HM 24 — "NM FOOD & FARMS DAY"

HOUSE MEMORIAL 24 53RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2018 INTRODUCED BY Rebecca Dow 6 8 10 A MEMORIAL DECLARING JANUARY 23, 2018 "NEW MEXICO FOOD AND FARMS DAY" IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

145 WHEREAS, New Mexico has a vibrant food and farming culture that is significant to the rural economy and provides employment opportunities on farms, such as wholesale and retail e t 17 opportunities and in food processing, distribution and value-value-added w l n d 18 added business;

and = = 19 a l WHEREAS, studies have shown that for every one dollar i a e r 20 ($1.00) that goes to local agricultural producers, one dollar a t m m 21 eighty cents ($1.80) is circulated in the local economy;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, if New Mexico consumers purchased only fifteen c e s k 23 percent of their food from the state's farmers and ranchers, it e a n b 24 would increase annual farm income by three hundred ninety-twoninety- utwo [ million dollars ($392,000,000);

and .209675.1 WHEREAS, an investment in children's health will help stem the rise in childhood obesity in New Mexico, where thirty-two percent of children are overweight or obese;

and WHEREAS, increased investment from the legislature enables schools to feature New Mexico-grown produce and to meet federal nutrition requirements, serve more fresh fruits and vegetables to children and support economic development opportunities for local farmers, entrepreneurs and HM 24 communities;

and Page 1 WHEREAS, over the last five years, more than fifty-one school food authorities have purchased New Mexico-grown produce for school meals with state funds, enhancing the diets of three hundred forty-seven thousand students, promoting healthier lifestyles and increasing academic achievement, while more than one million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000) has benefited New Mexico's farming economy;

and WHEREAS, seventy-five farmers are providing New Mexico e e 17 products to forty-five thousand people each week in thirty-onethirty- eone e n d 18 counties by direct sales and through the supplemental nutrition = = l ] 19 assistance program, the special supplemental nutrition program a l r i 20 for women, infants and children and senior farmers' market t e a t nutrition programs, creating fresh food access for low-income m m 21 e d r e 22 individuals and resulting in annual gross sales to farmers of c e r c 23 seven million five hundred thousand dollars ($7,500,000) in e a n b 24 2017;

and u [ WHEREAS, eighty double up food bucks outlets, including .209675.1 - 2 - farmers' markets, grocery stores, farm stands and mobile markets, are making it more affordable for supplemental nutritional assistance program participants across the state to increase the amount of fresh, New Mexico-grown produce that they eat while providing eight hundred New Mexico farmers with more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) in electronic benefits transfer sales during 2017;

and HM 24 Page 2 WHEREAS, a healthier population will help to save the state an additional three hundred twenty-four million dollars ($324,000,000) in obesity-related health care expenses and an additional one billion two hundred million dollars ($1,200,000,000) for diabetes;

and WHEREAS, the growing number of New Mexico community and e e 17 school gardens provides an important way for children and e e n d 18 families to engage in growing food and provides a way for = = l ] 19 children to learn about nutrition and life sciences;

and a l r i 20 WHEREAS, to achieve these goals, agricultural, health and t e a t education-related organizations and agencies help coordinate m m 21 e d r e 22 programs and make the connections among health, the built c e r c 23 environment and policies through the support of organizations e a n b 24 such as food policy councils, health councils, health equity u [ partnerships, foodcorps, americorps, 4-H, farm-to-schoolfarm- .209675.1to-school - 3 - programs and others;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that January 23, 2018 be declared "New Mexico Food and Farms Day" in the house of HM 24 Page 3 representatives;

-HM 424 -Page 144 166 e8 e25 17 e e n d 18 = = l ] 19 a l r i 20 t e a t m m 21 e d r e 22 c e r c 23 e a n b 24 u [ .209675.1