2020 Priorities Fact Sheet

Thank you to New Mexico First for helping put together our discussions/ideas into this document

Anti-Hunger Initiatives Moving Foward in 2020 Legislative Session

The 2020 Session of the New Mexico State Legislature is almost halfway over. Like most 30-day sessions, legislation is moving through committees very quickly. For those of us involved in anti-hunger efforts, this session has brought many encouraging developments.  Without going much into detail, I would like to highlight a number of bills and one memorial that have moved forward in just two weeks.

Coalition Celebrates Passage of HM6 and HB75

A Shared Effort
A broad coalition of organizations and foundations, brought together by Rep. Melanie Stansbury, has looked at short-term goals and also considered the long-term vision, which is to create omnibus legislation (similar to the federal farm bill) that makes connections among the different factors that address hunger. That proposal is something that we will promote fully in the 2021 session.

HB253: A Good Precedent
An important bipartisan omnibus bill co-sponsored by three Republicans (Rep. Rebecca Dow, Rep. Gail Armstrong and Rep. Kelly Fajardo) and two Democrats (Rep. Stansbury and Rep. Candy Sweetser) was introduced in the current legislative session.

The initiative, House Bill 253 and a companion measure proposed by Sen. Pete Campos (Senate Bill 177), supports a broad range of agricultural programs via an allocation to New Mexico State University. While the measure is not as broad as the one we envision for 2021, this bill brings together many related elements into one legislative initiative.

 "New Mexico First, the NM Food & Agriculture Policy Council, and a coalition of organizations and agencies worked diligently over a weeks time to create a budget comprised of a dozen agriculture related programs that will benefit farmers, ranchers and consumers," the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council said in relation to HB253.

See Full Document

Priorities for 2020 Session
The effort to address hunger in New Mexico in a coordinated manner was the result of weeks and months of consultation by various is initiative was the result of joint efforts by members of our coalition. To prepare for the 2020 legislative session, we put together a document listing three areas of work during the 2020 session. Because of the short nature of the session, our important bills had to be pre-filed.

At the top of our list were House Memorial 6 and House Bill 75.  The two measures are actually related to the first priority, which was to ensure that we obtained data-informed decision-making to guide our plans to address hunger in New Mexico. HM6 asks the Secretary of Human Services convene a task force to assess data and recommend was to remove barriers to food acces.  HB75 appropriates the funds for the Human Services Department to conduct the task specified in HB6.

On Jan. 31, the Health and Human Services Committee approved HM6 and HB75 on a Do Pass basis, which is an affirmative recommendation to move the measure to the next committee or to the floor of the full House.

Supporting Local Food Systems, Low-Income Families
The second set of priorities proposed funding for different programs that would enhance our local food systems and promote resiliency in local agriculture. The New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association and others offered recommendations on this set of proposals.

The third set of priorities proposed funding for measures that would increase the monthly food budget for low-income families in our state. New Mexico Voices for Children, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and New Mexico Appleseed offered recommendations in this area.

Sen. Nancy Rodriguez poses with coalition members

Gleaning Unharvested Produce
There was also some activity in the Senate. Senate Memorial 3, which was supported by the NFAPC and the New Mexico Assocation of Food Banks. requested that the Department of Agriculture covene a working group to develop recommendations  on gleaning unharvested farm produce as another means to address food insecurity in New Mexico.

SM3, which was proposed by Senator Nancy Rodriguez, was approved by the Senate Rules Committee on Jan. 31.  

Design Adapted by Brenda Sinfield

Hunger Caucus a Reality
The Interfaith Hunger Coalition first proposed the idea of a Legislative Hunger Caucus at the End Hunger Summit  in 2017.  Former Rep. Sarah Maestas Barnes and three other legislators (including Rep. Joanne Ferrary) introduced a Memorial in 2018 that proposed a hunger council comprised of legislators and community organizations. A Memorial in 2019, proposed a separate Legislative Hunger Caucus and reaffirmed the existence of the Hunger Council.

Which brings us to the 2020, session, when the Hunger Council is finally becoming a reality.  Several legislators, mostly members of the House, attended the first meeting of the Hunger Caucus on Friday, January 31.  The meeting was convened by Rep. Ferrary and Rep. Melanie Stansbury.

Rep. Phelps Anderson, Rep. Daniel Barrone,  Rep. Karen Bash, Rep. Natalie Figueroa and Sen. Bill Tallman were the other legislators who attended the meeting.

