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

SPONSOR Madalena

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1-26-2006

HB HB102

SHORT TITLE New Mexico Tribal Cooperative Extension Centers SB

ANALYST Dearing

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$1,000.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

Indian Affairs Division (IAD)

Department of Health (DOH)

Public Education Department (PED)

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 102 appropriates $1,000,000 for expenditure in Fiscal year 2007, to the New Mexico

State University Board of Regents for the cooperative extension service for start-up costs of eight

proposed tribal cooperative extension centers to provide a base for intercultural youth programs,

health-based programs and natural resource and agricultural information services that are cur-

rently not available in the targeted New Mexico tribal communities.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $1,000,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund.

According to Indian Affairs Division, total start up cost to develop the eight centers is estimated

House Bill 102 – Page

2

at $3.0 million. This appropriation of $1.0 million will be used towards these “start-up” costs.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation has given a $150,000 grant towards this project. Tribal entities have

also committed in-kind contributions.

This initiative started two years ago.

This program funding is listed among New Mexico State University Board of Regents’ legisla-

tive priorities for the 2007 fiscal year, although at the $250,000 level.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The New Mexico Tribal Cooperative Extension Program, under the auspices of the New Mexico

State University, was created for the express purpose of developing community-based education

programs, conducting research, sponsoring demonstrations at rural farm locations, and providing

technical assistance to tribal communities and schools. The Tribal Extension mission is to coor-

dinate existing Cooperative Extension services and to develop new programs and research efforts

that are designed by tribal advisory committees to better serve the Indian tribes in New Mexico.

Because of limited federal funding and resources, most of these communities have had limited

access to Cooperative Extension Service. This is particularly true of people who have relied on

farming as their primary way of life. It is therefore, very critical that every effort be made to ex-

tend NMSU Cooperative Extension educational programs and other services including those of-

fered by the 1994 Land Grant Tribal Colleges to local tribal farmers and ranchers.

Grassroots efforts can be particularly effective in developing tribal agriculture, natural resources

and assisting families through outreach education, and the need to assure outreach that is cultur-

ally, economically, and socially relevant to the unique tribal communities.

A task force, “New Mexico Tribal Extension Task Force” was formed in 2004 to develop tribal

cooperative extension centers. The task force is a diverse group of all 22 New Mexico Tribes and

Pueblos, New Mexico State University, three N.M. 1994 Tribal College land grant institutions,

Commission on Indian Affairs, Indian Affairs Department, Farm to Table, the NM Food and Ag-

riculture Policy Council, Santa Fe Indian School, the School for the Deaf, USDA Risk Manage-

ment Education Program, and the USDA Farm Service Agency.

This task force addresses the development of community-based education programs to:

•

revitalize indigenous agriculture (including agriculture related business and economic

skills to help farmers and ranchers market their products to schools, farmers’ markets,

events, restaurants and other retail outlets):

Native American retain about 7.8 million acres of Indian Trust Lands or

reservations comprising about 10% of New Mexico. New Mexico’s Na-

tive Americans still primarily occupy their original homelands, which has

helped them retain traditional knowledge and evolve unique languages.

•

provide economic opportunities

House Bill 102 – Page

3

Native Americans children are twice as likely to be in poverty as all U.S.

races. The median household income of Native Americans is 70 percent

that of all US races

.

•

improve the health and nutrition of individuals, families and communities (including

health education of healthy food choices, food preparation, diabetes, health and nutrition

resources for all families including senior citizen centers)

The biggest killers for Native Americans are alcoholism, diabetes, and

suicide. Type II diabetes is a particular problem among Native American

youth.

•

Implement culturally appropriate youth leadership projects and promote tradition, culture

and indigenous language projects:

The Indian Health Service recently reported that there are more than 800

Native American gangs nationwide in reservation and urban communities.

This incidence is attributed to the deterioration of traditional values and

lack of cultural integration and connection to the land among youth and

young adults. The incidence of substance abuse and related mental health

problems is highest among the Native American population of Northwest

New Mexico (DOH, Epidemiology and Response Division, 2003). Pro-

grams that target Native American Youth development and health are

critical to helping address public health concerns for this population.

