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

SPONSOR Taylor

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/30/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Study Permanent Central Farmers Market

SJM 41

ANALYST Haug

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 41 resolves that:

•

the New Mexico Department of Agriculture work with Bernalillo County to study the

feasibility of, and to plan and design, a permanent central retail-wholesale farmers market

to be located in Bernalillo County to include the aforementioned components; and

•

the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and Bernalillo County report their findings

and recommendations to the appropriate committee of the legislature by December 1,

2008; and

•

copies of this memorial are to be transmitted to the director of the New Mexico

Department of Agriculture and to the Board of County Commissioners of Bernalillo

County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Senate Joint Memorial 41 has no fiscal implication.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Senate Joint Memorial 41 states:

The State of New Mexico imports several billion dollars worth of food annually; and

The State's agriculture sector does not have the infrastructure to mobilize production for

significant import substitution; and

Senate Joint Memorial 41 – Page

2

Current opportunities exist for direct marketing activities through local growers and farmers

markets, but another opportunity is the development of infrastructure to stimulate and support

direct-to-urban market activities; and

Development of a sustainable agricultural system may be seen as a picture puzzle, with many

pieces to be put into place before it is complete, including a central wholesale market that might

function as a focal point for the region's agricultural market; and

A central retail-wholesale market facility could function as a permanent farmers market; and

Such a central market could also serve as a small farm innovation center, providing preferential

education for small farmers to stimulate investment in noncommodity, high-value specialty

products and infrastructure to enable the year-round production that is essential to the viability of

the central market concept; and

A central market should also have restaurants, a learning center, a community kitchen, a shop, a

community gardening information area, a nutrition center and an environmental area to help the

community establish the connection between its activities and global warming, urban heat

islands, urban greening and energy conservation, analogous to that of Boston's fresh fish market;

and

The market's clientele would include buyers for restaurants and public and private institutions;

and

The market would function as part of the region's agricultural and food system and as a

"destination attraction" incorporating a number of complementary elements, including wholesale

commodities farm products, fresh produce, flowers, Christmas trees and other seasonal items,

fresh meat, fresh poultry, dairy products, locally produced wines, other value- added agricultural

products, specialty bakeries, specialty restaurants, educational facilities and a meeting and

conference space.

According to NMSU, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture currently works cooperatively

with the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association to promote farmers markets statewide and

serves as the fiscal agent for their state appropriated budget of $154,800. The New Mexico

department of agriculture expertise and input is strictly marketing, sales, and promotion. The

New Mexico Department of Agriculture does not have the manpower and other resources to

meet the requests of the memorial. The New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association should be

a partner in this study and should be provided funds to conduct any studies of this magnitude.

GH/jp