places have been particularly hard hit,” Hazlett said. “The challenge of opioid misuse is an issue of rural prosperity and will take all hands on deck to address. The webpage we are launching today will help rural leaders build a response that is tailored to meet the needs of their community.” The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that more than 63,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016. More than half of those deaths involved opioids, including prescription drugs and heroin. USDA is playing an important role to help rural communities address this national problem at the local level through program investment, strategic partnerships and best practice implementation. In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump, which included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. In the area of quality of life, the Task Force included a recommendation to modernize health care access. The report highlighted the importance of telemedicine in enhancing access to primary care and specialty providers. The Task Force also found that improved access to mental and behavioral health care, particularly prevention, treatment and recovery resources, is vital to addressing the opioid crisis and other substance misuse in rural communities. To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB). USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. # USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. ________________________________________

NMSU ACES High Certified Calf Program: Impact Statement

NMSU ACES High Certified Calf Program: Impact Statement Program Title: NMSU ACES High Certified Calf Program Problem: Sales of cows and calves are New Mexico’s second leading agricultural commodity with sales nearing $90 million in 2016. Market trends are predicted to continue to put pressure on cattle prices in the coming years. As the cattle market moves from record highs a few years ago, it will be critical for New Mexico ranches to capture as much revenue from their calf crop as possible in order to sustain their operation. Additionally, with increased scrutiny of antibiotic use, it is critical that the cattle industry more broadly adopts Beef Quality Assurance practices to produce healthy animals. NMSU CES Response: Formation of the ACES High certified calf program. The program requires adherence to Beef Quality Assurance practices. In addition, the program acts as a third party verification of vaccination and weaning programs to help producers maximize revenue. Results/Impact: Nearly 1000 calves were initially enrolled in the program and 468 calves participated in the NMSU ACES High + certified sale. ACES High + calves on average sold at a higher price than other calves that day. Collectively, participation in the program generated nearly $34,700 in additional revenue for ACES High + calves compared with calves that had no verification of vaccination or weaning program. During 2016 in New Mexico, 610,000 calves were marketed. If even 10% of those calves were in the ACES High + program and premiums were consistent, then participation in the program would generate nearly $4.3 million in net revenue from calf sales. Funding Sources: New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service Contact: Local NMSU County Extension Office or Craig Gifford, Ph.D. NMSU Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources MSC 3AE, PO Box 30003 Las Cruces, NM 88003 Phone: 575-646-6482 E-mail: cgifford@nmsu.edu 

New Publicaiton

Guide B-217: Beef Cow Efficiency in the Southwest Marcy A. Ward (Extension Livestock Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources) PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/B217.pdf Guide I-106: Skin Cancer Sonja Koukel (Associate Professor/Extension Community and Environmental Health Specialist, Dept. of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences) PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_i/I106.pdf

New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute launches new website

New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute launches new website New Mexico State University’s Water Resources Research Institute launched a new website, Center for the Development and Use of Alternative Water Supplies, in January 2018. It includes information about the collaborative partnership between NMSU and the Bureau of Reclamation that is administered by NM WRRI. The purpose behind the website is to “provide the community and researchers with information and resources on the cooperative agreement between NMSU and the Bureau of Reclamation,” said NM WRRI Program Coordinator Avery Olshefski. The cooperative agreement is a five-year research effort that aims to increase scientific knowledge in the area of alternative water characterization, treatment and use for water supply sustainability in New Mexico and the western U.S. through collaborative research, student education and community workshops. Reclamation and NMSU are currently working together under their second cooperative agreement, which began in 2016 and funds nine research efforts with NMSU faculty and students. The ongoing research under the current agreement includes topics such as technology improvements to reduce fouling in membranes and concentrate handling as well as improved chemical analysis methods for brackish groundwater research. Visit the website to learn more about the innovative technology in development, meet the research faculty and students who are conducting promising research that has the potential to make a substantial impact on water availability, see the various facilities where this research is conducted and learn how to get involved in community workshops. To visit the website, go to https://cduaws.nmwrri.nmsu.edu.

Texas’ auxin-specific training now valid in Oklahoma, New Mexico

Texas’ auxin-specific training now valid in Oklahoma, New Mexico Texas AgriLife By Kay Ledbetter The Texas Department of Agriculture-approved auxin-specific herbicide training, developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and allied industries, has been reciprocally approved by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. “These approvals will allow producers who operate in multiple states to attend one training to satisfy the regulatory requirements of the new technologies,” said Dr. Scott Nolte, AgriLife Extension state weed specialist in College Station. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revised the labels for the three dicamba products, Engenia, FeXapan and XtendiMax, approved for use on dicamba-tolerant soybean and cotton varieties last fall. One of the label changes included a mandate that anyone – applicators and operators – making applications of one of these three dicamba products must receive auxin-specific training prior to applying them, Nolte said. Applicators in need of training can go https://agrilife.org/aes/%20for%20a%20list%20of%20upcoming%20training%20opportunities

Do you have a plan for and Active Shooting Incedent?

It is sad to think about; but please, take some time and be prepared by following the link below. Active Shooter/Ready.gov https://www.ready.gov/active-shooter Active Shooter | Ready.gov Southwest Border Food Protection & Emergency Preparedness Center New Mexico State University Gerald Thomas Hall Room #288 PO Box 30003 MSC 3AE Las Cruces, NM 88003

Relief Bill a Breath of Fresh Air for Ag

Relief Bill a Breath of Fresh Air for Ag AFBF Press Release Today’s introduction of S. 2421, the Fair Agriculture Reporting Method (FARM) Act is a welcome relief to farmers and ranchers who will soon need to file unnecessary, low-level continuous air emissions reports under federal Superfund and emergency response laws. “Congress enacted Superfund and emergency response laws to provide the tools needed to quickly respond to hazardous waste emergencies. Emissions from animals raised on farms and ranches were never intended to be swept into these reporting requirements,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said. “We urge Congress to act swiftly to pass this legislation before the reporting requirement overwhelms our first responders and burdens farmers and ranchers with needless reporting obligations and the risk of activist lawsuits.”