School dropout rates are highest for Native American students compared

to all other populations. High school dropout rates average 50 percent and

college dropout rates approach 65 percent. Among Native American col-

lege freshmen, the average dropout rate is 79 percent in New Mexico.

Tribal Cooperative Extension programs are designed to reverse the negative patterns of cultural

disintegration by revitalizing traditional indigenous agricultural, family, and natural resource res-

toration practices. The traditional Native culture serves as a foundation for strengthening com-

munity, creativity, and pride. In many traditional Indian cultures, agriculture serves as an every-

day expression of cultural identity and a mechanism for continuing traditions and sustaining

tribal community. Extension programs will be designed to promote the development of strong

self-assured youth through leadership experiences, training, creative self-expression, and com-

munity service.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Major Goals and Objectives:

The goal of the New Mexico Cooperative Tribal Extension Program initiative is to plan

for the establishment of 8 regional Tribal Extension Centers in New Mexico. Once established,

these Centers will make available to all 22 Tribal communities Cooperative Extension programs

and services. The goals of the program are as follows:

•

To initiate the New Mexico Tribal Cooperative Extension Programs.

House Bill 102 – Page

4

•

To strengthen the relationship with the federal and state Cooperative Extension Service

units, the 22 Indian tribes in New Mexico, and other Indian and non-Indian organizations.

•

To produce a five-year NM Tribal Cooperative Extension strategic plan of work that pri-

oritizes community based initiatives.

•

To establish Tribal Cooperative Extension centers on tribal reservations and schools in

New Mexico.

•

To develop and implement the four major Cooperative Extension program areas of (1)

Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, (2) 4-H Youth and Youth Leadership

development, (3) Community Resource, Economic Development, and Leadership Devel-

opment, and (4) Strengthening Family, Health, Nutrition and Resource Management in

tribal communities.

•

To develop a funding mechanism that will guarantee continued support from federal,

state, and tribal funds using a matching formula system.

•

To develop and implement a Native American Cooperative Extension Education and

Training Program that offers college level credit courses in selected areas.

A formal evaluation will be conducted at the end-of-the-project year to assess the success of the

Cooperative Tribal Extension Program. The evaluation model will involve both formative and

summative activities. The formative evaluation activity will include documenting monthly meet-

ings of the Tribal Cooperative Extension Steering Committee and Task Force to review progress

and accomplishments. The summative evaluation activity will include an end-of-the-year as-

sessment of the program. Evaluation and participant feedback forms will be used to develop a

summative progress report.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The fully funded Tribal Extension Initiative calls for the addition of 35 to 40 FTE, Extension

faculty and staff at a total investment of $3.05 million. This request of $1,000,000 will support 4

to 6 FTE. Native American professionals will be hired into these positions. Tribal Extension

staff, agents, and local volunteers will help to implement educational and community-based pro-

grams. NMSU’s Tribal Extension agents will be linked with subject matter specialists in the

field and on campus to teach sound educational programs and serve as resources for local com-

munities.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The basic mission of the tribal Cooperative Extension Service will remain the same--to work

with grassroots people to improve their lives and communities. Developing partnerships with

local community groups, local governments, federal agencies, and the land grant universities and

tribal colleges will be an essential element of the Tribal Cooperative Extension Service. Exten-

sion Programs will reach the whole range of people that provide benefits to infants, youth, adults,

and the elderly. The broad categories of Extension Program areas also allow staff to provide a

House Bill 102 – Page

5

very wide range of services. Some of the services provided include programs in tourism, diabe-

tes prevention, cultural and language preservation, programs for at-risk youth through 4-H clubs,

farming and range management, economic development, and teaching the life skills in home im-

provement, community gardening, money management and home economics.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, this bill may indirectly

benefit the Forestry Division’s pest management program with CES. The Division’s program

tracks activities that assess, detect, prevent and suppress pest infestations and disease conditions

on state and private forestlands in New Mexico. Providing technical expertise to tribal communi-

ties would enhance the program effectiveness.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The five extension Indian reservation programs at the College of Agriculture and Home

Economics at NMSU will continue to provide services to tribal communities with no additional

resources.

The companion grant from W.W. Kellogg Foundation for $150,000 for start up costs of these

centers might expire and would have to be leveraged again in the future.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Where are the eight centers to be located within the State.

PD/nt