Impacts

U.S. farmers are looking for new crops that will help diversify their farms and increase their profits. Most irrigated agricultural land in northern New Mexico is cultivated by small-scale farmers and ranchers with fewer than 20 acres. Also, northern New Mexico faced water deficit conditions especially in recent years due to climate changes. Now traditional crops are no longer economical for the farmers, thus high value, low-input plants gain their importance. More...

The demand for beef is increasing due to an increasing population and forage-based beef production is one of the most productive agricultural enterprises in the US, including the Southern High Plains of the USA (SHP), where standing forage is the main diet of beef cattle. More...

Late frosts challenge fruit production each year in central and northern New Mexico. An NMSU researcher is evaluating alternative fruit crops that can produce a reliable crop annually. Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), also called Chinese date, originated in China and has been cultivated for over 4000 years. There are scattered trees from Espanola to Albuquerque to Las Cruces in New Mexico and they all grow and produce well. But there are only 5-6 cultivars commercially available with ‘Li’ being the dominant one. Growers and consumers all demand more diversity in jujube cultivars for different purposes. More...

Growers in southern NM are worried about leaving the land uncultivated due to the non-availability of water because of its consequences on soil health. This project addresses complex intertwined issues related to crop cultivation, soil health, groundwater depletion, and scarcity of surface water for irrigation. More...

Beef cattle sickness due to diseases (such as bovine respiratory disease) costs the US beef industry more than $600 million annually in lost revenue. More...

Pasture-based cow-calf operations common throughout the Southwest are continuously searching for profitable and sustainable management options to overcome a variety of environmental challenges. More...

This study underscores the importance of making online shopping and delivery services affordable by lowering delivery fees (particularly during a crisis like COVID-19) and accessible by expanding free broadband access. Further, the findings highlight the need for targeted policies and programs for low-income, younger, minority, and households with female primary shoppers to reduce food insecurity, particularly during times of crisis. More...

Ranchers in the Southwestern US must oversee extensive areas of rangeland driving in many cases across very difficult rugged terrain and covering long distances to monitor herds, assess forage conditions, and inspect water infrastructure. This logistical constraint may limit their ability to observe animals, evaluate water sources, and assess forages frequently, hindering their capacity to respond promptly to various climate, forage, and animal stressors. More...

An NMSU researcher has received $400K from a $1 million USDA grant to develop the future workforce. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing sector of food production in the US and safe, nutritious, domestically-produced seafood is a national priority. More...

Onion stakeholders in the U.S. have identified Fusarium basal rot (FBR) as a serious disease threat to onion yield and economic sustainability. The onion industry in the US is valued at farm gate annually at $900-1,000 million. Currently, the disease reduces onion yields at harvest and during storage. Chemical and cultural control methods are ineffective as a long-term solution to controlling this disease. Host plant resistance holds the potential to control this disease and eliminate its detrimental effects on onion production. Currently, onion cultivars are limited in their resistance to this disease. More...