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.

Producing Sustainable Agronomic Crops in New Mexico

Plan Goal

This program conducts applied research and outreach in order to collect information on best fit variety selection, irrigation, nutrient use and chemical inputs that can optimize or limit agronomic plant growth.

Situation Statement

This program focuses on understanding and improving plant productivity and quality affected by increased or reduced inputs or abiotic stresses such as water, temperature, or nutrients. By understanding more on plant physiology, crop production can be optimized for use in food, feed, fiber as well as biofuel uses by developing sustainable production practices, inputs and timely operations.

Target Audience and Actions

* The target audience is both small as well as medium and large scale agricultural operations, businesses, associations, cooperatives, consulting firms and collectives that may or may not be defined as a farm under the USDA economic return criteria, but rather are land owners, managers, consultants, or students that wish to improve agronomic production and efficiency as do and are other audience participants such as Extension agents, farmers, ranchers, other agricultural specialists, private-tribal-state-federal and even nonprofit organizations.
* With this target audience a 20% increase in awareness of crop production and the optimum uses of cropping practices can be developed through educational meetings, publications and other outreach, including online programming and direct contacts.
* Providing PowerPoint programs to county agents for use in education, meeting programming and for outreach will allow each generalized educational effort to be refined for local area use.
* Providing information on potential variety selection as well as production practices through the Extension programming as well as through the New Mexico Crop Improvement Association, this program can increase client sustainability in New Mexico by use of locally adapted crops and varieties to minimize crop losses by 5% throughout the state while improving seed quality through the use of certified seed in New Mexico.

Short-Term Objectives

* to provide weed control and fertilizer options that can save 10 percent of the producers of agronomic crops in New Mexico higher input costs
* analyze, interpret and provide sustainable crop and pasture information to county Extension agents and clients throughout the state with new programs on 1 to 3 crops annually
* assist county Extension agents and clients with information on cropping system development and improvements for use in food, feed, fiber and biofuel development for alternative production uses in 10 percent of the crops grown for biomass production
* provide agent, staff and public training as requested through telephone calls, correspondence, training programs and on-site demonstrations and planning
* respond to county agent and client requests for information and program procedures and materials
* develop an intensive alfalfa production pocket guide for use by county agents and clients in the state
* develop a series of crop information sheets to be used as general guides to agronomic crops grown in New Mexico for use by agents and clients at meetings, on farms and ranches as well as for new agent training in New Mexico
* maintain contacts with other departments, conservation districts, irrigation districts and related land use agencies to provide information as well as keep up to date on emerging issues and improvements
* remain current on the latest research and potential management planning for improved crops and pastures
* respond positively and quickly to agent and client requests for assistance within the state while also maintaining contacts and committments at the national and international level

Medium-Term Objectives

Medium term objectives:
* To sanction better weed control and plant nutrient use among farmers in the state in order to produce more sustainable crops on 15 percent of the cropped land.
* After participation in the whole farm programming within this objective, over 20 percent of the producers 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 work within the input and field history demands.
• Pasture improvement programming will insure less than 50 percent of 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 with less moisture, nutrient and crop loss to weeds or other 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

Long term objectives:
• To have 20 percent of the farmers in New Mexico that work with Extension programming to develop more consistant (crop production each year) production goals over multiple years in order to develop a more sustainable cropping plan.
• The long term objective is to improve the life style and structure of over 20 percent of the producers 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 25 percent of the small as well as 25 percent of the large and medium sized operations to fit into the economic future of the state
• To introduce one to three new technologies for ease and economics to the producer by showing how simple soil and water testing 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.

Evaluation Plan

Short term evaluation:
• use of meeting evaluations or post meeting group quiz activities to determine information gain and understanding
• after assembling the information for a system plan, use of five to ten key priorities for sustainability of operations will be used to evaluate the potential for improvement of a cropping or pasture situation including pest control options.
• by use of priority needs described by the producer or land owner, targeted areas of improvement will be decided upon and these priorities dealt with first as the producer requests. If only a pest control recommendation is requested, then this system development profile will be addressed with the client. On the other hand, if more improvement is desired, a priority list of practices to address can be devised and worked on to accomplish the goals needed by both the client and the county agent in the area.
• By use of a check list of items that other programs have developed in the sustainable, environmental and economic arenas that were also used as group programming for farm operations through the use of advisors to whole farm operations, a listing of priorities to possibly address can be derived for the producer to look at and determine if he wants additional information or help in these areas.
• Use of soil and water testing as well as soil type determination, altitude, growing season length and growing degree days expected as well as general field conditions can create a preliminary evaluation of whole operation needs and priorities for the program and to limit losses to pest problems.

Medium term evaluation:
• In order to determine if the information taken to the producer was utilized, a follow up visit by the county agent will allow a quick reevaluation of the practices implemented and continued over time on the operation and how effective these suggestions were to the operation.
• with an increase in revenue and a decrease of 10% of inputs normally wasted or misused, the program evaluation for optimizing whole farm operations can be evaluated or tailored to new needs of the producer as corrections are made and priorities change with season and demands and climate.
• This dynamic programming technique will allow a continual programming input from the county agent by tailoring his programming to that desired by the client. With time, anticipation of changes in the farm enterprise or new goals or needs by the client can create a new programming strategy and information with specialist input as needed on specific problems or pests.
• The client(s) will be able to run a self-assessment on their proposed farm operation plans and determine through the use of the whole farm planning sheets, the information they need to choose varieties, determine nutrient input, find out current soil nutrient status, predict irrigation and pest control needs while working within equipment, time and seasonal limitations.

Long term evaluation:
• Effectiveness of the programming will be evaluated by review of changes made and implemented on each farm with each producer either with both the agent and the specialist or through the county agent working with the operation.
• By revealing alternative means of operation through the use of demonstrations and information, a long term evaluation will be to see if the practices suggested are not only implemented by the producer but continuing to be part of the operation with continued improvements in management and environmental sustainability.
• Continued use of Extension information and input to the producer will show effectiveness of the program on a farm by farm basis.
• Continued offers to work with the county agent and/or specialist on demonstration and other programming will show effectiveness of the educational efforts made.
• By use of production and economic gains reported through the New Mexico Agricultural Statistical Service across crops and producer regions in the state.