Pecan crop exceeds USDA forecast

pecans Crops>Tree Nuts Pecan crop exceeds USDA forecast The 2017 U.S. pecan crop managed to exceed the USDA’s estimate of 277.4 million in-shell pounds. Cecilia Parsons | Feb 14, 2018 In spite of hurricanes and a few pecan weevils, the 2017 U.S. pecan crop managed to exceed the USDA’s estimate of 277.4 million in-shell pounds. Philip Arnold, a member of the American Pecan Council, says he feels that given the numbers of regional production, the U.S, crop hit very close to 300 million pounds this year. sponsored content Heavy rainfall calls for increased wood disease management JAN 31, 2018 Pecan harvest ended later than normal this year, with some of the crop still coming from orchards in early February. Most regions started harvest in late November, but in some Arizona pecan growing areas it was delayed by warm temperatures until late December. Arnold, also a New Mexico pecan grower and buyer, says new acreage and excellent growing conditions in some major pecan production areas helped the overall harvest numbers. Georgia was estimated to harvest a 150 million pound crop- prior to hurricanes Harvey and Irma, but suffered about a 30 percent crop loss. Native production in the central growing regions was skimpy, he says, while Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas production combined to boost the crop total. ON-OFF CYCLES New Mexico and Texas exceeded early crop estimates. Arnold says New Mexico harvested about 95 million pounds, Arizona added another 26 million to 27 million pounds, and Texas came in at 45 million pounds. Last year was tagged as an ‘off year’ for alternate bearing pecans, but management, including hedging to prevent over-size crops, is balancing out the on-and-off cycles. In the last eight years, he says, there hasn’t been more than a 10 percent variance between years. The Mesilla Valley in New Mexico, where 65 percent of the state’s pecans are produced, had an excellent growing season. With more acres coming into production, the harvest total topped 2016 production. The area had an excellent growing season, with a very high percentage of saleable nuts. Growers reported very low numbers of off-grade nuts. Pest and disease issues were minimal in growing regions, but growers were facing challenges with thefts of nuts from orchards, Arnold says. Like California walnut growers have experienced in the past, pecan buyers were setting up shop on roadsides and paying cash for nuts, enticing thefts from orchards. There is now state legislation pending that would require buyers to register with law enforcement to operate, he says. CALIFORNIA CROP DOWN California added about 5 million in-shell pounds to the total pecan crop. Mark Hendrixson, an Orange Cove area grower and president of the California Pecan Growers Association, says the crop total was down about 15 percent from last year. Temperatures at bloom may have affected the crop size, he says. Nut fill was generally good, but quality slipped toward the end of harvest While pecans have more specific needs in terms of planting locations that some other nut crops, he says there is still interest in planting more. Mexico, a competitor for the U.S. in the pecan market, had a 220 million pound crop, which was off about 60 million pounds from last year. Arnold and the American Pecan Council note that even with the crop losses in Georgia, the industry is poised to meet ongoing demand. The council, founded in 2016 with the approval of a federal marketing order, plans to launch a new national brand campaign that will include marketing research, nutrition information, and consumer outreach, along with a social media presence. Record prices for pecans in 2016 affected the market last year, with fewer active buyers, Arnold says. This year, the expectation is to export 60 million to 70 million pounds. With lower prices, he expects more buying activity. China, a major buyer is just starting its New Year celebrations, and he expects that will spur demand.

Santa Fe Community College Offers Next Generation Water Summit Workshops

Santa Fe Community College Offers Next Generation Water Summit Workshops April 25 through May 3, before and after the 2018 Next Generation Water Summit SANTA FE, NM – Santa Fe Community College announces its partnership with this year’s Next Generation Water Summit. As the education partner for the Summit, SFCC will host several water education workshops before and after the summit scheduled April 29 through May 1 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. The workshops include: Greywater Basics, Rainwater Accredited Professional (ARCSA AP) Class, Water Efficiency Rating Score and Commercial Water Auditing among others. This is the first time several of these courses will be presented in New Mexico and are open to professionals and students. All courses will be taught at Santa Fe Community College, 6401 Richards Ave. For detailed information about the courses and to register, visit: https://www.energysmartacademy.com/water.html or call 505-428-1866. Information about the 2018 Next Generation Water Summit can be found at: www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com. “It's a privilege to partner with the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Builder® Coalition, the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association and the City of Santa Fe by serving as the education partner for the summit,” said Interim President Cecilia Y.M. Cervantes, Ph.D. “We are excited to offer these valuable and innovative water workshops, which complement the college’s already strong technology and building science offerings.” The Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)® Verifier course, April 25 through 27, provides in-depth and practical experience in performing residential water assessments for new and existing homes. This class is required to become a WERS Verifier. The WERS Consultant course, April 25 and 26, is also being offered and plumbers, builders, irrigation professionals and water reuse professionals are eligible to attend this professional designation course. Greywater Basics, April 26 and 27, will cover how to build and maintain a Greywater system and includes a field trip to view working systems. The Rainwater Accredited Professional (ARCSA AP) Class, May 2 and 3, is an in-depth rainwater harvesting workshop required for those seeking a better understanding of rainwater catchment systems. The course tuition includes an ARCSA Rain Harvesting Planning Manual. Commercial Water Auditing, May 2 and 3, will cover the basics of performing a commercial water audit for many type of facilities. A sample audit will be performed as part of the class. Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit are the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Builder® Coalition, City of Santa Fe, the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder® Media is the national media partner. The Next Generation Water Summit brings together the building and development community, water reuse professionals and water policymakers in a collaborative setting to share best practices and learn about innovative water conservation and water reuse techniques that can be used to comply with water conservation restrictions spreading across the Southwest. For more than 30 years, Santa Fe Community College has been the gateway to success for individuals and the community by providing affordable, high quality educational programs that serve the social, cultural, technological and economic needs of a diverse community. SFCC is designated a ”Best for Vets” and a “2015 Military Friendly” school. The college serves more than 15,000 students per year in its credit, noncredit and adult programs. For further information, visit sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1000. Follow us: SFCC on Facebook, SFCC on Twitter, SFCC on LinkedIn.

NMSU’s Extension Service plans workshop on large animal rescue techniques

NMSU’s Extension Service plans workshop on large animal rescue techniques DATE: 02/14/2018 WRITER: Darrell J. Pehr, 575-646-3223, pehr@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Jack Blandford, 575-546-8806, jbland@nmsu.edu DEMING – Anything can happen when hauling livestock, including a trailer rollover. Law enforcement and emergency response personnel need to be ready to safely rescue animals that might be trapped in the trailer. The Cooperative Extension Service in New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and the Southwest Border Food Protection and Emergency Preparedness Center are hosting a workshop to train emergency response personnel on how to handle large animals in vehicle and trailer traffic accidents. The Luna County Large Animal Rescue Workshop will be Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Southwest New Mexico State Fairgrounds, 4100 Raymond Reed Blvd. in Deming. “As a county we need to practice together in case we have a livestock emergency here in Luna County,” said Jack Blandford, program director and agricultural agent at the Luna County Cooperative Extension Service. “With Interstate 10 running through our county we need the experience of working together to make sure our response is quick and effective.” Blandford said his goal is to keep the training county-based, open to Luna County emergency responders and law enforcement. The free event will begin at 9 a.m. During the morning NMSU Cooperative Extension Service agricultural agents Blandford, Sid Gordon (Otero County) and John Allen (Socorro County) will discuss handling horses and techniques to remove them from trailers and other hazards. After lunch they will discuss handling cattle. Deadline to register is Feb. 20. Register online at http://rsvp.nmsu.edu/rsvp/lunarescue. For additional information call the Luna County Extension Office at 575-546-8806.

