Opportunities for New Mexico’s Immigrant Farmers

National Immigrant Organization to Hold Meeting In Anthony
Anthony New Mexico, March 2010
In northern New Mexico there is currently no work being done to organize immigrant farmers on a state level. Nationally as American farmers continue to age, immigrant farmers are the increasing demographic that are taking on family the role of farmers. Though New Mexico youth continue to carry on the tradition of farming we still have a gap between production and demand in New Mexico that immigrant farmers maybe able to help us fill.
Immigrant farmers, nation-wide, are an undeserved population that faces many barriers to accessing resources potentially available to them to increase their production and economic capacities. The national organization, National Immigrant Farming Initiative (NIFI) has received a grant from Heifer International to conduct a needs assessment and outreach to immigrant farmers in New Mexico. NIFI has worked successfully across the country to build the political and growing power of immigrant farmers from all over the world. We will be holding these meetings with the participation of local groups, in Anthony area we are working with Anthony-Berino Economic Development and Las Colonias of Las Cruces. We will also be holding meetings in Albuquerque and Espanola NM.
A gathering will be held on March 6, 2010 at the Anthony Water and Sanitation District, 1155 North Fourth, Anthony NM at 2:00 pm. The meeting will contain information on how immigrant farmers can access more resources with a focus on building the capacity of immigrant farmers in New Mexico to impact policy. All immigrants who are interested in farming are invited regardless of their experience level.