Don't close ag college

EDITOR:

The Nevada State Conservation Commission met on March 25 to discuss the Board of Regents' proposed plan to meet an $11 million budget reduction by eliminating the Departments of Resources Economics and Animal Biotechnology, and closing the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources as well as the UNR Main Station Farm. The commission strongly opposes the proposed closures and believes these actions were not the intention of the Morrill Act of 1862 in establishing Land Grant Colleges.

The SCC consists of seven members appointed by the governor, and two ex-officio members including the director of the State Department of Agriculture and the dean of the College of Agriculture of the University of Nevada, Reno, per NRS 548.120. The SCC is charged with promoting the conservation and proper use of the state's natural resources through the organization and operation of Nevada's 28 conservation districts. NRS 548.095 also acknowledges that the state is being affected by changes in land use from agricultural to non-agricultural uses which places increasing demands on farm and ranch operations. The loss of the university presence on the commission will eliminate the close educational component provided to the 28 conservation districts and the 220 board supervisors and employees who promote the education and use of sound scientific practices. As an example, Nevada's conservation districts have cooperated with the college to fight noxious weeds, restore lands impacted by wildfires, and enhancing agricultural sustainability.

Closure of the college of agriculture will also reduce economic viability by discouraging students to pursue agriculture and natural resources as a career. We cannot afford to lose our ability to produce local agricultural products as this is important economically to the state. Agriculture is the third largest industry in the state (after gaming and mining), and the agricultural industry contributes over $2 billion annually to Nevada's economy.

In addition, the closure of the college will result in the potential loss of grants and endowments to the university. This fiscal year, as of Feb. 28, $7,800,329 has been received and utilized throughout the college. In 2009, $8,878,245 was received. Losing this funding will be a significant loss to the university.

The college is important in the university system. It teaches skills and provides research and information that can be applied in the real world to produce food and fiber and to manage our natural resources. The State Conservation Commission asks you to keep the college open and to continue in the university's past history of excellence in teaching important subjects like agriculture, biotechnology and natural resource science to benefit all Nevadans.

Joe Sicking

Chairman

Nevada State Conservation Commission