New cotton program shakes up Southern agriculture

New cotton program shakes up Southern agriculture Agri-Pulse By Philip Brasher Cotton growers say their new farm program payments will provide badly needed income support without the threat of foreign retaliation that forced them to give up their old policy. But the new cotton program, which was included in the newly enacted congressional budget agreement, will result in smaller payments to peanut growers, forcing them to decide quickly whether to cut back planting of that crop this spring. The budget deal included a provision sought by the National Cotton Council and shaped by the House Agriculture Committee staff that makes seed cotton eligible for the Price Loss Coverage at a reference price of 36.7 cents per pound. Seed cotton is unginned cotton that includes the seed, which is used for animal feed and cooking oil, as well as the fiber. The price of seed cotton is expected to average about 31 cents this year, well below the PLC payment trigger, and remain at about 33 cents in the following years, according to the University of Missouri's Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. More: https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/10603-new-cotton-program-shakes-up-southern-agriculture

Feeding Minds Press Will Focus on Accurate Agriculture Books for Children

Feeding Minds Press Will Focus on Accurate Agriculture Books for Children AFBF Press Release Bringing children accurate knowledge about how their food is grown is the goal of Feeding Minds Press, a new children’s book publishing venture from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture...“Every year we work with publishers to find books that support our mission,” said Julia Recko, director of education outreach for the Foundation. “It’s become more and more difficult to discover books that meet our specific needs. We feel this is the next logical step in educational outreach. “Feeding Minds Press will have a very specific editorial focus,” Recko said. “We want books that show the relevancy of modern agriculture. The stories will show farmers using technology to better grow crops and livestock. We’ve already looked at some stories and we’re excited to move forward.” Feeding Minds Press intends to regularly publish new titles and plans to accept submissions for new books that bring modern agriculture to life.

It has been dry.

Source: https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/support/drought/dmrpt-20180215.pdf For the contiguous 48 states, the current U.S. Drought Monitor shows over 36% of the area in moderate to extreme drought. Drought now affects over 77 million people. Much of the drought in the East, Southeast, and Southcentral U.S. was reduced or eliminated by heavy rainfall during the past week. In contrast, drought conditions have worsened or expanded in the West, Southwest, and southern Plains. There was no change in Alaska over the past week, while rainfall in Hawaii helped to improve conditions there.

Agenda for Western Pecan Conference

2018 Educational Program Monday, March 5th, 2018 Morning Session Moderator: Jeff Anderson Doña Ana County Extension Agriculture Agent New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 9:00-9:10 a.m. Welcome Mr. Les Daviet Western Pecan Growers Association President Las Cruces, New Mexico 9:10-9:30 a.m. Opening Address Mr. William Mattiace Executive Director New Mexico Border Authority Santa Teresa, New Mexico 9:30-10:00 a.m. Airblast Sprayers: Review of the Basics and Look to the Future Dr. Franz Niederholzer Colusa County Orchard Systems Farm Advisor University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Colusa, California 10:00-10:30 a.m. Break - Coffee & Desserts San Rafael Room 10:30-11:00 a.m. Insecticide Efficacy for Pecan Aphids Mr. Larry Blackwell Program Coordinator New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 11:00-11:30 a.m. Pecan Orchard Site Evaluation Dr. Richard Heerema Extension Pecan Specialist New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. WPGA Sponsored Lunch Outside Exhibitor Area Afternoon Session Moderator: Mr. Orlando Flores El Paso County Extension Agent - Agriculture & Natural Resources Texas A&M AgriLife Extension El Paso, Texas 1:00-1:30 p.m. Trial for Pecan Rootstock Resistance to Cotton Root Rot Dr. Mark Black Emeritus Professor, Plant Pathology Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center Uvalde, Texas 1:30-2:00 p.m. Pigs in the Pecans: They Ain't Squirrels! Dr. Sam Smallidge Extension Wildlife Specialist New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 2:00-2:30 p.m. Soil Drainage Dr. James Walworth Extension Soils Specialist University of Arizona Tucson,Arizona 2:30-3:00 p.m. Trace yet Substantial Elements in Pecans Mr. Joshua Sherman Area Extension Horticulture Agent University of Arizona Willcox, Arizona 3:00-3:30 p.m. Break - Coffee & Desserts San Rafael Room 3:30-4:00 p.m. Using Preemergence Herbicides in Western Orchards Dr. William McCloskey Extension Weeds Specialist University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 4:00-4:30 p.m. How do Roots Grow? Dr. Astrid Volder Assistant Professor, Root and Rhizosphere Biology University of California - Davis Davis, California 4:30-4:45 p.m. In a Nutshell: Updates from the American Pecan Council Staff Ms. Karen Crow Acting Executive Director American Pecan Council Fort Worth, Texas 4:45-5:15 p.m. Investment Dollars at Work: Marketing Update Ms. Sarah Yaffe Senior Vice President Weber Shandwick Chicago, Illinois 5:15-5:30 p.m. Updates from US Pecan Growers Council Mr. Kevin Ivey President US Pecan Growers Council Clint, TX & Ms. Janice Dees Executive Director US Pecan Growers Council Tifton, Georgia 6:00-7:00 p.m. Social Hour San Andres Ballroom 7:00-10:00 p.m. Banquet and Awards Tuesday, March 6th, 2018 Final Session Moderator: Mr. Sid Gordon Otero County Extension Agriculture Agent New Mexico State University Alamogordo, New Mexico 8:30-9:00 a.m. Western Pecan Weevil Update Mr. Brad Lewis Research Entomologist New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 9:00-10:00 a.m. Update from the State Pecan Growers Associations West Texas - Kevin Ivey New Mexico - Philip Arnold Arizona - Harold Payne California - Mark Hendrixson 10:00-10:30 a.m. Break - Coffee & Desserts San Rafael Room 10:30-11:00 a.m. WPGA General Meeting 11:00-11:30 a.m. At the Corner of Rural and Urban: How Farming is Adapting to City Standards Mr. Chad Smith Chief Executive Officer New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau Las Cruces, New Mexico 11:30 a.m.-12:00p.m. Grower’s Panel - Farming Along the Urban-Rural Interface 12:00 p.m. Meeting Adjourned

Welcome to the 52nd Annual Western Pecan Growers Association Conference and Trade Show registration and information website. Our annual conference will be held in Las Cruces, NM on March 4-6 at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. Register here https://www.westernpecan.org/

