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

SPONSOR Begaye

DATE TYPED 2/01/05

HB 13

SHORT TITLE NMSU Farmington Enhancement Initiative

SB

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$385.0

Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for New Mexico State University in the General Appropriations Act.

Relates to HB417

Relates to SB294

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

New Mexico State University (NMSU) – College of Agriculture and Home Economics (CAHE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 13 – Making an Appropriation to Implement the Enhancement Initiative at the New Mex-

ico State University Agriculture Science Center in Farmington – appropriates $385,000 from the

general fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University for expenditure in FY06 to

implement an enhancement initiative at the Agricultural Science Center in Farmington that will em-

ploy a horticulturist and technical support staff to increase the teaching and research capacity of the

center and to undertake a comprehensive feasibility study for infrastructural repairs and upgrades.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the general

fund.

House Bill 13 -- Page 2

Significant Issues

NMSU-CAHE indicates that originally – from it’s inception in 1966 through 1992 – the Agricul-

tural Science Center in Farmington was afforded a staff a horticulturalist to conduct on-station re-

search with respect to a vast range of crops. However, this position has remained vacant since

1992. HB13 seeks to fund one faculty horticulturalist, three technical support staff, one office

support staff, and related program development and operational expenses. The horticulturalist

will have a 100 percent appointment with NMSU, but duties will be split between 75 percent re-

search at the Agricultural Science Center and 25 percent contract teaching at San Juan College in

Farmington. CHE indicates that request was not in the list of priority projects submitted by

NMSU to CHE for review. Accordingly, this request was not included in CHE’s funding rec-

ommendation for FY06.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $385,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

NMSU would retain oversight of the program and the horticulturalist and support positions will

be administered through the NMSU Agricultural Science Center in Farmington as stipulated by

the policies and procedures of NMSU.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to the appropriation for NMSU in the General Appropriations Act.

Relates to HB417 and SB294 in that both bills seek to appropriate $25,000 from the general fund

for expenditure in FY06 to the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University for develop-

ment of a feasibility study and strategic plan, including infrastructure requirements for the Agri-

cultural Science Center at New Mexico State University's Farmington campus.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

NMSU-CAHE indicates the Agricultural Science Center at Farmington supports crop improve-

ment, weed control, and water/irrigation management research interests and serves the agricul-

tural needs of the culturally diverse client groups found in the San Juan River basin of northwest

New Mexico and the Four Corners region. Located southwest of Farmington, the center is the

only agricultural research facility in the state of New Mexico on the western side of the Conti-

nental Divide. NMSU-CAHE additionally notes that, for nearly forty years, scientists from the

Farmington center have successfully sought to enhance the economic vitality of the Four Corners

region through applied research, development, and extension. Collectively, their impacts include:

•

More than 1,000 varieties of different agronomic and horticultural crops have been tested,

including: winter wheat, spring wheat, winter barley, spring barley, oats, corn, alfalfa,

crambe, dry beans, potatoes, chile pepper, lettuce, tomato, green bean, onion, apple, pear,

peach, nectarine, cherry, grape, cucumber, pea, pumpkin, and winter and summer squash.

House Bill 13 -- Page 3

Other research has tested potential pasture species, poplar trees, Christmas trees, and such

turf grass species as blue grass, rye grass, wheat grass, fescue, buffalo grass, blue grama,

Bermuda grass, and zoysia grass for suitability in the Four Corners region.

•

Researchers developed water production functions (relationships between yield and crop

water-use) and crop coefficients (for irrigation scheduling) for many crops including: po-

tatoes, corn, alfalfa, winter wheat, barley, pinto beans, canola, pasture grass, onions, chile

peppers, tomatoes, and various turfgrass species. These functions can be used to assist in

efficient irrigation management and in making important economic decisions related to

water and crop production.

•

Current research on micro and drip irrigation may contribute to substantial water savings

for residents of the Four Corners region.

•

Since 1980, many producers of field and horticultural crops have adopted herbicides for

weed control based on our research. This includes control of Canada thistle and Russian

knapweed, commonly referred to as the weed of the Four Corners.

•

Registration of the herbicide Pursuit, for use in pinto beans, was based on research car-

ried out at the Agricultural Science Center at Farmington.

•

Results of research on the rehabilitation of disturbed lands with native and non-native

grasses could potentially improve more than 50,000 acres of well sites and pipeline

rights-of-way in the San Juan oil/gas production basin.

•

Agricultural Science Center staff have designed and taught courses at San Juan College

and the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI). Training seminars, agricultural

classes, on-farm demonstrations, and workshops have been presented to thousands of

farmers and others responsible for agricultural and horticultural production on urban lots

and farms ranging in size from several acres to more than 65,000 acres.

•

Between 1970 and 2000, San Juan County yields of potatoes, corn, wheat, and alfalfa

have increased 350 percent, 170 percent, 139 percent, and 69 percent, respectively. Much

of the increased productivity can be traced to practices derived from research at the Agri-

cultural Science Center at Farmington. The value of just these four crops in San Juan

County was more than $33 million in 2000.

Drawn from the fact that some 60 percent of the total surface water that flows downstream

through New Mexico passes through the San Juan basin into the Colorado River system, NMSU-

CAHE reflects that water resources research remains a cornerstone of the center’s activities.

Working closely with the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, other small-scale Native

American farmers, long-time area farmers, and recently arrived urban immigrants, the center has

identified horticultural research and development as the agricultural discipline of most benefit to

these groups. Further, NMSU-CAHE anticipates that a collaborative program between the center

and San Juan College will provide a mechanism for addressing both the teaching and the re-

search needs of the community.

BFW/sb