New Mexico kids on vacation from school are no longer queueing-up for cafeteria meals - and that can increase hunger for low-income children and their families. Free and reduced-priced meals are temporarily on pause during the summer months.

Jason Riggs, community initiatives manager-client services with Roadrunner Food Bank explained higher food prices combined with the rollback of extra COVID-19-related benefits is contributing to food insecurity. Historically, supermarkets have made up 1/3 of food bank donations, but Riggs said the pandemic and inflation have caused those contributions to taper off.

"We are having to purchase more food than we ever used to, \" he said. "And that's a major paradigm shift in how food banks operate."

A recent study by the nonprofit Feeding America shows food insecurity exists in all U.S. counties, and nine out of 10 are rural. It also finds nearly 40% of the food-insecure population in the U.S. is white. But Black, Native American, and Latino people are two to three times more likely to live in food-insecure households. In New Mexico, hunger affects one in five children and one in seven people overall.

Roadrunner welcomes donations such as soup, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta and sauce, and other non-perishable items - as well as produce donations from gardens and statewide growers and producers. Riggs emphasized that dedicated local volunteers keep operations running smoothly.

"We can always use people in that warehouse, loading boxes - helping us get those trucks loaded with the food that's going to go out to help people feed their kids," he said.

Riggs added Roadrunner Food Bank will host a call-in event tomorrow, June 21st with local KOB TV during the station's evening news segment for anyone who wants to learn how to help. Or they can learn about receiving food assistance from charitable hunger programs across the state this summer.

"They might not know about our services at all," Riggs said. "They may have heard of a food bank - or they may be in parts of the state where Roadrunner Food Bank is not a household term. That gives us that extra edge so we can do what we need to do to get that food out there, and help as many people as we can."

Riggs added that cash donations are also welcome, because every dollar donated can buy five meals.

Groups working to fight hunger in California are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to protect funding for the CalFood program in his initial budget proposal, which comes out Jan. 10.

CalFood allows food banks to purchase things that are not often donated - such as eggs, milk, produce, meat and cheese - from California farmers.

Becky Silva, director of government relations for the California Association of Food Banks, said CalFood has enjoyed a temporary boost for the past three years - so, unless the line item is made permanent, funding levels would see a major drop next summer, at the end of the fiscal year.

"So, that means that it'll go from the current approximately $62 million per year down to about $8 million," she said, "and so obviously, food banks are incredibly worried about what that will mean."

She said the food banks are asking for a permanent allocation of $60 million a year in order to avoid big cuts in service. The association estimates that a 1% drop in hunger prevents $600 million in health-care costs, while supporting farmers and food producers in the Golden State.

The association represents 41 food banks that served about 6 million people per month in 2023, which is a 20% increase, year over year. Silva said hunger levels jumped during the COVID pandemic and have not come back down.

"Food insecurity rates are not decreasing, right? Even though a lot of people think of the pandemic as being over," she said, "the economic impacts are still being felt by people all over the state."

Once the governor releases his blueprint, the Legislature will start negotiations. Lawmakers have until June 15 to produce a final budget.


get more stories like this via email

New funding is making it easier than ever for Oregon farmers to become certified organic.

To achieve certification, farmers must go three years without using synthetic additives such as fertilizers or pesticides. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Oregon has launched the Organic Transition Initiative to provide financial and technical support.

Ben Bowell, director of education and advocacy for the group Oregon Tilth, noted the funding is especially valuable because the transition can be costly.

"During that time they have to be farming as organic farmers but they are not able to access an organic crop premium," Bowell pointed out.

Farmers can also get support through the initiative to develop organic systems for fertilization, building soil and controlling weeds.

Bowell explained the initiative is one of a three-part national USDA Organic Transition Initiative. This five-year program provides mentorship from experienced organic farmers, technical assistance and an organic market development program. He emphasized with the three programs, the combined $300 million investment in organic farming is historic.

"Right now is an amazing time to consider transitioning to organic in terms of all of the support that's available," Bowell stated.

Erica Thompson, farm operations manager for the U-pick blueberry farm Blueberry Meadows near Corvallis, which has been in her family since 1993, is a little over a year into the three-year process. She said figuring out a new fertility program and disease management has been a challenge, along with understanding the application and documentation process.

Thompson added working with the Organic Transition Initiative has been helpful.

"Being part of it has really solved or like is in the process of solving all my questions and uncertainties," Thompson observed.

Along with farmers, support is available for ranchers and forest landowners looking to go organic. Applications for the current round of funding are due Jan. 17.


get more stories like this via email

A Detroit nonprofit said it is helping people in the city reclaim control over the food they eat from where it is grown to where they buy it.

The Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network is leading the mission for what they call "food sovereignty," focusing on helping Detroiters access healthy, culturally meaningful food and taking control of its sustainable production while addressing food insecurity.

Shakara Tyler, board president of the network, said they operate a seven-acre farm in Detroit's River Rouge Park.

"We grow food so it's more accessible for community members, so they don't have to rely on liquor stores and gas stations to access basic necessities to feed themselves and their families," Tyler explained. "We also grow food to make a little bit of money."

About one-third of households in Detroit report experiencing food insecurity, with 80% of its residents relying on "fringe food" sources like fast food chains, liquor stores and corner stores where items like fresh produce are not available.

Detroit's urban farming scene has experienced significant growth, with more than 2,000 gardens and farms operating throughout the city. Tyler explained starting the farms is not just about offering healthy food, it is also about giving people a sense of ownership and empowerment, which she noted requires a thoughtful approach.

"You adapt that by starting where people are," Tyler emphasized. "Asking questions about their values and their experiences and then building from there, and not assuming that what works in one area will work in another area because this work is very place-based."

Michigan is not the only state where this mission has caught on. As of this year, there are close to 30,000 community garden plots in city parks across the United States, marking a 22% increase from 2021.

This story is based on original reporting by Dalya Massachi for Everyday Climate Champions.


get more stories like this via email