It was great to read in this issue about the Chile Pepper Task Force and the work it is doing to get on top of a very real and timely problem in our state. Task forces are something I know about. More than 20 years ago, I started the Range Improvement Task Force to focus the energies of the university on public lands issues affecting the lives of New Mexico's citizens.

Universities don't have the best reputation for addressing such matters of urgency. This probably stems from the long-term nature of research and also from the fact that professors can be insulated from some of the competitive aspects of our private-sector economy.

Task forces have a way of putting faculty in touch with the urgent needs of the community. Sometimes even when important problems can be predicted, action isn't taken until the situation turns into a crisis.

The urgent and important are converging in the minds of both professors and producers when it comes to chile. Under Rich Phillips' leadership, the Chile Pepper Task Force has been very systematic in addressing the critical issues threatening the New Mexico chile industry.

No longer is there a question about whether or not we must overcome the final hurdles to mechanical harvesting. No longer can we be satisfied to conduct production practices on the basis of tradition. No longer can we expect a booming market for chile products to rescue us from our shortcomings and competition.

People think professors don't like to be disturbed by reality and, particularly, by urgent realities. They may be surprised to find that some faculty members in the Cooperative Extension Service and the Agricultural Experiment Station thrive on responding to emergencies and the real needs of real people.

NMSU's College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences has more than its share of such people, because they are the type of faculty members we seek. You will find this spirit of service and a desire to be where the action is among younger and older faculty members alike.

We have faculty who are passionate about the invasion of noxious weeds, dairy economics, nutrition for young people, the diabetes epidemic, the emotional well-being of children, ecosystem health, the survival of rural communities and a host of other issues and problems. Behind all these issues is a genuine concern for people.

The College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is best characterized as a people-oriented college made up of people-oriented faculty and staff. It shows in the way we address the needs of our students and the way we address the needs of our Extension clients.

We can be confident that we will find the solutions to the problems that face the chile industry. By so doing, we can maintain an industry that has been a way of life for farmers, processors and the citizens of our state. Task forces continue to fill a great role in our system to mobilize great minds and people from within and outside NMSU to address immediate needs of our communities.