TOXIC PLANTS AND LIVESTOCK

Press Release Eddy County Cooperative Extension Service 1304 West Stevens Carlsbad, NM 88220 For More Information, Contact: Woods Houghton, Eddy County Agriculture Agent Eddy County Cooperative Extension Service Phone: 575-887-6595 Fax: 575-887-3795 whoughto@nmsu.edu FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Release TOXIC PLANTS AND LIVESTOCK This is one of those years where I have received a number of calls on toxic plants to all classes of livestock, cattle, sheep and horses. It is somewhat unusual in that we have had little snow. Usually it snows and the only thing sticking out of the snow is toxic. Well this year in Eddy County we received good late season rain then nothing since. This is my own thought after doing this for almost 40 years but toxicity for most of our plants this is a perfect storm, good fast growth period then stresses of drought. Besides the environment factors that influence the consumption of toxic plants include such things as Palatability, availability, soil, plant parts, toxin class and sex of livestock, color, condition and other supplemental feed or nutrition level of the individual. The palatability of a plant is real important and it changes with conditions. When there is lots of good grass usually the toxic ones are not eaten, why eat saw dust when you have ice cream factor. But in early growth many plants that are unpalatable become palatable for at least short periods of time. African rue is an example; livestock usually won’t eat it 50 weeks out of the year. But when it is the only green plant, or only one sticking out of the snow, or just greening up livestock will eat and die. Most of the other item mention above are self-explanatory, but one that come up is color of the livestock. White pigment will be where toxin that cause photosensitivity in livestock often occurs first on white skin. This is seen in horse grazing alfalfa in the winter time. Management to reduce loss of livestock is what is most effective. Because of a vast rangelands and most of it is leased from the federal government often control is difficult. We are fortunate in Eddy County that a weed management group was formed almost 20 years ago now. Through a MOU BLM, State land office, SWCD, Forest Service, Eddy County Extension Service, State department of transportation and others, more than 20 groups have come together to act as a coordinated unit to control mostly noxious weeds. I know I was trying to do a African Rue herbicide trial and just a few years ago I had no trouble finding enough African Rue to do 10 trials, this year it took me five days of driving to find two locations barley big and dense enough. These management principles are really just best management principles anyway but they include, proper stocking rate, don’t have more animals than there is forage to feed them. Animals that are well fed don’t go looking for saw dust, those unpalatable plants. Turning livestock out in at the right time. We used to graze cotton stalks, and alfalfa with cattle in the winter, this rested the native range and helped clean up cropland fields. That practice has declined in the last few years. Graze with animals familiar with the area, that is difficult some time when restocking after a drought but new animals often eat what they should not. Making sure you have the correct mineral supplement out. This changes with time and composition of forage. I have some producer who used the shotgun approach and had three or more source of mineral and they tell me that certain times of the year of gestation cycle the cow will feed on one and not the other. When grazing wheat or small grains you have to have Magnesium in their mineral. Drought often good plants will mature early and set seed while toxic ones stay green. NMSU Cooperative Extension has a really good circular on this number 678 it is available on line or we can get you a copy. In Roswell Wednesday, February 14, Join us in Chaves County for breakfast starting at 8 a.m. A Rancher’s Roundtable discussion will follow, starting at 9a.m., with experts available to answer your questions about range livestock production. Lunch will be served at noon with BQA training/re-certification to follow. Free to attend,pleaseregisteratwww.corona.nmsu.edu ; 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.

update on HB 161

An update on HB 161 which was heard yesterday in Santa Fe. The bill was defeated in committee by a 5-4 vote. The opposition was present in full force. Lots of crying and tale telling of what harm GMO’s do to us and the environment. No attention was paid to science. According to the Committee members they had very few comments in support of the bill. So as it stands now, any county, Dona Ana, Chaves or San Juan could pass an ordinance banning the planting of GMO crops. All HB 161 did was to guarantee that a farmer on his land could make a choice of what he wanted to plant, organic, conventional or GMO. I lobbied hard as did the NMDA and the NM Farm Bureau but we were outnumbered. This bill would prevent any political subdivision in NM from out lawing GMO Crops. Supported by the NMDA and the NM Farm Bureau. If you agree please let our Legislators hear from you. We need phone calls and emails to the committee. It will be heard Tuesday morning. There are lots of folks lined up against this bill. Please call and pass to your customers. Read below. I am headed up there this week. The umbrella organization for our Industry, BIO, is engaged as is our Lobbyist and Governmental affairs folks but nothing like home grown people weighing in. Some of you will receive this in duplicate, I apologize for that. Regards Greg

Control Cholla Cactus

Guide B-804: Control Cholla Cactus Kert Young (Extension Brush and Weed Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources) Doug Cram (Assistant Professor/Extension Forestry and Fire Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources) PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/B804.pdf

Strides made toward mechanical harvesting of New Mexico chile crop

Strides made toward mechanical harvesting of New Mexico chile crop Las Cruces Sun-News By Diana Alba Soular The mechanical harvesting of one of New Mexico's favorite crops is inching closer to reality, experts said Tuesday at a yearly chile conference…Stephanie Walker, conference co-chair and chile researcher for New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service, has been working to develop a type of green chile that's more easily harvested by machines. Last summer was the second that the particular chile breeding lines reached certain benchmarks when harvested using a machine, she said."It left less in the field," she said. "The breakage was about equivalent to the commercial varieties (of chile)." If the green chile passes its third trial this year, the next step would be to release it as a chile strain to be grown by farmers who want to mechanically harvest the crop, Walker saidIf the green chile passes its third trial this year, the next step would be to release it as a chile strain to be grown by farmers who want to mechanically harvest the crop, Walker said. It's been a slow but steady process reaching this point, Walker said. Developing chile varieties, creating a successful mechanical harvesting machine and developing a chile de-stemming machine have all been components taken on by different people at the university or in the industry. Farmers, agricultural scientists and agricultural company product representatives mingle and talk during a break at the 2018 New Mexico Chile Conference at Hotel Encanto, Tuesday Feb. 6, 2018.Buy Photo Farmers, agricultural scientists and agricultural company product representatives mingle and talk during a break at the 2018 New Mexico Chile Conference at Hotel Encanto, Tuesday Feb. 6, 2018. (Photo: Josh Bachman/Sun-News) "We started developing these breed lines 10 years ago," she said. "We had to put a lot of pieces together." The mechanical de-stemming of green chile is considered to be one of the biggest remaining hurdles to large-scale mechanical harvesting. That's because laborers now carry out the task in the field by hand when pulling chile off the plants. But it's proven to be a much more difficult task to accomplish by machine. De-stemmer progress Nag Kodali of New Hampshire, inventor of a chile de-stemming machine, was among the conference attendees. His machine was part of a 2015 trial near Hatch that paired the de-stemming machine with a mechanical harvester. Since then, Kodali said, he's made a number of advancements to the device, which uses a conveyor belt to align and chop off chile stems. He said he's working with a southeastern Arizona farmer who's breeding chile peppers that are more easily de-stemmed than current varieties. In particular, the breeding line are straighter, have stems that readily break off the pepper and are heavier than normal varieties. More: Want the most flavorful green chile? Go with NuMex, NMSU researchers say Kodali said the first of his machines to be installed in a commercial chile processing plant is set happen in California. A production facility near Deming is considering installing the device, too. "It took four or five years to reach this stage with the de-stemmer, but finally we are here," he said. "If we are talking next year at this same time, I think I'm going to tell you: 'Mission accomplished.'" “We're trying to bring technology to the field in terms of evaluating plants for breeding.” Dina St. Clair, professor at UC Davis Dina St. Clair, professor at UC Davis, said she's been working with NMSU on developing a device, equipped with cameras, that would assess chile pepper plants in the field, particularly to find which ones are the most desirable to breed. This process is currently labor-intensive, which hinders the pace of chile breeding. "We're trying to bring technology to the field in terms of evaluating plants for breeding," she said. The project enters its second year in 2018. Paul Bosland, conference co-chair and regents professor of horticulture at NMSU, said now it takes about 10 years to develop a new variety of chile. But with the ongoing research, "we hope to speed it up," he said. Bosland and St. Clair said faster development of new chile varieties will help in the development of plants that will tolerate the effects of climate change. Matt Romero, of Romero Farms, gives a presentation on pest and disease management in organic chile at the 2018 New Mexico Chile Conference, Tuesday February 6, 2018.Buy Photo Matt Romero, of Romero Farms, gives a presentation on pest and disease management in organic chile at the 2018 New Mexico Chile Conference, Tuesday February 6, 2018. (Photo: Josh Bachman/Sun-News) Endowed chair update An effort to create an endowed chair position at NMSU dedicated to future chile research has continued to progress, said Cindy Nicholson, director of development for the university's College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. More: New Mexico issues 2,000 'Chile Capital of the World' license plates The campaign is attempting to raise $1 million, which would be put into a permanent fund to support the salary of a researcher. The nearly decade-long effort has generated $910,000. Nicholson said the goal is to create a job that will exist in perpetuity and won't be subject to position curtailments by the university. "That chair is important to everybody from our processors to our growers to our consumers," she said. There's a push underway to raise the final $90,000. For information, visit the Chile Pepper Institute website: https://cpi.nmsu.edu. Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, dalba@lcsun-news.com or @AlbaSoular on Twitter.

