New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 21 - AGRICULTURE AND RANCHING
Chapter 17 - PEST, DISEASE, AND WEED CONTROL
Part 31 - PINK BOLLWORM PERMANENT PLOWDOWN
Section 21.17.31.8 - PINK BOLLWORM PERMANENT PLOWDOWN

A. In order to reduce the overwintering population of pink bollworm in New Mexico, the director designates February 1 of every year as a permanent date for completion of plowdown of all cotton plants in New Mexico.

B. The director may, on written request by a farm owner and/or operator, grant an extension of the cotton plowdown date. The director may also, on written request by a farm owner and/or operator, authorize an alternative to the method of mechanical destruction of cotton prescribed by the rule.

C. The director may exclude a county or may authorize an alternative method of cotton destruction prescribed by the rule for a county designated by the USDA, natural resources conservation service (NRCS) where the resulting soil erosion rates would be in conflict with the mandated soil erosion requirements as specified by NRCS.

D. All requests for extensions on initially undestroyed cotton or for approval of an alternative method of cotton destruction must be postmarked on or prior to the plowdown date.

E. The cotton producers from a county or cotton producing area not infested or threatened by the pink bollworm may petition the director to be excluded from the plowdown. All petitions to be excluded must be received 30 days prior to the plowdown date.