NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The federal government is cutting funding for a program that connects New Mexico farmers with food banks which could reduce people’s access to fresh food.
The Regional Farm to Food Bank Program is a pandemic-era program through the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture that is losing all of its federal funding.
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“The program has really allowed food banks to build an infrastructure to be able to purchase from local producers instead of more industrial folks,” said Meredith Lorencz with the Regional Farm to Food Bank.
The Food Depot, a food bank in northern New Mexico, said it knew the program would come to an end this year, but was told there would be a national funding extension with $2.8 million allocated for New Mexico. Earlier this month, the USDA said it was terminating the program.
“The uniqueness of this program is that our beef that was born and raised on our ranch, processed locally at a small USDA facility, was going about 45 miles away to urban populations where food insecurity is more prevalent,” said Owner of Trilogy Beef Manny Encinias. His local ranch has been working with the program to make sure food banks have fresh meat.
The Food Depot said that since 2023, the program has distributed more than 700,000 healthy meals to those who need it. The program has also benefitted more than 200 New Mexican farmers and ranchers.
Now, food banks in the state are pushing local leaders to create a permanent program in the next farm bill while also pushing to reverse the decision to terminate the extension. “This program doesn’t just make a difference for access to food. This program makes a difference to the local economy,” said New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lujan at a roundtable on Monday discussing the specific needs of New Mexico food banks.
The USDA also cut the Local Foods for Schools Program, and the department has said both programs are no longer supported by the agency’s priorities. The current Local Food Purchase Assistance Program ends in June in New Mexico.
According to the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association, since the program started three years ago, $3.6 million went to local producers to get healthy food into communities.