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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Papen

 

DATE TYPED:

1/24/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Pink Bollworm Control

 

SB

56

 

 

ANALYST:

Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$400.0

 

 

Recurring

GF

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB 99

Relates to HB 94

Relates to Appropriation for New Mexico State University (NMSU) in the General Appropriation Act.

Responses Received From

New Mexico Department of Agriculture at NMSU

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 56 appropriates $400.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University for the NMDA to match expenditures by pink bollworms districts for the control and eradication of pink bollworms pursuant to the provisions of the state’s Pink Bollworm Act.

 

     Significant Issues

 

In its analysis of SB 56, the NMDA reports that “Pink bollworms are trapped annually in all cotton production areas of New Mexico, approximately 70,000 acres, but currently infests cotton acreage at an economic threshold in Dona Ana, Luna, Sierra, Chaves and Eddy counties, or approximately 24,000 acres of cotton.  Timely eradication of this pest in these counties may prevent economic pink bollworm populations from developing in other areas of the state.  Producers in Dona Ana, Luna and Sierra counties have voted to create a pink bollworm control district and are working in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), cotton producers in west Texas, and northern Mexico in an area wide pink bollworm eradication program.  Eradication efforts in south central New Mexico have decreased pink bollworm populations by 91% in the first year of eradication with the estimated three-year eradication cost to cotton producers at over $1,300,000.  Pink bollworm eradication programs have been successful in Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, and California.”

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $400.0 contained in this bill is a recurring cost to the general fund.  Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

The NMDA would administer the program and pass the funding through to the established pink bollworm control districts.

 

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

 

DUPLICATES HB 99

 

RELATES TO HB 94.  HB 94 appropriates funds for the control and eradication of boll weevils.

 

 OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

This request for funding was submitted to and approved by the board of regents of NMSU.  However, the Commission on Higher Education did not recommend it for funding.

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

  1. Is it possible to address the eradication of the two species of boll weevils utilizing one program instead of two programs and two requests for separate funding?
  2. Will NMDA coordinate the two programs if they are funded ?
  3. What might happen if this request is not funded ?

 

LRB/ls