The RIO grande local foods logistic and distribution program (RGLDP) develops the capacity of local farmers, ranchers, food producers, and intermediaries to increase and diversify sales to…

The Rio Grande Local Foods Logistic and Distribution Program (RGLDP) will provide technical assistance and capacity building services to local farmers, ranchers, food producers, and intermediaries in New Mexico to increase sales to retailers, food manufacturers, and institutions along the I-25 corridor from Taos to Las Cruces. Led by the Rio Grande Community Development Corporation and partner organizations, the RGLDP will deliver training and online resources, including food safety certification, to help participants scale operations and diversify sales. The $968,114 project grant from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service will support local food production, processing, sales, promotion, and distribution activities. Through the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, the funding aims to help local food producers in New Mexico grow annual sales by 15% by providing access to infrastructure, technical assistance to meet Good Agricultural Practices standards, and inventory and sales tracking tools to connect with multiple buyers.

The RIO grande local foods logistic and distribution program (RGLDP) develops the capacity of local farmers, ranchers, food producers, and intermediaries to increase and diversify sales to retailers, food- manufacturers, and institutions in the north-south I-25 corridor from taos to LAS cruces, NM. The I- 25LFDP supports production, processing, sales, promotion, and distribution by scaling capacity and providing in-person and online T/TA, including food safety certification training. The RGLDP is led by RIO grande community development corporation (RGCDC), manager of the south valley economic development center (SVEDC), which includes the mixing bowl (MB) program, the largest food-industry business incubator in new mexico, and delicious new mexico (DNM), a proven distribution infrastructure, and includes partnerships with agri-cultura network, a cooperative of local farmers; the hispanic-american institute, a nonprofit experienced in institutional marketing; mayordomo food systems (MFS), a small enterprise software provider; and new mexico fresh foods, the first high pressure processing (HPP) facility in the southwest. The RGLDP will build on RGCDC's innovative and cost-effective value chain infrastructure DNM and its experienced food incubator MB, both located at SVEDC. The RGLDP will help local food producers grow 15% annually by providing 1) T/TA in agricultural product and business development; 2) access to SVEDC's processing, aggregation, and storing capacity; 3) T/TA to meet GAP requirements; 4) access to MFS tools including tracking the exact location where produce is grown; 5) inventory to multiple buyers; 6) use data to develop business. The I- 25LFDP will help participants respond to market requirements of volume, quality, supply, food safety, and price.