Eating Together: A Food Systems Approach to Cultivating Health and Wealth in NM

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. Packing Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Farming and Ranching Eaters Processing Distribution 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 banksare 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. Eaters 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.”

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. In-Town Food Store Rural Food Store $55 $85 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 Storage Processing Distribution

11. Packing Storage Processing Distribution In Our Current Food System…. • 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. 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. In Our Current Food System…. • Agriculture is New Mexico’s 3rd 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 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. Healthy Kids, Healthy Economy Challenges and Opportunities • Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization provides an opportunity to leverage more federal funds • 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.

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

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. 30th. • 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. Packing Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Production (growing food) Eaters Processing Distribution Food System Infrastructure Impact on NM food system: Improved physical and technical capacity; new profit potential. Access to affordable, fresh foods. Food system job opportunities. Access to new local and regional markets. New physical infrastructure; 60% more of the food dollar stays in NM.

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. Packing Storage Outlets: Grocery Store Convenience Store Farmers’ Market Institution Buying Club Restaurant Production (growing food) Eaters Processing Distribution Public Food Programs Impact on NM food system: 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. Increased demand for fresh produce.

27. 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. Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs

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

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 andThe New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council3900 Paseo del SolSanta Fe, NM 87507(505) 473-1004www.farmtotablenm.orgThanks to our many partners involved in this work, including:NM Department of AgricultureNM Department of Aging and Long-Term ServicesNM Human Services DepartmentPublic Education DepartmentPublic Education Department, Rural Revitalization ProgramNMSU Cooperative Extension ServiceNM Farmers’ Marketing AssociationRio Grande Agricultural Land TrustMid-Region Council of GovernmentsRocky Mountain Farmers UnionLa Montañita Food CooperativeNM Association of Food BanksUNM Sustainability Studies ProgramUNM Research Service Learning ProgramCity of Albuquerque, Environmental Health DepartmentMcCune Foundation