Institute Programs
Institute accomplishments include: breaking ground on the $4.6 million facility in the Railyard; raising $4.2 million toward the project cost; starting a movie series that features films on food, ecology, and agriculture; starting a micro loan program for northern New Mexico agricultural producers; starting a food stamp program to give low-income people access to fresh nutritious food; building a large contingency of people passionate about local food and farmers and more educated about the cultural, economic and nutritional value of supporting local agricultural producers. Strong programs must be in place when the building is finished to implement our full mission. Programs under development include professional development for farmers to show them ways to innovate on their farms, how to write business plans, etc; collaboration with local land trust organizations to help farmers put land into conservation easements. Future work will include estate planning for farmers, internships to develop a new generation of farmers, and continued infrastructure development.
How you can help:
Micro Loan Fund
The average income of a farmer in New Mexico is less than $10,000 annually. Access to small amounts of cash can make a big difference in the life of a farmer. Spring loans to help buy seed that can be paid off in the Fall once the harvest is done is one example of how a small loan can help a farmer be more productive. Some might want to invest in fruit tress that won’t generate income for a few years, so upfront cash can be of help to get started. Drip irrigation can be a very helpful innovation on a farm, one that can save time so the farmer can be productive elsewhere on the farm while irrigating. Sometimes equipment breaks down right when a farmer needs it most but has no credit or cash to buy a replacement. Greenhouses can be built for around $3,000, which would give a farmer a year-round source of income. But when one’s income is often less than the loan limits required by traditional lenders, access to cash can be difficult. The Institute’s micro loan fund makes loans of $250 to $3,000 to northern New Mexico farmers. Interest on the loans is 6% and no collateral is required of the farmer. The Permaculture Credit Union is our loan fund partner. The Institute is seeking donors for this fund. We seek up to $100,000 to allow us to make loans on a quarterly basis.
Food Stamp Program
When food stamps benefits were in the form of paper coupons, low income people could easily go to farmers’ markets to buy fresh food. But when they phased out paper coupons for EBT cards that worked like credit cards, farmers’ markets across the country had trouble because most of them had no phone lines or electricity to accept EBT cards.
In Santa Fe County there are almost 9,000 individuals on food stamps and more than 4,000 families receiving assistance. The Institute, in collaboration with the State’s Human Services Division and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, now has access to a wireless EBT and debit card transaction device that allows the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market to accommodate food stamp recipients. We believe that everyone in our community deserves access to the freshest food possible, and we are pleased to be able to provide this service. It costs the Institute approximately $12,000 per year to staff this service at all of our markets. Operating donations help defray this cost.
Santa Fe Farmers' Market Institute Movie Series (click for PDF)
Follow the link above to see our current offerings of movies and panel presentations focusing on food, agriculture and ecological issues. We need operating support to boost our advertising for these films to reach a wider audience. We hope to see you at the movies!Join Our Board
If you have estate planning experience, please contact us so we can begin work on estate planning for farmers. New Mexico has lost more than 200,000 acres of farmland and more than 500 farms in the last five years. Some of this is due to development pressures and people wanting to transfer water rights from farms into urban areas. But nationwide, our farmers are aging. In Northern New Mexico, the average age of farmers is going on 60 years old. Many only have their farmland as equity to live on, and since northern New Mexico farms are located in the most beautiful parts of our state, they are constantly being asked to sell their land for development. We need to help them figure out other options for their retirement. Contact us today if you are interested in getting involved in this program.
To make a tax-deductible financial contribution towards any of these programs, please visit our donations page!
