Announcements
New Sales Opportunities for Ranchers, Nut, and Egg Producers Start This Month
Posted on Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Starting this month, the NMFMA’s Protein-Plus program will help bring additional sales to New Mexico meat, nuts, and eggs producers, while also providing more affordable protein options for low-income customers. Participating farmers’ markets, farm stands, and select local grocers will provide qualifying individuals* with a 50% discount when they buy local meat, nuts, and eggs from NM farmers and ranchers. There is a limit of $20 per transaction, but customers may shop with multiple vendors the same day.
- Managers and Vendors:
The NMFMA’s Nutrition Incentive Team is providing online training that is required in order to participate as an outlet and/or vendor. If you missed the training or have questions about the program, please reach out to our team at NI@farmersmarketsnm.org - The NMFMA will be asking vendors to help us get customers to take short surveys about the program so that during the winter legislative session our legislators can hear how important the program is to you and your customers. Without further funding, Protein-Plus will end June 30, 2027.
- Information on how the program works can be found here for outlet managers and here for consumers. If you have questions, please reach out!
Marketing Assets: Be sure to promote this exciting new program to your customers! The NMFMA Marketing team has created digital assets for your outlet to assist in spreading the word. Find the Protein-Plus logo, along with a variety of other digital graphics and imagery to download on the NMFMA website.
Digital Assets COMING SOON!
NM Grown Producers & Buyers Ready for FY27 Success!
Posted on Wednesday, September 2, 2026
The New Mexico (NM) Grown program kicked off a new fiscal year by bringing together 276 growers and buyers! NM Grown is the state’s local institutional food purchasing initiative that works to supply local food to early childcare sites, K-12 schools, senior centers, and food banks. Held on July 29, the virtual event provided a recap of the program’s history, an update on FY2026, and important information for NM Grown Approved Suppliers and buyers for the upcoming year.
NM Grown staff and participants had fun keeping the event light by engaging polls and raffles throughout the event. Raffle winners won gift cards to local businesses.
NM Grown is a relationship-centered program, built on trust and communication, and both the NM Grown and Approved Supplier program staff will work with participants through the upcoming year for successful programming to best meet the needs of Approved Suppliers and NM Grown Buyers.
ASP FY26 Wrap-up
With the close of the fiscal year at the end of June, the NMFMA concluded another successful year managing the Approved Supplier Program (ASP) and providing additional core services to the broader New Mexico (NM) Grown program. During FY26, the NMFMA:
- certified nearly 300 Approved Suppliers based in 27 counties across the state
- provided food safety training to more than 100 producers
- supported NM Grown sales that totaled over $4.4 million to approximately 150 K-12 schools, early childcare and senior centers, and food bank buyers in 31 counties
Additional FY26 data can be found on the NM Grown website’s program impacts page, and an in-depth NM Grown purchasing and sales data report for FY26 can be accessed here
Read the full report here...
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Coming early september 2026: Protein Plus program offers customer discounts for sellers of meat, nuts, or eggs
Posted on Tuesday, August 4, 2026
If you sell meat, nuts, or eggs at participating farmers’ markets, farm stands, and select local grocers this year, expect more customers with the NMFMA’s new Protein-Plus program. Funded by the State of New Mexico during the 2026 legislative session, Protein-Plus will provide qualifying individuals* with a 50% discount when buying local meat, nuts, and eggs from NM farmers and ranchers. There is a limit of $20 per transaction.
Managers and Vendors
- If you have not heard from the NMFMA’s Nutrition Incentive Team about participating in this program, please reach out to them at NI@farmersmarketsnm.org
- All vendors and outlet managers will be required to take an online training for the program. Be sure you are ready!
- We will be asking vendors to help us get customers to take short surveys about the program so that during the winter legislative session, our legislators can hear how important the program is to you and your customers. Without further funding, Protein-Plus will end June 30, 2027.
Learn more at FarmersMarketsNM.org/protein-plus.
New Research published: Exploring the Benefits of Local Food in the FreshRx Produce Prescription Program
Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2026
In 2025, the NMFMA led a qualitative research project with FreshRx patients and food suppliers to explore the benefits of using local produce in produce prescription (PPR) programs. Our findings showed that patients valued the produce as they were able to incorporate it into their family meals, and they appreciated the ability to access fresh food from local farmers. Moreover, food suppliers expressed close alignment with program goals and highlighted a connection to the communities and populations where their food is going. The experiences and voices of the patients and suppliers portrayed in this study offer a powerful lens for gaining a deeper understanding of the FreshRx program and broader local food systems in New Mexico.
To learn more and download the entire research report, please visit "Exploring the Benefits of Local Food in the FreshRx Produce Prescription Program."
Upcoming Webinars for Market Managers: Market Data Tools & Tips
Posted on Thursday, April 2, 2026
The NMFMA will be offering two market data webinars in May. Each webinar will cover the same material including everything you need to know for tracking market data throughout the season so that you are prepared to submit annual market data at the end of the year. We’ll cover time-saving tips, easy tools for logging weekly sales, and answer your questions. Staying on top of market data collection not only keeps your market in good standing—it also makes your market eligible for promotional fund reimbursements and other benefits.
New market managers — those who are in their 1st or 2nd season as a market manager — are required to attend one of the two sessions, so please register and attend the one that works best for your schedule. If you are not able to attend during one of these two times, please let us know and we will arrange to provide you with a recording.
If you are a veteran market manager and you want to brush up on your market data knowledge and skills, you are also welcome to attend!
If you have questions, please contact Kirsten Hansen (kirsten@farmersmarketsnm.org) or Bryan Crawford-Garrett (bryan@farmersmarketsnm.org).
NMFMA Annual Conference Resources
Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2026
Thank you to everyone who joined us last week at our 28th Annual Local Food Connects Conference! With over 180 attendees, it was wonderful for our staff to connect with a multitude of NMFMA members, both seasoned and brand new!
Head over to the conference page to access downloads from this year's presentation. Also, an opportunity to leave us feedback was emailed to all members. If you attended, please let us know what you thought so we can continue to make this annual event better each year.
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