Producing Sustainable Agronomic Crops in New Mexico (San Juan County)

The major activities in the first year of this five-year project have been: (1) collaborative linkages were continued between community stakeholders of the Navajo Nation and researchers from the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University; (2) IRB approval was gained from the three institutions involved in overseeing this research (UNM, NMSU, Navajo Nation); (3) six model farmers were recruited; (4) model farmers were trained to be certified Crop Inspectors; (5) pre and post test surveys were developed and formatted on Teleforms, facilitating data entry; (6) a database was developed to enter demographic information; (7) 63 participant farmers were recruited and consented; (8) farm plans were developed for participating farmers; and (9) an amendment was submitted to the IRBs of the three institutions.

Community stakeholders from the prior project have continued to be involved in the new project. They have attended several meetings and will be called on to provide advice during the new project as it unfolds.

The IRB approval progressed as planned, and although it required six months work, the process proceeded smoothly without hitches. The Navajo Nation IRB expressed its appreciation that we had applied for and received subsequent funding to continue our work in the area of agricultural injury. Reporting requirements for the three IRBs are annually and quarterly, deadlines which we have been meeting continuously without interruption.

Six model farmers were recruited. These model farmers live in the ditch system in which they will be working (one of three ditch systems in the catchment area of the project). Five of the six completed their certification training on schedule; one model farmer required more time to complete the training but as of the time of this writing has now done so.

Pre-tests and demographic information forms were created. The pre-test (post-test) surveys were formatted into Teleforms, a scannable format that facilitates data entry. A SPSS database was developed to collect the demographic information.

Beginning in August 2007, participant farmers were recruited. The approved research design was a randomized control design in which the control farmers received only standard training. Many farmers complained about this and initial recruitment was much lower than anticipated. At the SW Center Advisory Board meeting in August, the PI proposed a design change to a cross-over design; the intervention group would be trained for two years, after which they would be observed for maintenance of their new skills. The control group would be observed for two years, after which they would be given training. This proposed design would enable researchers to provide an added benefit to the control group and to assess whether the changes due to training could be maintained by the farmers.

The SW Center Advisory Board approved the design change and the researchers prepared an amendment to the three IRBs to gain approval for the revised design. At the time of writing, UNM IRB had approved the new design; the NMSU IRB had not yet completed their deliberations. It is hoped that the approval from NMSU IRB will be granted in early January, allowing the researchers to submit the amendment to the Navajo Nation IRB in late January, together with the documents for the quarterly and annual review. It is anticipated that the approval from all three institutions will be completed in March of 2008.

Using the originally approved consent form, a total of 63 farmers have been recruited and farm plans are being developed for them. Once the farm plans are developed and the farmers have completed the baseline survey, they will be randomized into intervention and control groups.

A. Significance

The work to date is providing needed insight into the practicalities of carrying out research on agricultural injury as well as other topics in largely rural and ethnically diverse settings. The results of this research will prove pivotal to the design of culturally-relevant, public health programs aimed at reducing the adverse impacts of agricultural injury.

B. Plans

Recruitment will continue throughout the winter months, in the hope that the entire 120 participants can be recruited.

Once the revised study design is approved by all three IRBs, the new consent form will be administered to all previously recruited participants. Participants who no longer wish to participate will be removed from the study and all data previously collected from them will be destroyed. We do not anticipate any loss of subjects, however, since the new study design provides all participants with an equal opportunity to be trained.

Farm plans will be developed for all participants. After the farm plans are developed but before the spring planting season, participants will be randomized into intervention and control groups. At the start of the planting season, observational farm “walk throughs” will be conducted with all participating farmers

Gary Hathorn has signed on to support Producing Sustainable Agronomic Crops in New Mexico within San Juan County.

Short term objectives:
• To facilitate a better working relationship with clients in the state by fulfilling the need to provide educational and innovative information to the client on input and pest activity, control and long-term effects.
• To help in constructing a better whole farm operation in order to improve the client’s lifestyle and sustainability of his land and crops or pasture.
• To determine the best fit operations and varieties to utilize in various regions of the state and counties.
• To improve overall cost constraints so that the farming operation or pasture enterprise will fulfill the needs of the client and his family and operation.

Medium term objectives:
* After participation in the whole farm programming within this objective, the producer should be able to identify not only improvements in his operation, but also how rotations over multiple years can benefit the sustainability of his operations and can limit pest losses.
• Pasture improvement programming will insure less New Mexican land is erodible to wind damage and thus will improve the soil tilth by maintaining better water holding capacity, using nutrients more efficiently and choosing better fitted crops and pasture forages for the site while minimizing quality and yield losses to pests.
• By working with clients over a season, the producers understanding of the use of total cropping inputs and cost-benefits will be increased by 20% and the appreciation of soil improvements will increase by 40%.

Long term objectives:
• The long term objective is to improve the life style and structure of the producer and his family by providing more efficient means of creating income and sustainability on specific farm sites.
• Collect information on sustainability for various regions of New Mexico to help both small as well as large and medium sized operations to fit into the economic future of the state.
• To introduce new technology for ease and economics to the producer by showing how simple soil and water testing and pest scouting can optimize his operational needs to provide a better lifestyle for his family and himself.
• To work as a change agent in offering alternatives to current operations that are struggling with sustainability by seeking a better fit enterprise or method to farming and ranching that will help in minimizing input costs and optimizing gains in economics, soil tilth, operational efficiency and time spent in running the whole farm operation.