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New Mexico State University

Special Initiatives

irrigation of cotton

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is aggressively involved in finding solutions to current problems in New Mexico. Many of our research and community educational programs are guided by community advisory groups, which help focus our efforts on improving the economic and environmental conditions and personal quality of life in our communities. The task forces and special initiatives listed below are just a few examples.

Aggies Go Global

Aggies Go Global promotes international learning experiences through a partnership with ACES, NMSU's International Relations Institute (IRI), in cooperation with the Office of Study Abroad and Cooperative Educational Services.

Peace Corps Fellows/USA and Master's International Programs

Peace Corps service is a life-defining leadership experience. Since 1961, the Peace Corps has shared with the world America's most precious resource - its people. There are two collaborative Peace Corps programs at NMSU, the Fellows/USA program and the Master's International program.

  • Peace Corps Fellows/USA is a graduate fellowship program that offers financial assistance to returned Peace Corps Volunteers. NMSU Fellows complete internships in underserved communities and research projects, allowing them to bring home, and expand upon, the skills they learned as Volunteers. Since the inception of Fellows/USA, more than 3,000 returned Volunteers have participated in the program and made a difference across the country.
  • Master's International (MI) has made available the unique opportunity of integrating a master's degree with overseas service in a variety of fields at over 60 academic institutions nationwide. Prospective student must apply to the NMSU graduate school of choice first, and when accepted, submit your application to the Peace Corps. After completing your initial course work and receiving your Peace Corps placement, MI students travel to respective site and begin given an assignment according to the needs and requests of the host country. While overseas, your primary responsibility is the project and community to which you have been assigned. Your academic requirement will grow out of your Volunteer work. Upon completion of the 27 month Peace Corps requirement, MI students return to the university to complete academic requirements necessary for graduation.
Chile Pepper Institute

The Chile Pepper Institute is an international nonprofit organization devoted to education, research, and archiving information related to Capsicum. The Institute collaborates with the New Mexico State University Chile Breeding and Genetics Program to preserve chile germplasm, of both cultivated and wild species, advance the studies of chile pepper diseases, and seeks to be the authoritative source of all types of information regarding Capsicum. The Chile Pepper Institure:

  • Supports continuing education through ever-expanding informational resources
  • Disseminates the latest research on new Capsicum cultivars and disease prevention
  • Publishes the "Chile Pepper Institute Newsletter"
  • Provides an international information clearinghouse and an archive of Capsicum publications
  • Preserves Capsicum wild species and cultivated land races
  • Provides an annual walk-through Teaching and Demonstration Garden
  • Implements the annual New Mexico Chile Conference
  • Maintains an online website containing sales items, resources, and links

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The NM EDGE

Education Designed to Generate Excellence in the Public Sector:

  • Certified Public Official program requires 18 classes, at least 12 of which are chosen from a selected list of CPM-approved courses.
  • Certified Public Supervisor program requires completion of 28 CPM-approved classes.
  • Certified Public Manager program requires 56 CPM-approved classes plus a supervised project. This certification is nationally recognized and registered.

The NM EDGE also works with affiliates of the New Mexico Association of Counties to develop programs meeting affiliate-specific needs through its County College Program.

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NMSU Sustainability and Climate Change Task Force

On April 17, 2007 New Mexico State University President Michael Martin signed an agreement making NMSU a member of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The purpose of the commitment is twofold. First, the signatories agree to make their universities positive examples within their respective communities by enacting policies that encourage climate neutrality, sustainability, and energy conservation on campus. Second, the signatory institutions are charged with the task of educating the next generation of citizens, scientists, and community leaders to be sensitive to the issues of climate change and sustainability and to provide them the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve climate neutrality.

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New Mexico Chile Association/Chile Task Force

New Mexico Chile Association (Formerly the Chile Task Force) is an organization composed of processors and farmers that are fighting to ensure that the chile industry remains and prospers in New Mexico.

Formed in 2006, the New Mexico Chile Association (NMCA) has accepted the role of what was formerly the New Mexico State University Chile Task Force. Although the NMCA is now an independent, non-profit organization, the organization continues to work very closely with NMSU and considers the relationship with NMSU key to our success.

