Annual Priorities
The New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council develops its priorities through democratic consensus achieved by its members. Below you will find the Council’s priorities for the 2008 NM legislative session and requests for the 2008 national farm bill. We will post 2009 priorities as soon as they are developed.
Contents:
2008 NM State Legislature Priorities
- Healthy Kids/Healthy Economy: $1.44 million
“New Mexico Grown Produce for School Lunches”
Sponsors: Senator Pete Campos, SB 207,
Representative Rhonda King, HB 164
State agency affiliate: NM Department of Agriculture and NM School Nutrition Bureau.This request for $1.44 million would provide more than 217,000 school children statewide with an addition of two servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals weekly throughout the school year using New Mexico grown produce when available. This is economic development for New Mexico’s farming families and provides healthy options for children.
- Closing New Mexico’s Food Gap Initiative
Support initiatives to increase access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally significant foods in rural and underserved NM communities.
Manny Herrera Access to Healthy Foods Act: $10 million
Sponsor: Representative Brian Moore
Agencies: Department of Finance Administration, Health, Economic Development, Agriculture, Human Services, Aging and Long-term ServicesThe legislation will support the development of a Healthy Food Initiative Board that will develop recommendations and a plan to initiate or enhance food outlets and transportation systems in underserved areas - both rural and urban to increase access for New Mexicans to healthy and affordable food. Additionally, Board will develop a Trust Fund of public and private sector funds to invest in initiatives.
The expected long-term impacts of this memorial are:
- Food Related Economic Development in underserved communities
- Reduced Health Care Costs
- A Healthier New Mexico Population
A Study of Ways to Increase New Mexicans’ Access to Fresh Foods: $250,000
Sponsor: Representative Andy Nunez , HB 86
State agency: NM State UniversityWould fund needed research in support of the Manny Herrera Access to Health Foods Act and “food access” challenges in NM. It would build on initial research done to assess challenges and barriers and would help to provide substantive options to help guide the Healthy Food Initiative Board.
- NM Farmers’ Market Nutrition Enhancement Program: $250,000
Sponsors: Representative Don Tripp, HB 154
Senator Cisneros, SB 49
Agencies: NM Departments of Agriculture and HealthThis request for $250,000 will provide 8,100 low-income residents and seniors with food coupons to purchase fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables at more than 25 New Mexico farmers’ markets. This program will help low-income seniors and residents who receive commodities as well as hundreds of farmers who sell at these markets. The NM Farmers’ Marketing Association is working with a broad coalition of partners.
- Tribal Cooperative Extension: $500,000
Sponsors: Senator Lovejoy and Representative Ray Begaye, HB25
Agency: NM State UniversityTo expand the development of five Tribal Centers focusing on agriculture, health, natural resources and intercultural youth education (2007 legislature provided funding for two positions for Crownpoint ands Shiprock). Funds would provide for five Cooperative Extension agents and services focuses specifically on Tribal community needs. Five communities include: Shiprock, Crownpoint, Laguna/Acoma area, Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, and Eight Northern Pueblos to serve these and surrounds Tribal communities.
- Small Farm Institute: $100,000
Sponsor: Senator Beffort, SB 42
Agency: NM State UniversityTo expand the Small Farm Institute Program initiated with 2007 legislative funding New Mexico State University School of Agriculture.
- Food Banks buying NM Agriculture Products: $500,000
Sponsors:
Agency: NM Department of AgricultureSupport for the specific purchase of New Mexico produced fresh and processed foods to be provided to all New Mexico food bank programs including the Food for Kids backpack program.
- Support Land, Wildlife and Clean Energy Act
Sponsored by Representative Michael Sanchez and Energy and Minerals Department in 2007 session. Initially funded through Governor’s budget.