Worker Protection Standards have changed as of 1 January 2018

WPS for pesticides rule have changed if you have been to one of my pesticide CEU opportunities you heard about the differences. Under the 2015 Revised Worker Protection Standard, the following requirements must be met: Expanded training concepts will be required starting January 2, 2018. Training must be delivered in a manner that can be understood, in a location relatively free from distractions. When training workers or handlers, the trainer must remain present at all times to be available to answer questions, even when showing a video. Trainers must be qualified, most often by holding a pesticide applicator’s license or by completing an EPA-approved Train-the-Trainer course. Only EPA-approved training materials must be used for training workers and handlers. PERC WPS training materials. Training verification records must be kept for 2 years after training is completed. No specific form is required but a form that meets the requirements is available here: WPS-Verification Pesticide Safety Training form for Employees Here are some EPA approved video you can show your workers. This replaces the CD you may have gotten from NMDA or Extension. If you have one of those you should throw it away. The the information is no longer up to date. The bottom is a link to Arizona Department of Agriculture training documentation form template you can use. Note: it requires you to record the approval number for what you use to train with. If there is interest in Eddy County Extension making available a train the trainer class to teach you as the owner/operator/pesticide license how to train your employee let me know by e-mail, whoughto@nmsu.edu These two videos are available by U-Tube. Gemplers has the new forms that will help you comply with the new record keeping requirement. “Quick-Connect”: EPA-approved Worker Training Videos** (NEW!) Video (English) – Pesticide Safety For Agricultural Workers (MP4) (YouTube). Video for training agricultural workers about pesticides and the Revised Worker Protection Standard (WPS). This video satisfies the pesticide safety training requirement for workers under the revised WPS effective January 1, 2016, and are approved indefinitely. EPA Approval # “EPA Worker PST 00001”. Length: 18 minutes 28 seconds. Video (Spanish)- Seguridad Con Pesticidas Para Trabajadores Agricolas (MP4) (YouTube). Pesticide Safety for Agricultural Workers (Spanish). Aprobado por la EPA (número de aprobación “EPA Trabajador PST 00001”) video de capacitación para el entrenamiento de trabajadores agrícolas sobre pesticidas y la Norma de Protección del Trabajador (WPS). Video for training agricultural workers about pesticides and the Revised Worker Protection Standard (WPS). This video satisfies the pesticide safety training requirement for workers under the revised WPS effective January 1, 2016, and approved indefinitely. EPA Approval # “EPA Worker PST 00001”. Length: 18 minutes 28 seconds. https://vimeo.com/215241678 Training documentation form. https://agriculture.az.gov/sites/default/files/documents/WPS%20Training%20Log%20-%20Sample%20Template%20%28English%20-%2015%20spaces%29.pdf

Guide I-106: Skin Cancer

The following CES publication has been revised and is now available online in PDF format. Guide I-106: Skin Cancer Sonja Koukel (Associate Professor/Extension Community and Environmental Health Specialist, Dept. of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences) PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_i/I106.pdf

SE New Mexico Livestock Producers Round table.

Ranchers invited to meet in Chaves County with NMSU livestock production experts DATE: 02/07/2018 WRITER: Darrell J. Pehr, 575-646-3223, pehr@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Shad Cox , 575-849-1015, shadcox@nmsu.edu ROSWELL, N.M. – Agricultural producers will gather with New Mexico State University livestock experts Wednesday, Feb. 14, for a Ranchers’ Roundtable discussion of range livestock production at the Chaves County Farm and Livestock Bureau Building, 2500 Southeast Main Street (at the Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds). “This is the next in the series of breakfasts we are sponsoring, reaching out to livestock producers across the state,” said Shad Cox, superintendent of NMSU’s Corona Range and Livestock Research Center. “After a good breakfast we’ll have ranchers ask questions of the NMSU livestock experts who will attend. This is an opportunity for ranchers to gather information that could really benefit their cattle operations.” The event will be presented in partnership with the Chaves County Cooperative Extension Service office. Topics of discussion at the Chaves County event, “Let’s Talk! Breakfast in Town,” will depend partly on ranchers’ questions, but experts on hand will be especially well-versed in cow/calf/stocker nutrition, reproduction and management. The event will start at 8 a.m. with a free breakfast. The program will start at 9 a.m. and lunch will be served at noon. After lunch, a BQA training/recertification will follow. The event is free to attend. Among the experts from NMSU’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences planning to be on hand are professor Eric Scholljegerdes in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences; Marcy Ward, Extension Livestock Specialist in Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources; and Craig Gifford, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, also in Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources. The Chaves County program will be followed by a similar event on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at the Convention Center in Tucumcari. Details about that event will be announced soon. Register online at www.corona.nmsu.edu. For more information, contact Shad Cox at 575-849-1015 or shadcox@nmsu.edu. WOODS NOTE I will be going up and have a suburban if you want a ride call Robin or Robyn and let them know. 887-6595

