Agronomic Crop and Improved Pasture System Development (Curry County)

Pesticides are an important piece of the management tools available to row crop producers, but in order to use them they must have a private applicator’s license. One component of keeping that license is to further their education of proper pesticide use and management. This agent in conjunction with the Roosevelt County Agent and the Bailey County, TX IPM agent hosted a class for those producers that had not received enough credits to renew their license. Twenty-eight producers from two states attended the training meeting and completed their continuing education units and renewed their licenses. Because of their attendance at this class, 100% those who completed their training were better prepared to manage their farming practices and gained knowledge that would improve their business.

Now in its second year, this agent has collected rainfall amounts and forage production data for the entire county. This agent works closely with the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resource Conservation Service in developing a better means of assessing the health of Curry County grazing lands. Four rainfall and forage production sites were set out across the county to measure precipitation and forage yield. These samples are also analyzed to determine nutrient content and that data passed along to producers in order to make better management decisions. This data will be used by the FSA County Committee to assist producers with grazing losses occurred during a given year. This agent feels this opportunity will greatly benefit county clientele by establishing production data that can be measured and compared from year to year and location to location and establish a useful database for future use. Loss of production can then be evaluated by the County Committee to determine if compensation is justifiable for producers.
This agent has fielded and referred numerous questions throughout the year regarding an array of field crops. Part of this job is to provide resources and access to information not readily available to producers. 100% of the producers serviced this year found answers to their production questions which allowed them to make better management decisions.
The Farmer’s Market is a vital part of small scale vegetable producers’ income in Curry County. The market is open one evening and one morning per week and begins selling around June 20 until frost. This agent strives to provide producers with assistance in whatever arena aid is needed. This agent works closely with the Market Manager and continues to manage the finances for the group in an ex-officio role. This agent provided examples for cooking and preparing the many various fruits and vegetables.
This agent serves in multiple capacities over the course of a year and one of those is an ex-officio member of the Curry County Fairboard. The fairboard is the governing body that directs the fair and this agent serves to provide technical support to the decision making process. The fair is an ongoing event and requires some planning and efforts throughout the year in order to see a successful event each year. In addition, this agent serves to meet the needs of people and activities that occur during the fair. The Curry County Fair is a large event held annually in August. It brings together people from all over the area and provides a large economic stimulus to the community. The amount of time required can be quite extensive but the reward to individuals as well as the community is greatly justified. Curry County residents are more satisfied and have a greater quality of life when events such as the fair are provided in a community.
Progressive Agriculture Safety Day is a nationally sponsored hands-on learning activity to help youth in rural communities gain exposure to the potential dangers found in and around agriculture. This activity is targeted toward third grade students from Curry, Quay, Roosevelt, New Mexico and Parmer County, Texas, and is held on an annual basis in the fall. Progressive Ag Safety Day is an outstanding demonstration of how multiple agencies come together in a region to plan and implement a program that has great educational and safety implications. Participating agencies are local Cooperative Extension Offices, Eastern New Mexico Rural Telephone Cooperative, Local Fire and Police Departments, Curry County Farm and Livestock Bureau, New Mexico State Parks Department, Curry County Emergency Managers Office, Farmer’s Electric and Roosevelt County Rural Electric Company, and the Curry County Health Department.

The safety day is designed with learning stations based on a variety of real life scenarios so that students can gain the knowledge of how to deal with a situation if it arises. Students are exposed to learning stations about fire safety, ATV safety, Community emergencies awareness, electrical safety, lawnmower safety, grain entrapment, water safety, firearm safety, and using 911. This agent serves as a state coordinator for Eastern New Mexico for this program and is responsible for overall program implementation and management. Over 1,500 students, teachers, volunteers, and instructors participate in this two day event. The program has actually received national attention from other safety day coordinators because of its format. The Curry/Roosevelt Camp has the largest single day attendance of any program in the country. This is a major undertaking that would not be possible without cooperation and teamwork. Students that leave this program are aware of the potential dangers connected with agriculture and are better prepared to make intelligent decisions when emergencies arrive.

Coordinated a two-day Progressive Agriculture Safety Day in Clovis for third grade students from Curry, Roosevelt, and Quay counties in New Mexico and Parmer County in Texas. 1154 youth, teachers, presenters, group leader and volunteers were exposed to learning stations of electrical, grain entrapment, ATV, 9-1-1, water, firearm and hearing protection, fire, farm equipment and lawnmower and chemical look-a-likes. Twelve Agencies collaborate for the success of this program. The impact of this program saves lives of our farm children, and they in turn take the message home to their parents and grandparents. The topics are discussed by the families with hopes of changing farm habits to be more safe and therefore fewer accidents and deaths on the local farm and ranch. 60% of parents requested additional information from the national organization for preventing farm accidents.

Assist with coordination and funding of Progressive Agriculture Safety Days across Eastern New Mexico in eleven counties plus neighboring counties in the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. Over 4300 youth and teachers, as well as 650 presenters, group leaders and volunteers are provided an educational opportunity to gain knowledge needed to reduce farm accidents by youth across our state.

Assisted 30 local specialty crop producers with the management of the Clovis Farmers Market. Piloted the statewide initiative for a market EBT card and Senior Adult program, which is similar to the WIC program. These programs bring additional consumers to the market. The extension staff provided examples for cooking and preparing the many various fruits, vegetables and breads at the market grand opening. Flyers and handouts were distributed to over 200 county residents by the local master gardeners, in addition to answering questions about the growing of crops. Over 50% of local growers surveyed would indicate the definate benefits to them as growers from participating in the local market.

Several wheat producers were assisted with consultation from Extension Agronomist for identifying freeze damage in their wheat fields. All were able to gain knowledge needed to make effective decisions for their wheat crop.

Crazy About Corn program was presented to all fourth grade students at the Clovis Kids, Kows and More program over a two day period. 1081 youth, teachers and volunteers from Curry, Roosevelt and Parmer County Texas were provided an educational program on the history, growing maize crops and a fun game identifying products using corn based products. Near 100% of participants gained a valuable appreciation for where their food comes from, and a knowledge of the large base of products using corn grown by local producers. Participants could confidently identify products containing corn after completion.