Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.

Impact Report

For plan Crop Production Improvement and Water Conservation in Eastern New Mexico
Date November 28, 2007, 3:29 pm
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report Demonstrations (field days, seminars, publications) have been carried out that present current research efforts involving corn and sorghum silage and biofuel feedstock production in the region. Interest is increasing rapidly and more and more producer and industry/agency contacts have been made that will either support or implement water conservation research and techniques. Local governmental organizations (NRCS, SWCD) support the programs and have expressed interest in continuing funding of certain areas of the project. Dairy, farmer, and biofuel industry clientele continue to express gratitude toward the project efforts and request more information from research and extension activities. Securing of grant funding on several projects has allowed other researchers and extension personnel to come on board from neighboring institutions in Texas, from which a broader application of efforts and impact can be achieved. Benefits of this program are far-reaching and significant. Greater than 90% of farmers/agencies recognize the need for more water conserving practices in order to maintain regional agriculture and economic stability. Unlike many areas in NM that have the luxury of surface waters, once the underground water resources in eastern NM are gone, irrigated agriculture as we know it will cease to exist. Easily, more than 5% of regional farmers have begun implementing water-conserving practices in their operations. This is important in that if 5% of crops are conserved in the region, greater than $15 million is conserved annually for the state of NM. If the livestock that are dependent upon these crops are considered, then over $90 million is preserved annually. Agriculture and regional economics have been maintained and, in some cases, improved through conservation efforts highligted by this and other similar programs.