In response to state governmental policies recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in coming decades, we formed FoodPrintNM, an alliance of stakeholders in academia, government, business, and public policy. The alliance works as a community of practice to address critical issues that limit wider adoption of local, organic food. Critical issues include land use, labor, water, environmental health, nutrition, and accessibility to healthy food for the one in six New Mexicans who face food insecurity.  Transitions from commodity based agriculture to sustainable, local, and regional food systems entail environmental and economic concerns that can be addressed within a framework that examines diversity of commodity production in light of environmental constraints. The general goal is to identify opportunities to increase crop production where it is currently below environmental potential while simultaneously increasing the diversity of crops across the entire foodshed, thereby to satisfy nutritional demand.

Results/Conclusions

In response to state governmental policies recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in coming decades, we formed FoodPrintNM, an alliance of stakeholders in academia, government, business, and public policy. The alliance works as a community of practice to address critical issues that limit wider adoption of local, organic food. Critical issues include land use, labor, water, environmental health, nutrition, and accessibility to healthy food for the one in six New Mexicans who face food insecurity.  Transitions from commodity based agriculture to sustainable, local, and regional food systems entail environmental and economic concerns that can be addressed within a framework that examines diversity of commodity production in light of environmental constraints. The general goal is to identify opportunities to increase crop production where it is currently below environmental potential while simultaneously increasing the diversity of crops across the entire foodshed, thereby to satisfy nutritional demand.