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2015 Legislature, 4-12-15 Governor Martinez Determines Outcomes of the New Mexico Legislative Session Though New Mexico’s Legislature finished its worked weeks ago, Governor Martinez had three weeks to consider the legislation and budget recommendations made by the Legislature A budget of $84.2 million was signed by the Governor The state Legislature works on the annual budget for most of the year Last summer budget analysts anticipated new money for 2016 fiscal year to exceed $280 million By December gas prices had declined, leaving the Legislature and Governor with just over $80 million to work with As New Mexico’s budget is heavily dependent on oil and gas revenues With numerous programs that would benefit school meal programs and innovations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at New Mexico’s farmers markets, the Governor signed the budget including $364,300 for New Mexico grown fresh fruits and vegetables for school meals This legislation adds $125,000 to the previous years’ $239,300 to be administered by the Public Education Department The PED got the program set up last year so the program should be introduced to schools and school districts before the beginning of the school year in August providing schools time to apply and be awarded in time to purchase fruit and vegetables from New Mexico’s farmers during the height of the season An additional $30,000 will go to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) for the same program Schools can apply for these funds if they are involved with farmers who are in training programs These funds will add to $85,000 recurring that the NMDA administers for New Mexico grown produce for school meals – funds from the originating legislation first introduced by the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council in 2007 Between the two agencies New Mexico farmers will benefit from the total of $479,300 in sales to schools annually The Double Up Bucks for Farmers Markets $400,000 also made it to the finish line These funds will provide additional opportunities for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to spend twice as much at their local farmers market 17 out of 70 of New Mexico’s farmers markets have the SNAP technology Additional good news for farmers markets was the announcement of the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association’s federal grant award of $100,000 The grant, which is part of the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI), a new program in last year’s farm bill, will help spread the word that farmers markets around the state accept SNAP payments and will add to the “Double Up Bucks Program.” Doubling up the amount SNAP recipients can spend at farmers markets provides major increases in revenue for farmers selling at participating farmers markets in New Mexico In addition the MoGro mobile grocers received a FINI grant to allow for special discounts on groceries in locations such as Santo Domingo and Jemez Pueblos The high profile legislation to legalize research of industrial hemp in New Mexico, was vetoed by the Governor stating that the bill was flawed because it would have created contradictions between what would have been the state’s industrial hemp program and federal drug laws This may change at the federal level as Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky is sponsoring the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015 which would effectively change hemps status and make specific strains available for commercial production Kentucky is one of 20 states currently researching hemp production New Mexico Legislators overwhelmingly approved the bill that would allow for importation of hemp seeds for research by New Mexico State University Jerry Fuentes, a part-time farmers from Truchas, said the industrial hemp proposal would have positioned New Mexico to blossom economically By Pam Roy, Prepared by: Pam Roy, Farm to Table & NM Rocky Mountain Farmers Union/NM Government Relations, April 12, 2015
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