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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR McSorley

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/24/06

HB

SHORT TITLE Senior Citizen Farmers’ Market Project

SB 182

ANALYST Lewis

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

60.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB 83 (Farmers’ Markets Promotion & Development)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 182 appropriates $60,000 from the general fund to the Department of Health for ex-

penditure in fiscal year 2007 to develop a senior citizen farmers’ market nutrition program pilot

project to provide approximately 3,000 low-income seniors with vouchers for purchase of fresh

foods at nearby farmers’ markets.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $60,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to the Department of Health (DOH), SB 182 is supported by the New Mexico Task

Force to End Hunger, Goal #4: Improve the nutrition environment in New Mexico. Promotion

and further expansion of New Mexico’s farmers’ markets will make fresh produce readily avail-

able to the Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) senior citizens’ population. In-

Senate Bill 182 – Page

2

creased fresh fruit and vegetable intake is one of the key messages that the DOH encourages

through the 5 A Day program to help prevent chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease,

some cancers, obesity, and osteoporosis.

DOH further notes that the Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) of the Women, Infant

and Children (WIC) Program of DOH has been a source of predictable revenue during the grow-

ing season at 33 farmer’s markets throughout New Mexico. These farmer’s markets provide

$20.00 worth of fruits and vegetables per month to WIC enrollees. Many small farmers have re-

ported that retail sales through the WIC Farmer’s Market checks help them profit and stay in

business. Promotion and further expansion of the farmers’ markets to benefit CSFP’s senior

population may further enhance the economic impact to local growers.

However, DOH also notes that this appropriation is not part of the department’s executive budget

recommendation.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

According to DOH, without this appropriation funding may not be available to develop a Senior

Citizen Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Pilot Project that could provide approximately 3,000

low-income seniors with vouchers for purchase of fresh foods at nearby farmers’ markets.

The Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) suggests that failure to enact this bill

would constitute a missed opportunity to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income,

food-insecure seniors.

ML/mt