NMDA on Gas pump skimming

New Mexico Department of Agriculture staff works with law enforcement on gas-pump skimming cases (Las Cruces, New Mexico) – Have you ever used a credit or debit card to purchase gasoline at the pump? If so, you may want to brush up on your knowledge about skimmer devices and learn how to protect yourself from having your card information stolen. When you pay at the pump, there’s a possibility for thieves to steal your credit card information using skimmers. Thieves attach skimming devices to the card scanner, and the devices capture the account data from cards used to purchase gas without interfering with the purchase. In petroleum dispensers, the devices are often attached directly to a circuit board on the card reader on the inside of the dispenser. The cardholder is unaware that the data has been compromised until it has been used to make unauthorized purchases. What does skimming have to do with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA)? Not only does NMDA support the viability of agriculture, support the beneficial use of natural resources, promote food protection and global marketing, but a big part of its responsibility is consumer protection and regulatory compliance. The NMDA Standards and Consumer Services Division (SCS) is responsible for enforcing New Mexico’s weights and measures laws and regulations. Petroleum and fuel pumps fall into this category. The petroleum standards program is responsible for the annual inspection and testing of all commercial petroleum measuring devices used in the state as well as ensuring product quality for gasoline, diesel, kerosene, brake fluid, antifreeze and lubricating oil. Precise field standards are used in these inspections and are certified through the division’s metrology laboratory. NMDA’s petroleum laboratory analyzes all petroleum product samples collected by field staff for compliance with quality standards established in the Petroleum Products Standards Act. “While collecting petroleum samples for testing or inspecting pumps to ensure they are dispensing the correct fuel quantity, inspectors may come across a skimmer device,” said New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte. “Consumer protection is part of the NMDA’s mission, and SCS staff works closely with law enforcement regarding this issue.” In January, NMDA staff attended a training that focused on the latest credit card skimmer detection and enforcement practices in the state of Florida where the illegal activity is extremely prominent. Part of the National Conference on Weights and Measures interim meeting, the training included technical presentations and discussions, as well as demonstrations at actual retail businesses in the area. As a consumer, the following steps may help protect yourself from being a victim of skimming at the fuel pump:  Pull on the credit card reader to ensure it is permanent  Check for audit tape to ensure no one has tampered with the dispenser  Choose a fuel pump that’s in the cashier’s sight  Go inside and pay with cash If you discover a credit card skimmer at the pump, report it to authorities as well as to the store manager. To report identify theft, call the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338 or visit www.identitytheft.gov. New Mexico fuel retailers are asked to contact NMDA SCS staff at 575-646-1616 as soon as possible after a skimmer is found. SCS also provides information to retailers and repair establishments regarding steps to take if a skimmer is discovered. For more information about NMDA, visit www.nmda.nmsu.edu. Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/NMDeptAg and follow us on Twitter @NMDeptAg. - NMDA – Photo 1 attached: Thieves attach skimming devices to credit card scanners at fuel pumps, and the devices capture account data from cards used to purchase gas. In petroleum dispensers, the devices are often attached directly to a circuit board on the card reader. Consumer protection is part of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s mission, and its Standards and Consumer Services Division works closely with law enforcement regarding reported skimmers. (Photo courtesy New Mexico Department of Agriculture) Photo 2 attached: Several skimming devices have been found at New Mexico retailers. Thieves attach skimmers to credit card scanners at fuel pumps, and the devices capture account data from cards used to purchase gas without interfering with the purchase. (Photo courtesy New Mexico Department of Agriculture) Confidentiality Notice: New Mexico has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state employees are public records. Your e-mail communications may therefore be subject to public disclosure. This e-mail, including all attachments is for the sole use of the intended recipients. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited unless specifically provided under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act. Confidentiality Notice: New Mexico has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state employees are public records. Your e-mail communications may therefore be subject to public disclosure. This e-mail, including all attachments is for the sole use of the intended recipients. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited unless specifically provided under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act.

Perdue Announces USDA’s Farm Bill and Legislative Principles for 2018

Perdue Announces USDA’s Farm Bill and Legislative Principles for 2018 (Mifflintown, PA, January 24, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill and Legislative Principles for 2018 during a town hall at Reinford Farms in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania. “Since my first day as the Secretary of Agriculture, I’ve traveled to 30 states, listening to the people of American agriculture about what is working and what is not. The conversations we had and the people we came across helped us craft USDA’s Farm Bill and Legislative Principles for 2018,” said Secretary Perdue. “These principles will be used as a road map – they are our way of letting Congress know what we’ve heard from the hard-working men and women of American agriculture. While we understand it’s the legislature’s job to write the Farm Bill, USDA will be right there providing whatever counsel Congress may request or require.” (Secretary Perdue holds a town hall meeting at Reinford Farms where he rolled out USDA’s 2018 Farm Bill and Legislative Principles) Download USDA’s 2018 Farm Bill and Legislative Principles USDA’s 2018 Farm Bill and Legislative Principles: FARM PRODUCTION & CONSERVATION • Provide a farm safety net that helps American farmers weather times of economic stress without distorting markets or increasing shallow loss payments. • Promote a variety of innovative crop insurance products and changes, enabling farmers to make sound production decisions and to manage operational risk. • Encourage entry into farming through increased access to land and capital for young, beginning, veteran and underrepresented farmers. • Ensure that voluntary conservation programs balance farm productivity with conservation benefits so the most fertile and productive lands remain in production while land retired for conservation purposes favors more environmentally sensitive acres. • Support conservation programs that ensure cost-effective financial assistance for improved soil health, water and air quality and other natural resource benefits. TRADE & FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS • Improve U.S. market competitiveness by expanding investments, strengthening accountability of export promotion programs, and incentivizing stronger financial partnerships. • Ensure the Farm Bill is consistent with U.S. international trade laws and obligations. • Open foreign markets by increasing USDA expertise in scientific and technical areas to more effectively monitor foreign practices that impede U.S. agricultural exports and engage with foreign partners to address them. FOOD, NUTRITION, AND CONSUMER SERVICES • Harness America’s agricultural abundance to support nutrition assistance for those truly in need. • Support work as the pathway to self-sufficiency, well-being, and economic mobility for individuals and families receiving supplemental nutrition assistance. • Strengthen the integrity and efficiency of food and nutrition programs to better serve our participants and protect American taxpayers by reducing waste, fraud and abuse through shared data, innovation, and technology modernization. • Encourage state and local innovations in training, case management, and program design that promote self-sufficiency and achieve long-term, stability in employment. • Assure the scientific integrity of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans process through greater transparency and reliance on the most robust body of scientific evidence. • Support nutrition policies and programs that are science based and data driven with clear and measurable outcomes for policies and programs. MARKETING & REGULATORY PROGRAMS • Enhance our partnerships and the scientific tools necessary to prevent, mitigate, and where appropriate, eradicate harmful plant and animal pests and diseases impacting agriculture. • Safeguard our domestic food supply and protect animal health through modernization of the tools necessary to bolster biosecurity, prevention, surveillance, emergency response, and border security. • Protect the integrity of the USDA organic certified seal and deliver efficient, effective oversight of organic production practices to ensure organic products meet consistent standards for all producers, domestic and foreign. • Ensure USDA is positioned appropriately to review production technologies if scientifically required to ensure safety, while reducing regulatory burdens. • Foster market and growth opportunities for specialty crop growers while reducing regulatory burdens that limit their ability to be successful. FOOD SAFETY & INSPECTION SERVICES • Protect public health and prevent foodborne illness by committing the necessary resources to ensure the highest standards of inspection, with the most modern tools and scientific methods available. • Support and enhance FSIS programs to ensure efficient regulation and the safety of meat, poultry and processed egg products, including improved coordination and clarity on execution of food safety responsibilities. • Continue to focus USDA resources on products and processes that pose the greatest public health risk. RESEARCH, EDUCATION & ECONOMICS • Commit to a public research agenda that places the United States at the forefront of food and agriculture scientific development. • Develop an impact evaluation approach, including the use of industry panels, to align research priorities to invest in high priority innovation, technology, and education networks. • Empower public-private partnerships to leverage federal dollars, increase capacity, and investments in infrastructure for modern food and agricultural science. • Prioritize investments in education, training and the development of human capital to ensure a workforce capable of meeting the growing demands of food and agriculture science. • Develop and apply integrated advancement in technology needed to feed a growing and hungry world. RURAL DEVELOPMENT • Create consistency and flexibility in programs that will foster collaboration and assist communities in creating a quality of life that attracts and retains the next generation. • Expand and enhance the effectiveness of tools available to further connect rural American communities, homes, farms, businesses, first responders, educational facilities, and healthcare facilities to reliable and affordable high-speed internet services. • Partner with states and local communities to invest in infrastructure to support rural prosperity, innovation and entrepreneurial activity. • Provide the resources and tools that foster greater integration among programs, partners and the rural development customer. NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT • Make America’s forests work again through proactive cost-effective management based on data and sound science. • Expand Good Neighbor Authority and increase coordination with states to promote job creation and improve forest health through shared stewardship and stakeholder input. • Reduce litigative risk and regulatory impediments to timely environmental review, sound harvesting, fire management and habitat protection to improve forest health while providing jobs and prosperity to rural communities. • Offer the tools and resources that incentivize private stewardship and retention of forest land. MANAGEMENT • Provide a fiscally responsible Farm Bill that reflects the Administration’s budget goals. • Enhance customer service and compliance by reducing regulatory burdens on USDA customers. • Modernize internal and external IT solutions to support the delivery of efficient, effective service to USDA customers. • Provide USDA full authority to responsibly manage properties and facilities under its jurisdiction. • Increase the effectiveness of tools and resources necessary to attract and retain a strong USDA workforce that reflects the citizens we serve. • Recognize the unique labor needs of agriculture and leverage USDA’s expertise to allow the Department to play an integral role in developing workforce policy to ensure farmers have access to a legal and stable workforce. • Grow and intensify program availability to increase opportunities for new, beginning, veteran, and underrepresented producers

