Farmer Intentions for Long Term Land Uses & Implications for Food Security

Jessica Morgan

Major: Economics

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Constance Falk, Agricultural Economics

Purpose

Importing foods from around the world is not sustainable in the long term.

New Mexico is the state most heavily afflicted by food insecurity.

Encouraging local food production would benefit the local economy and increase food safety.

Review of Literature

Methodology

Preliminary Results

Preliminary Conclusions

Farmer Intentions for Long Term Land Uses & Implications for Food Security

Review of Literature Food Security

Food Security Policies

Conservation Easements & Land Trusts

Food Security

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization defines “[f]ood security [as] exist[ing] when all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life,” (2009).

Food Security Policy: Belo Horizonte, Brazil Beginning of the 1990s in the Minas Gerais state, Brazil

38% of the population lived below the poverty line 44% of children lived in poverty

The city government decided to address poverty & malnutrition by giving their citizens the right to food.

Results: One 6 month period, infant malnutrition in a sample group

reduced by 50% In a decade, Belo Horizonte cut its infant death rate by more

than 50% Today these initiatives benefit almost 40 percent of the city’s

2.5 million population

Food Security Policy:Alachua County, Florida The Alachua County Hunger Task Force, created in

1995, set out to reduce hunger and eliminate barriers to food.

Results: Within 10 years, food stamp participation doubled within

eligible population. Individual based initiatives

Eat Local Challenge Orchard Program Backyard Gardens

Food Security Policy:Oakland, California On January 10, 2006, Oakland City Council passed a resolution to

begin research in implementing a food policy.

The five goals of food security policy: food security urban agriculture and waste reduction economic development agricultural preservation public education and capacity building

Results: $50,000 allocated towards Oakland Food Policy Council Coordinator hired

Conservation Easements

Conservation easements an agreement in which landowners donate development

rights to a land trust. provide tax breaks ensure no commercial development in future

Land Trusts

Land Trusts in New Mexico Southern Rockies Agricultural Land Trust Santa Fe Conservation Trust Taos Land Trust Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust Malpai Borderlands Group New Mexico Land Conservancy Over 12 million acres donated in NM

New Mexico Land Conservancy Only land trust operating in Doña Ana County 60,000 acres

Methodology 2,500 surveys with help of Elephant Butte

Irrigation District To date, around 200 surveys been received 105 surveys have been processed

Frequency Analysis 4.2% surveys received

Farmer Perspectives on Future of Farming

Purpose Learn more about New Mexican farming

operations and farmers’ hopes for future of agriculture

Majority of survey participants Small farmers (1-99 acres) Pecan producers Sell majority of product in Doña Ana County

Farmer Perspectives on Future of FarmingWhat do you think would influence you the most to exit farming?

Natural Occurences

Uncertain Profitability

Changes in Water Laws

Increased Urbanization

Reduced Availability of Credit

Falling Farm Prices

Labor Scarcity

Import Competition

1= 22 23 61 28 16 28 21 212= 23 31 23 21 13 24 26 193= 24 22 2 16 22 21 19 204= 17 15 8 26 36 17 25 32

% % % % % % % %1= 26 25 65 31 18 31 23 232= 27 34 24 23 15 27 29 213= 28 24 2 18 25 23 21 224= 20 16 9 29 41 19 27 35

Total= 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100# of responses= 86 91 94 91 87 90 91 92

1=Very Influential, 2=Somewhat Influential, 3= Not Very Influential 4= Not Influential At All

Farmer Perspectives on Future of FarmingWhat do you think would influence you the most to exit farming?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Changes inWater Laws

IncreasedUrbanization

Falling FarmPrices

NaturalOccurences

UncertainProfitability

LaborScarcity

ImportCompetition

Not influential at all

Not very influential

Somewhat influential

Very influential

Farmer Perspectives on the Future of FarmingWhich of the following approaches seems the most useful in helping farmers keep their land in farming?

1=Very Useful, 2=Somewhat Useful, 3= Not Very Useful 4= Not Useful At All

Conservation Easements

Purchase by Non-Profits or Government

Entities

Tax BreaksLand

Trusts

1= 27 15 66 212= 29 16 16 333= 13 17 3 134= 17 39 6 19

% % % %1= 31 17 73 242= 34 18 18 383= 15 20 3 154= 20 45 7 22

Total= 100 100 100 100# of Responses 86 87 91 86

Farmer Perspectives on the Future of FarmingWhich of the following approaches seems the most useful in helping farmers keep their land in farming?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Tax Breaks Conservation Easements Land Trusts Purchase by Non-Profitsor Government Entities

Not useful at all

Not very useful

Somewhat useful

Very Useful

Conclusions

Food Security Policy Could greatly benefit farmers & residents Las Cruces has established food sector, unlike other

cities trying to establish food security policies

To obtain food security Need greater development of food sector Provide farmers information on existing policies helping

keep farmland in farming Create incentives encouraging local buying

Acknowledgements

Honor’s College Dr. Constance Falk Elephant Butte Irrigation District Gail Norvell Antonette Sanchez