New Mexico Farm*A*Syst
New Mexico Farm*A*Syst - Farmstead Assessment System, is a voluntary groundwater protection program for New Mexico farms, ranches, and rural homeowners.
(Presented by New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, Plant Sciences Department)Why Should You Be Concerned?
Groundwater is a valuable natural resource that benefits everyone. About 95 percent of the drinking water in the U.S. comes from groundwater. Maintaining a clean drinking water supply will reduce health risks to family and neighbors, as well a provide good quality nourishment for livestock and plants. Its safe use and protection is an inherent responsibility of each and every one of us. The goal of Farm*A*Syst is to help you protect the groundwater that supplies your drinking water.
Farm*A*Syst is:
Easy to Use:Fact sheets/worksheets that allow you to determine risks to groundwater on your own property.
Confidential:The results of your assessment are confidential. You choose whether to share the information with advisors or regulatory agencies.
Cost Effective:Helps to avoid costly consultant, legal, and clean-up fees.
Currently Available Online Resources
There are currently 24 PDF documents covering the entire Farm*A*Syst assessment materials. Including interactive worksheets for Chapter 2 - Improving Pesticide Storage and Handling and Chapter 13 - Pesticide Use and Integrated Pest Management now approved for:
New Mexico Private Pesticide Applicator Continuing Education Units (CEU's)
Pesticide Applicators can receive 1 CEU for Farm*A*Syst Chapter 2 and 2 CEU's for Farm*A*Syst Chapter 13 by completing an on-line or hardcopy version of these chapter worksheets. Proof of completion must be given to the local County Extension Agriculture Agent along with your name, NMDA license number(s), social security number, company name and mailing address. The Agent will complete an NMDA form for accreditation of the CEU's . IMPORTANT: Farm*A*Syst Risk Assessment is confidential. DO NOT send the completed worksheets to NMDA when requesting CEU's.
These publications are available as PDF files. These files have the benefit of printing out to look almost exactly like the original publication. To use files in PDF format, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader., which is free to download from the Adobe web site by clicking on the "Get Acrobat!" icon.
Here is a list of the online PDF files:
Fact Sheet #1: Improving Drinking Water Well Condition
Worksheet #1: Drinking Water Well Condition
Fact Sheet #2: Improving Pesticide Storage and Handling
Worksheet #2: Pesticide Storage and Handling
Fact Sheet #3: Improving Fertilizer Storage and Handling
Worksheet #3: Fertilizer Storage and Handling
Fact Sheet #4: Improving Petroleum Product Storage
Worksheet #4: Petroleum Product Storage
Fact Sheet #5: Improving Hazardous Waste Management
Worksheet #5: Hazardous Waste Management
Fact Sheet #6: Improving Household Wastewater Treatment
Worksheet #6: Household Wastewater Treatment
Fact Sheet #7: Improving Livestock Waste Storage
Worksheet #7: Livestock Waste Storage
Fact Sheet #8: Improving Livestock Yards Management
Worksheet #8: Livestock Yards Management
Fact Sheet #9: Improving Silage Storage
Worksheet #9: Silage Storage
Fact Sheet #10: Improving Milking Center Wastewater Treatment
Worksheet #10: Milking Center Wastewater Treatment
Worksheet #11: Site Evaluation
Worksheet #12: Overall Farmstead Assessment
Fact Sheet #13: Improving Pesticide Use and Integrated Pest Management
Worksheet #13: Pesticide Use and Integrated Pest Management
Pesticide Use and Integrated Pest Management (Online Version)
Currently available on this New Mexico Farm*A*Syst web site is Chapter 13, Pesticide Use and Integrated Pest Management. The worksheet for this chapter is in an interactive form designed to assist crop producers in determining the amount of groundwater protection and risk from production practices.
Instructions
First read the Chapter 13 Fact sheet (also available as a PDF file). This will provide you with the information needed to complete the assessment of your operation. Next, move to the interactive worksheet and rank your specific practices. Choose the ranking that MOST CLOSELY fits your operation. Skip over sections that do not apply to your farm. At the end of the worksheet, you will be given a total score (4 Best - 1 Low), along with a list of practices which are considered high risk. By comparing your practices to the low risk activities, you can start to develop a Plan of Action to improve specific management practices. For assistance with developing a Plan of Action, refer back to Chapter 13 Fact sheet, or contact your local county Extension Office.