From the Center for Consumer Freedom

From the Center for Consumer Freedom: This is a great organization!!! https://www.agweb.com/livestock/beef/blog/the_independent_cattleman_147/hsus_and_peta_18631/ Despite the words “humane society” on its letterhead, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not affiliated with your local animal shelter. Despite the omnipresent dogs and cats in its fundraising materials, it’s not an organization that runs spay/neuter programs or takes in stray, neglected, and abused pets. And despite the common image of animal protection agencies as cash-strapped organizations dedicated to animal welfare, HSUS has become the wealthiest animal rights organization on Earth. HSUS is big, rich, and powerful – a “humane society” in name only. And while most local animal shelters are under-funded and unsung, HSUS has accumulated $113 million in assets and built a recognizable brand by capitalizing on the confusion its very name provokes. This misdirection results in an irony of which most animal lovers are unaware: HSUS raises enough money to finance animal shelters in every single state – with money to spare – yet it doesn’t operate a single shelter anywhere. In 1986, John McArdle, then HSUS’ Director of Laboratory Animal Welfare, told Washingtonian magazine that HSUS was “definitely shifting in the direction of animal rights faster than anyone would realize from our literature.” The group completed its animal-rights transformation during the 1990s, changing its personnel in the process. HSUS assimilated dozens of staffers from PETA and other animal-rights groups, even employing John “J.P.” Goodwin – a former Animal Liberation Front member and spokesman with a lengthy arrest record and a history of promoting arson to accomplish animal liberation. The change brought more money and media attention. It is said that a man named John Hoyt guided HSUS into the modern era, and he explained the shift in 1991, telling National Journal, “PETA successfully stole the spotlight…Groups like ours that have plugged along with a larger staff, a larger constituency…have been ignored.” Hoyt agreed that PETA’s net effect within the animal-rights movement was to spur more moderate groups to take tougher stances in order to attract donations from the public. “Maybe,” Hoyt mused, “the time has come to say, ‘Since we haven’t been successful in getting half a loaf, let’s go for the whole thing.’” Quote from The Peta Files blog site, comments discussing the subject: Do animals have a soul? “Of course animals have souls! And you know what's great about that fact? The scum who harm animals and treat them so thoughtlessly while munching on their tortured corpses will find out when they die. Then they will find (remember) that they can communicate with all beings via telepathy. Yes, they have been munching on the bodies of murdered beings with souls! Spiritual beings who are equal to them in every which way, and might I say, in many cases more advanced than the ignorant and presumptuous human being.” I once met personally with some PETA operatives from St. Louis, Mo., for a detailed discussion about animal rights and animal welfare. Following that meeting, I determined that like HSUS, PETA had a very selfish motivation: The individuals I met with actually believed all animals were reincarnated former humans. By spaying a bitch, I was performing surgery on a possible former relative and I was interfering with the karma of that animal. By slaughtering a fat lamb, I was slaughtering my possible former aunt. How do you deal with that kind of thinking? The long-range goal of both HSUS and PETA is to turn all animals loose on the land and let nature takes its course. Nature is so kind, isn’t it. Ever witness a group of hens gang up on a weaker pen mate? We don’t have the term “hen pecked” in our vocabulary for nothing! Ever watch a film of a lion seizing a little antelope by the throat and slowly choking it to death, while the other lions in the pride begin to eat the little antelope before it has actually choked to death? Yes, nature is so kind. Survival of the fittest is cruelty at its finest. Ruminant animals are prey animals and were created for that purpose, among others. Ruminants are a literal walking, breathing miracle. How do we, as livestock producers, deal with people whose goal is not animal welfare, but the elimination of all animal ownership, the establishment of rights for animals that will be equal to that of people, and the ultimate elimination of meat consumption? Well, you don’t ignore them! At the same time, national beef associations and their state affiliates are using the HSUS hysteria just as HSUS uses their own falsely generated hysteria to raise funds and focus attention upon itself. In Missouri, the Missouri Cattleman’s Association (MCA) has, in recent years, taken thousands of USDA (taxpayer) dollars to coerce their members into obtaining a premises identification number for the now-defunct NAIS system promoted by both the WTO and the OIE, while doing nothing to stop the consolidation occurring in the beef cattle industry that has caused producers in Missouri to sell off 400,000 mother cows since 2006. You can’t open a Missouri farm paper or periodical without seeing an article written by MCA’s executive director concerning the danger of HSUS to Missouri cattle producers, yet when asked about the massive loss of cows in Missouri, he simply responded publicly that the loss of mother cows is Missouri represented hobby farmers leaving the business. The average cowherd size in Missouri is 33 cows, so by that standard, we all are hobby farmers in Missouri. His response represented a complete laissez faire attitude about the anguish Missouri cattle owners are experiencing in the marketplace. My point is very simple: HSUS is a very real and current problem, and they must be addressed appropriately and forcibly. But focusing cattle producers primarily on the dangers of HSUS – while simply ignoring the fact that cattle producers are losing record amounts of equity, rapidly reducing cowherd size, and getting out of the business – is unforgivable. Having a ’business as usual’ attitude and philosophy while the house burns down around us is not the time to say “It seems hot in here.” It is time to call the fire department. Better yet, maybe some preventative action would have been the best plan. Shame on so-called beef industry and cattle industry leaders for focusing attention on HSUS while, at the same time, they do nothing to turn the tide of consolidation that is flooding the independent beef producers of the United States and Canada. Now don’t get me wrong here. We need to fight HSUS and PETA to maintain our constitutional rights to own and raise livestock. I know their ultimate goal is to eliminate ownership of animals within the United States, but if we are out business, like so many of my former dairy and swine clients are today, HSUS and PETA are immaterial. HSUS and PETA don’t count for those who don’t own animals. If we are forced out of business, what difference does it make? HSUS and PETA will have then ultimately won the battle, without firing a single shot. http://protecttheharvest.com/who-is-under-attack/animal-rights-vs-farmers/

2018 Livestock Scale Inspection Program

2018 Livestock Scale Inspection Program and 2019 changes to the livestock scale inspection program It’s that time of the year for inspectors from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s (NMDA), Standards and Consumer Services Division, to conduct annual livestock scale inspections. We are currently accepting livestock scale requests through March 31, 2018. Requests made after the March 31st deadline will incur a fee based on our current fee schedule. The inspection of livestock scales will begin April 1, 2018 and continue through December 31, 2018. Due to the cost of the program, we will be conducting the inspection of livestock scales by REQUEST ONLY. We have attached our livestock scale request form, public service announcement and our fees for weights and measures services. Also attached is information regarding changes to our livestock program in 2019. We would like to request your assistance in publicizing the new livestock scale inspection program in your county. As always, we thank you for your continued support with our program. If you have any questions, feel free to call our office at (575) 646-1616.