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2008 Farm Bill Priority Requests
- Expand Community Food Projects (CFP) Competitive Grant Program to $30 million
Along with organizations from around the country we are requesting the reauthorization of the USDA Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFP) in the amount of $30 million annually in mandatory funds to support community food security innovations, adding specific uses of funds to meet the urgent need to supply healthy local foods to underserved markets. Eligible funding would include grant allotments to: support procurement of locally grown products by institutions; technical assistance for retail food development in underserved areas; support metropolitan production, especially when linked to community based food services and markets; technical assistance for limited resource and socially disadvantaged applicants of CFP funds; food policy councils and food system networks; support local purchase of foods by food banks and other emergency food providers; and support an information clearinghouse on innovative solutions to common community food security challenges. Programs developed by Farm to Table and the Taos County Economic Development Corporation have benefited from this grant program. The Farm to Cafeteria program in New Mexico was established through public/private partnerships developed by farm to Table and funded in part by a CFP grant. The original $25,000 investment four years ago is now worth $500,000 to farmers annually and served more than 100,000 school children with fresh New Mexico grown produce.
- Pursue policy changes to allow for geographic preferences and increased flexibility for school and institutional procurement of local and regional foods
While many schools and states are implementing farm to school programs, USDA has taken the stance that specifying local product during the procurement process is not allowed. This conflicts with federal legislation specifically allowing the implementation of farm to school programs. USDA’s position had dissuaded many school districts from implementing legally permissible contracting processes that would facilitate farm to school food purchasing. Pursuing no-cost policy changes to allow for geographic preferences and increased flexibility for school and institutional procurement of local and regional foods will clarify the intent of Congress by directing USDA to remove this policy barrier.
- Invest $45 million in infrastructure that would enable local and regional producers to supply products to underserved and institutional markets
Farmers growing for local markets face significant barriers in getting products to market, including a lack of processing plants, warehouses, brokers, and affordable transportation options. Minority and low-income farmers are especially challenged, given the barriers they often face in utilizing USDA services. This fund provides government support for revitalization of local and regional food system infrastructure that as decreased in the past decade.
- Expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
This program provides an excellent vehicle for nutrition education and promoting healthy eating habits. Community Food Security Coalition supports program participants purchasing from local and regional producers whenever possible. Twenty-five schools in New Mexico now benefit from this program in both rural and urban areas.
- Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
Our Southwest states (NM, AZ, CO, and UT) have requested funds for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program in past years and have been declined. At the current funding of $15 million there is no room for additional states or tribal communities to apply. Fortunately, we have two New Mexico tribal communities who received initial funding of which as cut back this year. Additionally, none of our neighboring states have the program either, yet are very interested in applying for it (AZ, NM, and UT). We have 72 farmers’ markets in Colorado. Cumulatively we have more than 200 in these Southwestern states. We are united in our efforts to see these programs receives adequate funding so that we can provide them to our communities. We are requesting $25 million for the Senior FMNP so that New Mexico and our Southwestern states have an opportunity to provide this program to our seniors and farmers.
- Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
This provides more than half a million dollars to each state for programs that specifically assist farmers, ranchers and agriculture organizations in marketing and economic development of agricultural products. This program has helped with farmers’ market development, food processing facilities, refrigeration and packing facilities, community gardens, herb production, marketing tools, and more… We hope for your support of $44.5 million for a Specialty Crop Block Grant program and $2 million in discretionary funds for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program (in addition to $2 million in annual mandatory spending for TASC provided by the 2002 Farm Bill). These programs are of vital importance to U.S. specialty crop growers who do not receive any other government support.
- Farmers Market Promotion Program
Farmers’ market development has been a critical component to developing long-term marketing opportunities for family farms, ranches and individual food processors here in New Mexico. In 2005 more than 1,000 farmers, ranchers and food processors benefited from 45 farmers’ Market in New Mexico grossing more than $3 million in important sales. Our farmers’ markets and communities request your support of the newly funded Farmers Market Promotion Program. The New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association is a recent recipient of this grant that is helping to establish EBT-food stamp systems at six farmers’ markets and is assisting in the development of Tribal community farmers’ markets.