The industry is currently facing a number of challenges and is in danger of being lost. Research and development initiatives currently underway are those that have been identified by the industry as critical to it's survival; Mechanization for harvesting, de-stemming, yield improvement, breeding, disease resistance, and food safety.

Contact:
Jaye Hawkins: jayeh@nmsu.edu

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Invasive Weeds Special Initiative

This multidisciplinary research/Extension project promotes and evaluates low-cost, community-based approaches to managing invasive plants. The research is designed to answer economic and social questions pertinent to developing collaborative stewardship for weed management. Results will help us develop and expand Extension programs that are specifically tailored to constituencies, policy contexts and invasive plant threats affecting rangelands and forests in the Southwest.

Contact: Dr. Ronnie Byford, rbyford@nmsu.edu

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Range Improvement Task Force

The Range Improvement Task Force is an interdisciplinary team of range ecologists, wildlife experts, agricultural economists and cattle specialists that provides information for use in resolving environmental conflicts. The task force provides sound, scientific information that helps ranchers, land managers and policy makers make decisions about public land use.

Contact: John Fowler, Coordinator/Range Improvement Task Force, jofowler@nmsu.edu

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Water Task Force

Water is one of the most urgent issues facing New Mexico. Complex problems of supply and demand, ownership and water quality are intrinsically inter-related. As a natural resource and basic element of our environment, decisions affecting water quality and quantity should be based on proven scientific understanding. The College of Agriculture and Home Economics (CAHE) Water Task Force works to provide scientific knowledge of water's physical, biological, chemical, and social relationships and their impacts on New Mexico's most valued treasure.

The Water Task Force is positioned to bring science-based, decision-making and leadership skills to the water dialogue. The Water Task Force contributes unbiased expertise to guide, interpret and implement needed New Mexico water research studies. To help meet the challenge of water problems facing New Mexico, CAHE Water Task Force works with stakeholders to formulate ideas, information, and technologies that may serve as solutions. The Task Force is comprised of NMSU faculty who devote time and knowledge to specific activities. CAHE has identified as many as 75 professionals with expertise in a variety of water topics.

Contact: Craig Runyan, Extension water quality specialist, crunyan@nmsu.edu

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New Mexico Agricultural Mediation Program

The New Mexico Agricultural Mediation Program is certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is administered by the Cooperative Extension Service at NMSU. The Program provides mediation on agricultural issues including: wetlands determinations; compliance with farm programs; conservation programs; agricultural credit; rural water loan programs; grazing on Forest Service lands; pesticides, and such other issues as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture considers appropriate.

The mediation process focuses on the problem not the people or their positions. Mediation provides a neutral, confidential setting with a trained facilitator to enable parties to work out a solution that meets the interests of both sides.

Contact: Patrick Sullivan, pasulliv@nmsu.edu

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Kids, Kows and More

Kids, Kows and More is designed to bring the farm to the city by teaching young people to appreciate agriculture and understand where their food comes from. The program, which began in El Paso, Texas, in 1990, has expand across New Mexico with support from Texas A & M and Southwest Dairy Farmers, who helped get the original program started in El Paso.

Contact: Alfred Gonzales, ap-gonzales@tamu.edu, (915) 872-8791

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New Mexico Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Program

The purpose of the NMCCA program is to certify that individuals working in agronomy and advising others on agronomic principles, have a professional level of expertise. The NMCCA program also provides up-to-date information that affects New Mexico growers. With the diversity of crops grown in New Mexico, the NMCCA program will help provide a broad diversity of cropping information to you through both active programs around the state and through accredited programming on the Internet.

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New Mexico Homeland Security

New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service is your local partner in stressful times and can help you in your crisis response.

Extension is our statewide informal, educational system with offices located in every county.

If your crisis involves preparedness, security, procedural steps, regulations, contact information, official protocols, or tips for local citizens, Extension has the technology network, personnel assistance, and financial resources to help you respond quickly.

For more information call 575-646-7403

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