Other legislators who expressed support for the caucus but were unable to attend because of scheduling conflicts included Rep. Rebecca Dow, Rep. Gail Armstrong, Rep. Debbie Armstrong, Rep. Liz Thomson, among others. Sen. Michael Padilla, Sen Liz Stefanics, Sen. Pete Campos and Sen. Nancy Rodriguez have also supported the goals fo the caucus.  We have no doubt that the list of legislators participating in the caucus will grow.

While Friday's meeting represented  a first step for the caucus to become a reality, the actual public launch date will occur on Thursday, Feb. 6, as part of the awards ceremony hosted by the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council's Food and Farms Day in the Rotunda of the State Capitol Building.

Three Sisters Kitchen Now Open for Business

 Three Sisters Kitchen is an ambitious project to create a space for people to come together to cook, eat, test new recipes, develop new food businesses, teach and learn from each other. It is one part café, one part test kitchen, one part dining room and one part classroom. And, though many have come through with support, input and funding for Three Sisters, Anzia Bennett is now largely running the whole operation herself...Just about everyone who hears about the kitchen wants to get involved somehow. from Article in Weekly Alibi

The day finally arrived. After months of preparation, Three Sisters Kitchen is finally opened its doors wide open. There was poetry, music, demonstrations, tours, speeches and general celebration. "Join us for delicious food from the Street Food Institute, music from Sin Limite, kids activities led by Kids Cook!, and tours of our  [facilities]," said an invitation by the board, staff and volunteers of Three Sisters.

This unique project (at least in Albuquerque) features

• a test/incubator kitchen for food entrepreneurs and young food businesses to experiment, make mistakes, learn, and adjust to create viable products.
• a community classroom offering multi-generational, multi-lingual, community-based culinary, business, nutrition, and health education
• a local foods shop and cafe, providing a year-round market for local food makers to sell their products
• a community cookbook for people to  share recipes that "remind us of home,"

Anzia Bennett,director of the project, spoke about Three Sisters at the bimonthly meeting of the Interfaith Hunger Coalition in January of this year.  At that time, the project was months away from becoming a reality. The day finally  arrived on August 24!

In the photo on the left, Anzia addresses the huge crowd that attended the grand opening, which included Mayor Tim Keller, First Lady Elizabeth Kistin Keller, poet Hakim Bellamy and the musical group Sin Limite. 

Below are photographs taken at the grand opening celebration.

Elizabeth Kistin Keller and Tim Keller

Hakim Bellamy

Sin Límite

Three Sisters board members

An Enthusiastic Pitch for Three Sisters Kitchen

Three Sisters Kitchen is an ambitious project to create a space for people to come together to cook, eat, test new recipes, develop new food businesses, teach and learn from each other. It is one part café, one part test kitchen, one part dining room and one part classroom. And, though many have come through with support, input and funding for Three Sisters, Bennett is now largely running the whole operation herself...Just about everyone who hears about the kitchen wants to get involved somehow. from Article in Weekly Alibi

Sarah Haynes, Anzia Bennett

Corn, squash and beans...Three agricultural products that support each other's growth when you plant them together. That concept reflects the mission of Three Sisters Kitchen in Albuquerque.

 
Anzia Bennett, director of the emerging project, was the featured presenter at The Interfaith Hunger Coalition's bimonthly meeting in January. 

Rather than post a recap of her  comments to our group of about 20 people gathered at First Presbyterian Church on January 23, I will include a couple of excerpts and a link to her terrific interview with Robin Babb of the Weekly Alibi.

"As she walks me through the soon-to-be under-construction space at 109 Gold Avenue SW, Bennett’s enthusiasm for the possibilities of Three Sisters is obvious—despite the dozens of times, I suspect, she’s given this same pitch to others. Her unflagging energy, no doubt, has come in handy during the long process of planning and executing the project."

She hopes to have a soft opening for the space sometime in the spring or early summer of this year, but acknowledges that progress has been a lot slower than she wanted. “I wanted to open last year,” she says, “but between planning, permitting and finding funds for all the kitchen equipment and staff …” she winces. It’s not an uncommon predicament for many business owners in Albuquerque, nonprofit or otherwise.

