The NMFMA opened applications for the New Mexico Grown Approved Supplier Program. Courtesy/NMFMA

NMFMA News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association (NMFMA) has opened its annual applications for the New Mexico Grown Approved Supplier Program for farmers, ranchers, food hubs and distributors across the state.

The Approved Supplier Program is a food quality assurance program that supports New Mexico Grown, a values-based local food purchasing program that nourishes New Mexico school-age children, older adults, and families with fresh locally produced food.

Approved vendors will be eligible to sell to state institutions and food bank buyers who receive special funding for local food purchases. No producer is too small, and fair market prices are a hallmark of this program that currently provides a multi-million-dollar market opportunity for local food producers. Technical assistance and support is available throughout the process.

• April 15, 2024, is the priority deadline to submit applications in order to start selling from July 2024 – June 2025.

• Applications will be accepted at any time/year-round. Applications received after April 15, 2024, will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and generally take about 45 days to process.

This year, the NMFMA invested in a new application portal that makes it easy for applicants to submit applications. Previous Approved Supplier Program applicants must submit a new application. Register at https://nmfma.my.site.com/s/login/ today! More program information can be found at https://newmexicogrown.org/, or submit questions to: asp@farmersmarketsnm.org.

The New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to supporting agriculture producers and cultivating the networks that grow healthy communities. FarmersMarketsNM.org