Wrap Up of the 2016 Legislative Sessions' Priorities

The purpose of the New Mexico Food and Agricultural Policy Council's priorities is to improve the health and wealth of New Mexicans through increasing economic opportunities for rural and under-served communities.

We want to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables for children, food-insecure families, and individuals.

And at the same time we want to expand markets for farming and ranching families and reinvigorate local economic activity with food wholesale/retail development.

Few Bills Pass New Mexico Legislative Session as Budget Is Priority

Dear Colleagues:

In the last week of the New Mexico Legislative session policymakers were still focused on finalizing the budget. As oil and gas prices continue to plummet policymakers were forced to shave and cut program funding across most agency budgets. The House of Representatives passed a budget to the Senate that needed more than $8 million in cuts to balance it. The Senate and House concurred on a $6.2 billion budget that is now in Governor Martinez's hands to review. All but Public Education and Corrections received cuts.

Representative Hall (R), Vice Chair of the Legislative Finance Committee committed part of his focus on agriculture specifically HB 189 and 115 to support New Mexico farmers produce to school meals. When asked what options he would suggest to diversity New Mexico's revenue stream he stated, "We have to look back to our roots (agriculture) as an important part of our future."

Advocates worked hard to restore funds to the Double Up Food Bucks Farmers Market Program which received $400,000 in the 2015 Legislative session. In the first six months of the program Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients had already spent nearly $200,000 of their Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB). In a January 2016 report conducted by the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association, there was a 200 percent sales increase that positively impacted 60 percent of New Mexico counties and 60 percent of direct market farmers statewide at New Mexico's 45 participating farmers' markets.

Coming into the 2016 session the Legislative Finance Committee had only recommended $100,000. The New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association, New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute and Farm to Table worked to encourage policymakers to restore the funds back to the $400,000 level which could leverage up to $2 million federal funds through the USDA Food Insecurity Nutrition Initiative (FINI). The final budget passed by the House and Senate has $390,000 - a true win for the new program in a tight budget year.

The New Mexico Grown Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for School Meals hung onto $250,000 (2014-5 level funding) down from the 2015-6 funds of $364,300 appropriated last year.

Coming out of the Legislative session the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council and Farm to Table will be hosting a New Mexico Grown Fresh Fruit and Vegetables for School Meals Strategic Planning Process to determine the potential of the program and commitments by partners to further develop the program over the next three years and beyond.

Breakfast After the Bell, SB 144 sponsored by Senators Kernan and Stewart, passed both the Senate and the House. The legislation amends the Public School Code to clarify that schools that establish a breakfast after the bell program are not prohibited from beginning breakfast service before the start of the instructional day provided the schools also serve breakfast after the beginning of the instructional day. The bill would allow for school breakfast to be served not only in the classroom but also in the cafeteria, on the buses, or by providing hand carried breakfast. One major concern is that the legislation may provide for too much leeway and school may choose not to participate, thus leaving children without an important meal to start the day.

Other legislation that passed the session included a bill that puts New Mexico in compliance with the federal Real ID Program while still allowing undocumented immigrants to drive lawfully - a measure that has taken several years of negotiation. The Governor and House of Representatives focused largely on public safety increasing jail time for repeat drunken drivers and those who possess or distribute pornography. A ballot initiative to revamp the bale bond system was also passed.

Yet in a State that continues to have the highest unemployment in the nation there were legislative efforts in both the House and Senate to provide initiatives for job-creation yet few gained momentum. An effort to reserve 25 percent of the Economic Development Fund for small businesses did not get much traction. Senator Sanchez (D) Senate Majority Leader, spoke about the need to "expand tax credits for those who create high-wage jobs and to add New Mexican grown produce to school meals."

Representative Bill Gomez (D) was among many lawmakers who wanted a clear way to move forward on hemp production, a bill that passed the Senate and House last year and was vetoed by the Governor. This year the Governor chose not to put it on the Legislative agenda. Representative Gomez stated that "hemp has countless commercial uses and requires relatively little water."

Next issue: Water in New Mexico

NM Grown Strategic Planning Session

If you received an invitation to participate in this important endeavor, kindly register ASAP. If you did not receive an invitation and want to be placed on a waiting list of interested stakeholders contact [email protected].

Warmest regards,

Pam Roy

Farm to Table and the

NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council