NM Food & Agriculture Policy Council
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Values Statement: A just, equitable, and sustainable food system is one that provides physical, economic and community health; regenerates, protects, and respects natural resources and animals; and ensures that all people live with dignity and freedom from oppression and exploitation.
Issue Statement: New Mexico’s food value chain is vulnerable with a disproportionate emphasis on exporting food outside of the state; insufficient food processing, storage and distribution systems; deficient systems to ensure the health of our vulnerable populations and natural resources; and inefficient plans to sustain and grow the agricultural economy of NM.
Priority
Primary Ask/Goal
Food Initiative
Appropriation in HB 2
Purpose of the Initiative: To cultivate a just food system that measurably reduces hunger, provides equitable access to nutritious, culturally meaningful, foods, and honors the wisdom of our land-based traditions. A comprehensive legislative approach to support community food programs, NM Grown Program, supply chain support, and a long range strategy for sustainability.
Sponsoring Organization: Office of the Governor
NMFAPC Tier Assignment: Tier 2
The Food Initiative budget package was discussed during the Department of Finance and Administration’s budget hearings next week in House Appropriation and Finance Committee Wednesday, 2/8 and in the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, 2/9.
The Food Initiative is in HB 2 General Appropriation Act of 2023, which passed in the House of Representatives on 2/16 – Y: 52 N:17. HB 2 now goes to the Senate Finance Committee.
TAKE ACTION: Contact Senate Finance Committee members this week and ask them to FULLY fund the Food Initiative and SB 4 Healthy Universal School Meals at $30 million.
Purpose: Ensuring free, healthy school meals for all students; making an appropriation.
Sponsoring Organization: Recommended in the Governor’s FY24 Executive Budget
Legislative Sponsors: Senators Michael Padilla and Leo Jaramillo
SB 4 Healthy Universal School Meals and the Food Initiative are in HB 2 & 3 General Appropriation Act of 2023, which includes the following recommendations and language: House recommended $7.5 million for the Food Initiative to focus on “community food, agriculture and supply chain programs to improve food security in New Mexico.” As part of SB 4 Healthy Universal School Meals, $7.5 million will go to the Public Education Department specifically “for meal quality initiatives that improve the quality and availability of school meals statewide and for food waste reduction initiatives.” The Senate will have to make up the balance of $22.5 million. HB 2 now goes to the Senate Finance Committee.
SB4 unanimously passed the Senate Finance Committee on 3/2.
Passed the full Senate 35-0 on 3/4.
SB4 passed the legislative session on 3/12 and now heads to the Governor for signature.
Purpose: Making an appropriation to the Human Services Department to fund state food banks.
Legislative Sponsors: Senators Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics, Linda M. Lopez, Gerald Ortiz y Pino, Brenda G. McKenna
Scheduled for Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on Friday, 2/24 at 1:30pm or 1/2 hour after Senate Floor session.
Purpose: Making an appropriation to the Aging and Long-term Services Department to purchase New-Mexico-grown fruits and vegetables for senior center meal programs.
Legislative Sponsors: Senators Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics, Linda M. Lopez, Gerald Ortiz y Pino, Brenda G. McKenna
Scheduled for Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on Friday, 2/24 at 1:30pm or 1/2 hour after Senate Floor session.
Purpose: Making an appropriation to the Department of Health for a match of federal funds for an expansion of the senior farmers’ market nutrition program.
Legislative Sponsors: Senators Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics, Linda M. Lopez, Gerald Ortiz y Pino, Brenda G. McKenna
Scheduled for Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on Friday, 2/24 at 1:30pm or 1/2 hour after Senate Floor session.
Purpose: To make a transformative, generational investment in New Mexico’s future by addressing the impacts of climate change on our land, water, wildlife, and agricultural communities. This would be a trust fund that would leverage federal and private support for climate resiliency, water and food security, watershed health, and the conservation of working lands, biodiversity and open space, and inspire future generations of land and water stewards. See Governor’s press release.
Sponsoring Organization: This is an initiative of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Legislative Sponsors: Senators Stephen P. Nevill, Nathan Small and Peter Wirth
Passed the Senate Conservation Committee on 2/1 Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. See New Mexico Land Conservancy notice.
Passed in the Senate on 2/14 Y: 33, N:7.
Passed in the House House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources on 2/28.
Passed the House Appropriations and Finance Committee (HAFC) 3/9! Y:17 N:1
SB9 passed the legislative session on 3/12
Signed into law by the Governor.
Committees:
House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources
House Judiciary Committee
Senate Judiciary Committee
Purpose: The NMLB is requesting that legislation be introduced that addresses the required statutory authority to attain a state Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPI) that meets an “At Least Equal To” status with the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The statutes will address areas such as definitions, inspection requirements, adulteration, misbranding, humane methods of slaughter, sanitation, prohibited acts, penalties, ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection, licensing, condemnation, appeals process, labeling, sanitation, records and documentation, etc. The requested statutes will be similar to those that were repealed after the previous state MPI Program was dissolved in 2007.