Bennett welcomes financial donations from individuals and foundations to the project, particularly to acquire the expensive kitchen equipment needed for the test kitchen. However,  one thing she really wants is cookbooks (as well as lightly used aprons, dishes, and cooking tools).  If you would like to donate one of these items or host a fundraiser, send an e-mail message to Anzia Bennett (anzia@threesisterskitchen.org).

Roberta Montoya and Joy Dinaro

Bread and Blessings Project
Bennett's presentation was a perfect complement to an earlier mini presentation from Roberta Montoya, who manages the Bread and Blessings project at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in downtown Albuquerque. '

The Interfaith Hunger Coalition has begun a new feature at our monthly meetings, which is to showcase the work of one of our endorsing congregations.

Montoya gave a great history of how the community came together to help create the project, including donations of services and expensive equipment needed to set up a special kitchen for Bread and Blessings. Through the project, the parish and volunteers from various faith communities around Albuquerque offer a restaurant-style meal every Sunday afternoon. While most of the clients are members of the homeless community, low-income working families and individuals are often among those who are served. The main entre is often pasta, but desserts appear to be a favorite. "The clients like sugar," noted Montoya. 

State Auditor Seeks to Boost Growth in the New Mexico Food Economy

State Auditor Tim Keller & former State Sen. Dede Feldman

 “When governments purchase from New Mexico businesses, money flows directly into the local economy, helping to build tax revenue, create jobs, and invest in the community,” -State Auditor Tim Keller

The political discourse in New Mexico has centered on ways to create jobs and support economic growth. State and local governments play a major role in the process. One obvious and very visible way to accomplish this goal is to provide tax breaks and other incentives for out-of-state companies to relocate to New Mexico.

A less visible and equally important economic development tool is to encourage state agencies to hire more instate businesses to provide goods and services. A report from the State Auditor's office suggests that more can be done in the area of food purchases. “Our report found some very sensible way s to support the local economy by working to shift more spending to instate companies," said the report. "Even just purchasing coffee and baked goods locally would create 100 permanent jobs, more than the [planned Facebook facility in Los Lunas].

According to the report, the Department of Corrections and the public schools are both succeeding in promoting local purchases, according to the report and testimony from experts who participated in a panel and presentation sponsored by the State Auditor's office on June 16.  Here are a couple of excerpts from the report:

Department of Corrrections blog

With the support of Corrections Department leadership, the Corrections Industries Division (CID),launched a pilot program , working with New Mexico State University, to build hoop houses for growing vegetables at the correctional facility in Santa Fe. Inmates were involved in the building and planting. The project yields hundreds of pounds of vegetables per harvest, including kale, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini. Inmates get fresh salads during harvest season, which addresses historical grievances about the lack of vegetables. CID has now partnered with a school to build a hoop house for the school’s cafeteria, allowing inmates to give back to the community .

Santa Fe Public Schools has invested in warehouses and large, well-equipped kitchens with equipment and tools, so the need to purchase processed foods is less acute. This is possible because of the support from the community through bond elections that allowed the district to access capital outlay funding. They also structure their local food contracts in such a way that other school districts can “piggyback” and purchase those same goods without going through a new procurement process. Albuquerque Public Schools issues two food commodity requests for proposal: one targeted to local suppliers and one targeted towards larger intermediaries and food suppliers.

Read the Full Report

Growing the Local Food Economy

State Auditor Tim Keller and Three Sisters Kitchen invite you to a presentation on
How Government Spending Can Grow the Local Food Economy

June 16, 2017 from 11am to 1pm
South Valley Economic Development Center
318 Isleta Blvd SW  (map)
Albuquerque, NM 87105

Featuring a panel of experts from New Mexico's governmental agencies and local food industry:

Josue Olivares, South Valley Economic Development Center
Pamela Roy, Farm to Table
Henry Rael, McCune Foundation
Anna Martinez, New Mexico Corrections Department
and more

All are welcome,

RSVP to justine.freeman@osa.state.nm.us

Encouraging Young Farmers in New Mexico

The average age of a farmer is approximately 63 years old—5 years older than the average farmer nationwide, and more than 90 percent of food purchased by New Mexicans is imported from outside the state.

So, how do we address  this situation? The New Mexico State University Bernalillo County Extension Service (with assistance from the Mid Region Council of Governments, McCune Charitable Foundation, and Thornburg Foundation) has launched the ‘Grow the Growers’ Program, to encourage young people to go into farming and to support the viability, continuity and sustainability of a locally-based, year-round food production system.

