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Impact Report

For plan Agronomic Crop and Improved Pasture System Development (De Baca County)
Date October 25, 2010, 9:29 pm
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report 2010 Programming and Impacts Quarterly informational newsletter The agent developed a quarterely informational newsletter for crop producers in combination with a livestock and range County newsletter. Of the 98 newsletter sent out, about half of these are crop producers only and many are dual producers (both crop and range). Topics for the newsletter throughout the year highlighted spring and fall harvest management techniques, top-dressing winter wheat, Weed management in alfalfa and other irrigated crops, pesticide application and related herbicides, etc. Of the 20% of newletter recipients across the county who the agent polled for response, 100% stated that the newsletter brought them pertinent information regarding issues they are or have faced in their production practices. De Baca County Ag. Producer Seminar--The De Baca County Ag Extension Agent developed and coordinated the 2010 annual Agriculture Producer Seminar with several collaborating agencies and business assisting with programming activities and educational information as well as sponsorship of luncheon, snacks and related door prizes. The NMDA approved 3 credit hours towards Pesticide licensure compliance. A total of 90 producers and program sponsors (of which 1/3 of the participants were strictly area farmers)attended the 4 hour training which included topics such as: Grass Control in Irrigated Crops; Gopher and Prairie Dog Control in pastures and native grasslands; Herbicides and their effectiveness; an NRCS Update on Programming; Trichomoniasis in Cattle and the Problem in our Area and other livestock production issues (see livestock production impact report). The program was extremely well received and when evaluating producers, one-on-one, the agent received feedback on the effectiveness of subject matter which was positive and informing to participants. 100% of evaluations indicated and increase in knowledge concerning portions of subject matter discussed. Pesticide Applicator Training and Licensure Tweny-four area producers attended a four hour private pesticide applicator training and testing session put on by the Agent (2 different time, spring and summer, 2010) in coordination with the area NMDA Inspector, Tiffany Aragon, the local NRCS office and the local Soil and Water Conservation District. The agent reviewed test materials and answered questions pertaining to the information and slide presentation. Most of this information was related to safety with pesticides, chemical and biological nature of pesticides, application, environmental issues and reading/understanding associated labels. The NMDA Inspector than administered the test to participants if which 100% passed and received their licensure. Development of Spanish Record Keeping Pesticide Applicator Form. Upon a local producer requests, the Agent, not being able to locate any NM pesticide record keeping forms recorded in Spanish, developed a simple record form to assist Spanish speaking workers and applicators. The Agent also put together a record form book in Spanish for the producer. The form was developed using several other forms from Florida and California.