Two bound over to district court on pecan larceny charges

Two bound over to district court on pecan larceny charges Artesia Daily Press Staff Two Artesia residents have been bound over to district court on larceny charges following the attempted theft of pecans from a local orchard. At around 4:30 p.m. Nov. 26, 2017, Eddy County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Forrest Lee Road in the Chase Farms pecan orchard. There, they were informed a pickup had been observed approximately one-and-a-half miles down Forrest Lee Road from Lake Road; only Chase Farms employees are allowed on that particularly roadway. Deputies made contact with the occupants of the pickup, identified as Fernando Franco and Melissa O. Madrid, who admitted to having come from the orchard. According to the criminal complaint, Madrid told deputies she had been contacted by Franco and asked to assist him in picking up pecans at the orchard. Franco granted deputies permission to search under a tarp covering the back of the pickup. Beneath was a “massive quantity” of pecans. Deputies proceeded to seize the vehicle and file for a search warrant. Following execution of the warrant the following day, the pecans were subsequently transported to the Chase Farms processing plant, and warrants were issued for Franco and Madrid’s arrest on charges of larceny (over $500 but less than $2,500). Franco was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession, delivery or manufacture of drug paraphernalia. Both subjects have been bound over to district court.

Pecan

There are some pecan related bills in the legislative session this short session still; a buyers licensure act, and an appropriations bill for pecan weevil eradication funding. Both bills are industry driven. Mr. Cavitt from Lea County actually got the ball rolling on the appropriations bill. I believe the bills have been assigned to committees and have some hearings this week. Mr. Lewis has been called on by Senator Leavell to testify on the appropriations bill at a hearing this week and some from the pecan industry I imagine will also be participating. Again, these are industry driven bills that I’m sure would help with taking a solid stab at eradication and hopefully, cut down on theft if law enforcement can participate more in the buyer licensing process. The appropriations bill is HB 184 and Senate bill is 160 carried by Senator Leavell in the senate and Representatives Townsend and Gomez, in the house. The pecan buyers licensure act is carried by Representatives Townsend, Gomez, and Herrell in the house and is HB 214. Feel free to look up other details on the legislature’s website if you have further interest in these issues. https://www.nmlegis.gov/Search

HB161: Agriculture & Vegetable Seed Preemption

This bill would prevent any political subdivision in NM from making it illegal to grow GMO Crops. Supported by the NMDA and the NM Farm Bureau. If you agree please let our Legislators hear from you. We need phone calls and emails to the committee. It will be heard Tuesday morning. There are lots of folks lined up against this bill. Please call and pass to your customers. Read below. I am headed up there this week. The umbrella organization for our Industry, BIO, is engaged as is our Lobbyist and Governmental affairs folks but nothing like home grown people weighing in. Some of you will receive this in duplicate, I apologize for that. Regards Greg House State Government Indian and Veterans Affairs Committee Georgene Louis 986-4327 Georgene.louis@nmlegis.gov Rudy Marteniz 986-4248 Rodolpho.marteniz@nmlegis.gov Sharon Clahchischilliage 986-4453 Sharon.clahchischill@nmlegis.gov Yvette Herrell 986-4210 Yherrell@yahoo.com Wonda Johnson 986-4236 Dwonda.johnson@nmlegis.gov Derrick Lente 986-4433 Derrick.lente@nmlegis.gov William Rehm 986-4214 Bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov Dennis Roch 986-4227 denroch@hotmail.com Andres Romero 986-4435 andres@nmlegis.gov HB161: Agriculture & Vegetable Seed Preemption sponsored by Rep. Bill Rehm & Rep. Jimmy Hall prohibits political subdivisions from adopting or continuing in effect any ordinance, rule, regulation or statute regulating agricultural or vegetable seeds, including cultivation, harvesting, sale, testing, transporting, possessing and 15 other uses. This law maintains private property rights. NMF&LB believes it should be the right of the farmer to decide what crops make sense for their business and the tools (tools approved by the federal and state governments) to use to cultivate those crops. NMF&LB supports this bill. NMF&LB supports HB161 giving the New Mexico Department of Agriculture regulatory control over which seeds can be planted in our state. Farmers in certain counties in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington cannot "propagate, cultivate, raise or grow seeds or crops of genetically engineered organisms" due to the passage of local ordinances. In New Mexico this would affect not only corn, cotton and alfalfa growers who use Roundup ready seeds, but would also leave open the door for a future ban on seeds with a neonicotinoid coating. As was mentioned in yesterday’s CALL TO ACTION, we know of several environmentalist groups, pueblo governments and acequias associations preparing to oppose HB161. We must have OUR voices heard! Please continue to contact the committee members and urge them to support the bill for these reasons: • HB161 Seed Preemption would ensure that farmers are not navigating a patchwork of county and municipality rules related to seeds. Passing HB161 would give NMDA control over seeds and give famers the predictability they need. • HB 161 ensures the consistent statewide regulation of seed, just as is the case with pesticides. The measure simply ensures that the authority to regulate seed lies with the experts at the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. Thirty fives states have seen the wisdom of one, state-wide body regulating seeds and have passed similar laws. • Seed standardization legislation maintains private property rights. Farmers are seed experts and they should decide which crops make sense for their family farm. • The bill provides for regulatory consistency, creating an environment where the marketplace drives business decisions, not a patchwork of regulations that creates burdensome roadblocks for family farms. • Codifying the uniform regulation of seed by the statewide experts - well credentialed officials at NMDA - provides long term certainty for growers and farmers. This is especially useful given that there are 136 municipal governments (county, city & town) in New Mexico. • Farmers and growers in New Mexico may own or lease land in multiple jurisdictions. Being forced to comply with varying regulations across city and town lines, even though a farmer is on his or her private property, is cost prohibitive and burdensome.

NMSU to host annual fruit growers workshop at Los Luceros Ranch March 1

NMSU to host annual fruit growers workshop at Los Luceros Ranch March 1 NMSU By Jane Moorman Trees in northern New Mexico orchards may be dormant during the winter months, but the fruit growers are looking ahead to next spring when the blooms will be forming on the plants. Part of the preparation is learning tips for managing the trees, pollinators and pests, as well as what research New Mexico State University is conducting at the Sustainable Agriculture Science Center at Alcalde. NMSU’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension Service is hosting the annual Fruit Grower Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1, at the historic Los Luceros Ranch north of Alcalde on County Road 41…Registration is $12 per person before Feb. 20 and $15 after Feb. 20. Fee includes lunch and materials. Participants are encouraged to register before Feb. 20 to ensure enough food is prepared for lunch. To pre-register, call Joy at the Santa Fe County Extension office, 505-471-4711