Sponsoring Organization: NM Livestock Board
Legislative Sponsors: Representatives Gail Armstrong, Jack Chatfield, Tara Jaramillo, Willie D. Madrid, Candy Spence Ezzell
Passed the House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee on 2/1.
Passed the House Judiciary Committee on 2/7.
Passed in the House of Representatives – Y:68 N:0 on 2/16.
Goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Please call the Senate Judiciary Committee members and ask them to support HB 205.
Purpose: Making an appropriation to the Department of Health for county and tribal health councils statewide, requesting $5,250,000.
Sponsoring Organization: NM Alliance of Health Councils
Legislative Sponsors: Anthony Allison and D. Wonda Johnson
Passed unanimously in the Senate Conservation Committee on 3/2.
Purpose: Making an appropriation to the Department of Health for county and tribal health councils statewide, requesting $5,250,000.
Sponsoring Organization: NM Alliance of Health Councils
Legislative Sponsors: Anthony Allison, D. Wonda Johnson, Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics and Elizabeth “Liz” Thompson
Passed the Health and Human Services Committee on 1/23.
Purpose: The purpose of this bill is to ensure fairness and due process in water lease applications to the State Engineer. HB 121 clarifies that the State Engineer can approve a permit for a water use lease only after requirements for public notice, opportunity to protest, and mandatory public hearings have been met.
Sponsoring Organization: New Mexico Acequia Association
Legislative Sponsors: Representatives Christine Chandler, Susan k. Herrera, Peter Wirth
Passed the House, Energy Environment and Natural Resources Committee on 2/1.
In the House Judiciary Committee – Reported by committee with Do Not Pass but with a Do Pass recommendation on Committee Substitution 3/6 This bill is now on the House Floor Calendar.
Purpose: Create an Acequia Bureau at the Interstate Stream Commission (ISC).
Sponsoring Organization: NM Acequia Association
Legislative Sponsor: Senator Pete Campos
Passed the Senate Conservation Committee on 2/14.
Goes to the Senate Finance Committee.
Purpose: Acequia Disaster Funding at ISC. Amend the Acequia and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund (ACDIF) to add “disaster response” to the purpose of the fund as well as to increase the annual appropriation to the fund from $2.5 million to $5 million from the Irrigation Works Construction Fund.
Sponsoring Organization: NM Acequia Association
Legislative Sponsor: Senators Pete Campos, Leo Jarimillo, Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics, Siah Correa Hemphill, Joseph L. Sanchez
SB 176 Passed the Senate Conservation Committee on 2/14.
SB 176 Passed the Senate Finance Committee with amendments on 3/7.
SB 176 Passed in the Senate – Y:34 N:0 on 3/9.
(HB 545) Passed in the House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources on 3/11.
(HB 545) Passed in the House of Representatives – Y:64 N:3 on 3/16 and will be signed into law by the Governor.
Purpose: Relating to economic development; enacting the healthy food financing act; creating the healthy food financing program in the economic development department; creating a fund; making an appropriation.
Sponsoring Organizations:
Legislative Sponsor: Senators Carrie Hamblen, Gay G. Kernan, Crystal R. Diamond
Passed the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee on 2/22.
Goes to the Senate Finance Committee. ACTION: Ask the Senate Finance Committee Members to FULLY fund the Healthy Food Financing Initiative at $1 million.
Purpose: Make the anti-donation clause easier to understand. Maintain protections against fraud in financial decisions. Broaden the pool of fundable entities to increase New Mexico’s capacity to address critical issues through the public, private, and social sectors.
Sponsoring Organization: NM Thrives
Legislative Sponsor: Senators Gerald Ortiz y Pino and George K. Munoz, and Representative D. Wonda Johnson
Reported by Senate Rules Committee with Do Pass recommendation with amendment(s) on 2/17.
Purpose: This Memorial will formalize the New Mexico State Beekeepers Association’s (NMBKA) Pollinator Protection Plan (PPP). This plan is a collaboration between all stakeholders (pesticide applicators, farmers, landowners, beekeepers, and others) to protect pollinators through the establishment of best management practices.
Sponsoring Organizations: NM Beekeepers Association
Legislative Sponsor: Senator Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales
Sent to the Senate Rules Committee on 2/13.
Purpose: House and Senate memorials declaring January 26, 2023 “New Mexico Food & Farms Day” in the House of Representatives in celebration of community food and farm initiatives toward ending hunger.
Sponsoring Organization: NM Food & Agriculture Policy Council
Legislative Sponsors: Representative Joanne Ferrary for the House Memorial and Senators Pete Campos and Liz Stefanics for the Senate Memorial.
HM1 Passed in the House on 1/26/23 Y: 70: N:0
SB1 Passed in the Senate on 1/26/23 Y: 43: N:0