1. Eating Together: A Food Systems Approach to Cultivating Health and Wealth in NM Presented by Farm to Table, NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council, NM School Nutrition Association September 15, 2008

2. In a food system that works, a community is able to feed itself.

3. Farming and Ranching Packing ProcessingDistribution Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Eaters What is a food system?

4. Eaters

5. In Our Current Food System…. NM has the second highest level of food insecurity in the nation. 1 One in six NM children experience hunger on a regular basis. 2 41% of families served by food banks are working families. 3 According to a PED/DOH survey, only 1 in 6 schoolchildren ate the recommend 5 servings of fruits/vegetables per day. 21% of children had not eaten any vegetables in the last week. 4 New Mexicans suffer from high rates of diet-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Many eaters want to eat local, healthy foods but do not know where to get them. 1 USDA, Food Security in the United States, 2007 2 New Mexico Association of Food Banks, Faces of Hunger in New Mexico, 2005 3 America’s Second Harvest, Hunger in America, 2006 4 NM Department of Health, Public Education Department, and the UNM Prevention Research Center. “NM Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS): 2003 State Report of Results.” Eaters

6. In a food system that works… All New Mexicans have access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods Eaters understand where their food comes from and have relationships with the people who grow it.

7. Outlets

8. $55 $85 Rural Food Store In-Town Food Store In Our Current Food System…. The same basket of groceries that costs $55 in an urban area, costs $85 in a rural community. 1 Rural families drive as far as 70 miles one way to reach the nearest grocery store. 2 Since 1989, the price of fruits and vegetables increased 75% while the price of sweeteners decreased 33%. 3 School food service providers who want to purchase local fruits and vegetables can’t find enough supply. Many small-scale stores lack facilities necessary to sell fresh produce, meat, and dairy. Outlets 1, 2 NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council. 2006. Closing NM’s Rural Food Gap. 3 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index

9. In a food system that works… Food retailers have the skills and infrastructure to provide healthy, fresh, affordable, and local foods. Food outlets provide employment opportunities and economic development to local communities.

10. Packing ProcessingDistribution Storage

11. Only one full-service distributor has routes in rural NM. Most of our agricultural products go out of state for processing : – 91% of NM cattle—our second largest agricultural industry—is sent out of state for processing. 1 Produce, on average, travels 1,500 miles and 7 to 14 days to get to our grocery stores. 2 Wheat in a processed product travels over 5,000. In Our Current Food System…. Packing Distribution Storage Processing 1 NM Agricultural Statistics 2006 2 http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_711.cfm Choate, Mary “A Good Tomato in Winter, Where??”

12. In a food system that works… Processing, packing, storing, and distribution are done locally and/or are tailored to meet local needs. Food enterprises provide business and employment opportunities for New Mexicans.

13. Farming And Ranching

14. Agriculture is New Mexico’s 3 rd largest industry, contributing $2.5 billion to the state economy. 1 97% of NM’s agricultural products leave the state, while the state imports more than $4 billion in food products. 2 On average, farmers receive only 20% of the final food dollar. 3 Northern NM farmers earned $45 million less from farm production in 2005 than they had earned in 1969 (in 2005 dollars). 4 44% of NM farmers require off-farm income to support their families. 5 In Our Current Food System…. Farming and Ranching 1 NM Agricultural Statistics, 2006. 2 Governor’s Climate Change Advisory Group, 2006. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006. 3 USDA Economic Research Service. 4 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005. 5 USDA Agricultural Census, 2006.

15. In a food system that works… Farming and ranching provide sufficient income to support families and communities. New Mexican farmers and ranchers feed New Mexican people.

16. Building the community food system generates wealth and health.

17. How do we build the community food system? Healthy Kids, Healthy Economy Food System Infrastructure NM Collaboration to End Hunger Public Benefits Utilization Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs

18. Healthy Kids, Healthy Economy Goal: Provide the more than 200,000 nutritionally at- risk school children with healthy local foods and create new markets for NM farmers. Mechanism: Invest $4 million in state funding for schools to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, New Mexico grown when available. Successes: ‐ NM invests $ 85,000 annually in fresh produce for ABQ’s valley cluster. ‐ NM schools purchased $500,000 from NM farmers over the ‘07-‘08 school year.