This new initiative will integrate the existing land and water resources of Bernalillo County’s open space properties with the agricultural education and research expertise of the New Mexico State University-Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service.

The Extension Service will lead efforts to educate, train, incubate and accelerate the success of next-generation farmers in Bernalillo County. The County will provide financial and logistical support to ensure Program viability through the Program’s 2016-2017 pilot year. Additional public and private partners are assisting the County and the Extension Service with planning and implementation of the Program.

Eight classes featuring a broad spectrum of business development and production techniques will comprise the core classroom component of the Program. These classes will begin on November 21 at the Extension Service building (1510 Menaul Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107).

During the pilot year of the Program, field demonstrations and growing space will be located on approximately one acre at the Gutierrez-Hubbell House History and Cultural Center (6029 Isleta Blvd., SW, Albuquerque, NM 87104). Additional intensive internship trainings will be held at local farms (March – May, 2017).

While enrollment in the classroom courses will be open to the general public, only those who successfully complete all eight courses and an enrollment application packet will be invited to continue on to the apprenticeship and incubation phases of the Program. Acceptance criteria must be developed. The cost is $10 per class or $50 for six or more classes. Payment (cash or check) at the door. Classes will be held at Bernalillo County Extension Office 1510 Menaul Blvd NW in Albuquerque. Prior registration encouraged for planning. 

To register sand an e-mail to John Garlisch garlisch@nmsu.edu or call (505) 243-1386

Program Timeline

• November 2016 – January 2017 Eight core competency classes
• February 2017 Applications accepted for internships and apprenticeships
• March – October 2017 In-field demonstrations, local farm internships and County farm apprenticeships
• October 2017 Applications accepted for County incubator field space
• November 2017 Incubation leases signed

State Teams up with Foundation to Promote Community Kitchens in Smaller Communities in New Mexico

Volunteer Center of Grant County operates kitchen in Silver City

What do the  Taos County Economic Development Center, Community Pantry in Gallup, Volunteer Center of Grant County and Northern New Mexico and Food Hub in Española have in common? They each recently received a $10,500 grant to support their community commercial kitchens from the New Mexico Economic Development Department (NMEDD).  Press Release

These kitchens were chosen for grants because they are currently operational or will be in the next 60 days.

"The agriculture and food production industries have been a significant part of our state economy for many generations and we are pleased to continue that heritage with our investment in commercial kitchens in rural communities throughout New Mexico," said Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela. "The commercial kitchen initiative helps local farmers, artisan bakers and the like create jobs and bring about a sense of community and pride while growing the tax base."

The NMEDD is also providing technical assistance to five other rural communities in New Mexico to eventually develop commercial kitchens. These communities are Anton Chico,Las Vegas, Raton L os Pueblos in Ribera, and El Morro Valley Cooperative

Attempting to Replicate Successful Project in Albuquerque

The program involves a partnership with the Rio Grande Community Development Corporation (RGCDC) to replicate an already very successful commercial kitchen in Albuquerque's South Valley, known as the Mixing Bowl Community Kitchen Program. The goal is to build a network of community kitchens statewide."This initiative, known as La Cocina, will take the Mixing Bowl model statewide to support New Mexico's family entrepreneurs," said the NMEDD. "By providing a system that supports the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of commun ity members all across the New Mexico, the state has an opportunity to promote one of New Mexico's most unique assets - our food - to both support small businesses and build an export system that will create economic - base jobs."

"If funded, the La Cocina Initiative will help a dozen existing rural New Mexico communities build out food entrepreneur programs based on the successful Mixing Bowl model in underutilized commercial kitchens like those in community center, schools, and churches," Sarah Wentzel-Fischer wrote in  an article entitled " Cooking up Economic Development for Rural NM," published in "Edible magazine in December.

Commons Center to host Silver City community kitchen

Silver City Kitchen
The Nuevos Comienzos Community Kitchen in Silver City will be operated out of the Commons Center for Food Security and Sustainability at 13th and Corbin in Silver City.. "We really appreciate the Economic Development Department giving us this opportunity, and we're thrilled to get it," said Alicia Edwards, executive director of the Volunteer Center..

The kitchen serves as a small business incubator for local entrepreneurs interested in getting into a food-related business."Basically, the goal is to end hunger and poverty in Grant County, and we do that a bunch of different ways," Edwards told The Silver City Sun-News.  "One of those ways is to use the community kitchen for economic development.".