Sponsors: La Union Soil & Water Conservation District, New Mexico State University, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Bureau of Reclamation, Jornada Resource & Development Council, Elephant Butte Irrigation District, and the NM Dept. of Agriculture

Project Participants: ten growers in the mesilla valley which represent about 10% of the farmed land

Funding/Support: US-BoR, NMSU facilities/researchers, Joronada RC & D Council, USDA-NRCS Las Cruces, NM Field Office, EBID & Project participants

(1) Aerial near-infrared photography: flights taken every Monday morning during the growing season

(2) Scan photos into digital format: images are enhanced by ERDAS Imagine software into normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)

(3) Geographic Information System (GIS): GIS analysis quantifies areas of interest and inserts latitude and longitude coordinates

(4) Project Internet Website: growers can down load near real time GIS analysis information usually within 24 hours of the actual field conditions

(5) Global Positioning System (GPS): using a GPS receiver, growers locate suspected problem areas

(6) Ground Truthing: growers and specialists conduct field observation and investigation (i.e., collect soil, leaf/petiole, & water samples for analysis; pest scouting, decease and weed identification, etc.)

(7) GIS data integration analysis: GIS specialist integrates all pertinent data (e.g., soil/water/plant lab analysis, water metering, irrigation scheduling, pest scouting, weed & decease identification, cultural practices, weather, NDVI, etc.) with GIS software and creates spatial information products (e.g., field stress maps) referred to as scientific visualization. GIS uses graphic and statistic capabilities to further analyze the data.

(8) GIS decision support system: analysis and interpretation of data (i.e., remote sensing (NDVI), weather satellite imagery, field conditions, & other pertinent data bases such as digitized soils map) are used as a diagnostic approach to problem solving. This can be accomplished by understanding patterns, trends, correlations, and comparisons of actual field conditions as they relate to soil type variability, cultural practices, inputs, weather, crop variety, etc. Thus, a comprehensive and holistic method is used in implementing precision farming.

(9) Project Internet Website: growers, with their individual password, can down load site-specific (confidential) GIS spatial information products to enhance their decision making based on sound scientific principles.

(10) Best Management Practices (BMPs): because growers are well-informed in their decision making, they can prioritize which BMPs to implement (e.g., laser leveling, hi-flo structure, irrigation scheduling, concrete lined ditch, pipeline, nutrient management (fertilizer selection, timing, rate, placement), pest scouting, weed mgmt., etc.). Their decisions are solidly based on the cost/benefit analysis of the proposed BMPs.

(11) Monitoring progress: by repeating the above process the growers can evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of their BMPs (i.e., thru quantifiable & well-documented results) and further fine-tune their farm management practices. This process allows the farmer to make economically profitable, environmentally sound, and institutionally acceptable decisions.

Project Emphasis Items

The Project is a locally-led (i.e., by the La Union SWCD) conservation effort; it is a grower driven and voluntary. A primary goal is to empower the farmer.

A major objective is to increase economic profitability, lower input requirements, increase yield & quality; also, make project applicable to small & big farms and develop win-win solutions that are practical & applied.

A diagnostic problem solving approach will be implemented: problem identification, cause and effect, corrective action and prevention and maintenance application of the Holistic Irrigation Technology (HIT) Program. Addressing agronomic/scientific fundamentals will be our guiding principle.

By using GIS data integration & analysis, the development of spatial information products (to be used as a decision support system) will be available to the farmers through our interactive Website. A computer farm management system (i.e., for record keeping) will be used to monitor progress and success of BMPs.

Application of current & developing state-of-the-art technologies will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the producers ability manage their operations.

1998 Results

Note: Technical Questions may possibly be quickly answered by contacting USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Conservationists:

Holistic Irrigation Technology (HIT) Rudy Garcia, Soil Conservationist (Water Quality),  rgarcia@nm.nrcs.usda.gov or call: (505) 522-8775, ext. 116

Remote Sensing & GIS Technology Dave Christenson, Soil Conservationist (Remote Sensing), dchriste@nm.nrcs.usda.gov or call: (505) 522-8775, ext. 115

Send mail to LaUnion@zianet.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1999 Regional Precision Farming Pilot Project
Last modified: June 22, 2000