19. Currently, in NM all funding for school lunches comes from federal re-imbursement. Currently, state funds allocated to other school programs can not be used to help pay for school lunches. Healthy Kids, Healthy Economy Challenges and Opportunities Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization provides an opportunity to leverage more federal funds Federal reimbursement $2.57 for each free lunch $2.17 for each reduced-price lunch minus[labor costs] minus[materials] Leaves schools with… $1.30 for all the food items needed to provide a lunch that meets federal nutrition requirements

20. Healthy Kids, Healthy Economy Production (growing food) Packing ProcessingDistribution Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Eaters Impact on NM food system: Opportunity for new, locally owned enterprises. New $4 million market for farmers. Increased capacity to provide fresh, healthy foods. Children develop lifelong healthy eating habits.

21. Food System Infrastructure Goal: Invest in packing, processing, and distribution infrastructure for local, fresh-food outlets. Mechanisms: –Invest in infrastructure for and provide technical assistance to rural and underserved urban store owners. –Improve fresh food distribution system to rural and underserved urban communities. –Expand and modernize kitchen facilities in schools, senior centers, and other institutions. –Develop alternative food outlets (e.g. buying clubs, school-based stores).

22. Food System Infrastructure Current work: –Governor’s Food Gap Task Force developing recommendations. Report by Nov. 30 th. –NM Food and Ag Policy Council Closing NM’s Food Gap reports. –Successful models in other states: Pennsylvania, New York, California, Illinois, et al.

23. Food System Infrastructure Impact on NM food system: Production (growing food) Packing ProcessingDistribution Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Eaters Access to new local and regional markets. New physical infrastructure; 60% more of the food dollar stays in NM. Improved physical and technical capacity; new profit potential. Access to affordable, fresh foods. Food system job opportunities.

24. NM Collaboration to End Hunger Goal: To improve New Mexico’s national ranking in food insecurity from #1 to #5 by positively affecting 35,000 New Mexicans over the next 3 years. Areas of work include: 1. Eliminating childhood hunger in New Mexico 2. Providing adequate food for New Mexico seniors 3. Improving access to food in rural and underserved communities 4. Encouraging full participation in public food assistance programs 5. Creating widespread awareness of hunger in New Mexico Representatives from over 40 of state agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit and philanthropic organizations have been working to develop and implement these strategies.

25. Public Food Programs Goal: Expand food budgets for low-income people. Mechanism: Work with public food programs to: –Simplify application and enrollment. –Improve coordination among state agencies that administer public food programs. –Streamline processes by working with non-profit and private contractors. –Increase outreach. –Raise minimum allocations. –Connect food programs to nutrition education. Successes: Thanks to the State for the increasing minimum allocation for seniors.

26. Public Food Programs Impact on NM food system: Production (growing food) Packing ProcessingDistribution Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Eaters Increased demand for fresh produce. Coordination among agencies increases efficiency in government- run storage and distribution. Federal dollars brought in increase purchasing power. Increased food budgets allow healthier eating. Local spending creates jobs.

27. Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs Goal: Make farm-fresh food accessible to limited income people. Mechanism: Use state and federal funding to provide market vouchers for WIC clients and seniors. Allow EBT purchases at markets. Successes: –$162,000 annual state funding for senior program. –$330,000 in annual federal funding for senior program—NM was one of only 2 states to get new funds. – Together this funding will provide more than 20,000 seniors with vouchers each year. –26,000 WIC clients receive over $300,000 in vouchers. –10 farmers’ markets currently accept EBT –Together these programs contribute $792,000 to the state’s farming economy.

28. Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs Impact on NM food system: Production (growing food) Packing ProcessingDistribution Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Eaters Increased demand for fresh produce. Scale of farmers’ markets allow entry of very small producers into commercial sales. Federal dollars brought in increase purchasing power. Increased food budgets allow healthier eating. Local spending creates jobs.

29. If consumers bought 15% of their food directly from local farmers, farm income would increase over $375 million. For every dollar that goes to local farmers, at least $1.80 is re-spent in the community. Thus, 15% in purchases from local farmers would generate $670 million per year in new community wealth. 1 1 All figures based on analysis by Ken Meter, economist for the Crossroad Resource Center. Taken from Food and Farm Economy for N. NM, 2007

30. For more information, contact: Farm to Table and The New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council 3900 Paseo del Sol Santa Fe, NM 87507 (505) 473-1004 www.farmtotablenm.org Thanks to our many partners involved in this work, including: NM Department of Agriculture NM Department of Aging and Long-Term Services NM Human Services Department Public Education Department Public Education Department, Rural Revitalization Program NMSU Cooperative Extension Service NM Farmers’ Marketing Association Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust Mid-Region Council of Governments Rocky Mountain Farmers Union La Montañita Food Cooperative NM Association of Food Banks UNM Sustainability Studies Program UNM Research Service Learning Program City of Albuquerque, Environmental Health Department McCune Foundation