First and foremost we want to thank you and the growing coalition of supporters for all your advocacy and help carrying this bill through. The long list of supporters (attached) is a testament to the importance of soil health and the amazing alliance that has formed over the course of this legislative session!

Big thanks to Representative Nathan Small, who has been a true legislative champion, as well as co-sponsors Representative Melanie Stansbury and Senator Liz Stefanics, along with numerous other legislators who supported the bill in bipartisan fashion (including Senator Peter Wirth and Representatives Jack Chatfield, Paul Bandy, Andrea Romero and Matthew McQueen)!

Of course we also want to give many thanks to the Governor and her staff who helped make this happen! Please consider writing a thank you note to the Governor and Legislators mentioned (contact info below).

We’ll keep in touch regarding supporting the successful implementation of the Healthy Soil Program. In the meantime enjoy the springtime and keep up your dedication to soil stewardship.

The Healthy Soil Act (HB 204) will be heard in the Senate Finance Committee TODAY:

If you haven’t yet, please CALL committee members NOW and encourage their support for HB 204! (The server is down, so calls only, contact info below.)

Attend the Senate Finance Committee hearing TODAY (Friday 3/8) 1:30p, Room 322, and stand in support of the Healthy Soil Act (HB 204) –please only state your name and affiliation, there is no time for lengthy comments.

Article from 2012 but informative about seed companies bought by a Monsanto affiliate and then extricating themselves:

https://nwedible.com/a-brief-history-of-monsanto-and-seed-houses-who-got-screwed/

what really happened

Territorial, Johnny’s, Fedco and most other seed houses had an established relationship with a company called Seminis. Seminis was a dominant, well-regarded independent seed company specializing in vegetable and fruit seed. They were (and remain) huge – breeding, trialed and growing out more vegetable seed than anyone else in the world. And a lot of these seeds were for vegetables varieties you probably love: golden acre cabbage, gypsy pepper, celebrity tomatoes – we’re talking quality varietals.

Monsanto bought Seminis in 2005 and left a lot of good seed houses in the awkward position of having to either find immediate alternate seed sources for the seeds Seminis was providing (which is many cases didn’t exist because Seminis was so much larger than any other seed grower) or do business with what was now, overnight, a Monsanto subsidiary.

Some companies, like Fedco, dropped all Seminis/Monsanto varieties more of less immediately. This left gaps in their seed offerings but their customer base was very supportive. (See more here.)

Many, like Territorial and Johnny’s, began to phase out their relationship with Seminis, maintaining their product inventory while beginning to seek out new seed sources that would allow them to divest of their Monsanto relationship. (See more here.)

Soil Stewards,

The Healthy Soil Act (HB 204 Small/Stansbury/Stefanics) passed the NM House of Representatives last night with strong bi-partisan support on a 48 to 6 vote! It’s been heartwarming to see such unity, among the legislators and within the agricultural community.

Next, the bill goes to the Senate Finance Committee! Please reach out respectfully to committee members and encourage their support for HB 204! See contact info below.

Thank you so much for all your support! Almost there!

Not quite ready to water yet, but we approved the plan.  It should mean quicker watering and less hose movement, less soaking for Ingrid when the big blue hoses are on the loose.  Thanks, Ron and Ingrid, for the careful drawings, concern for our treasury, and good explanation.

Instead of neat rows of monoculture, forest gardens combine fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables together in one seemingly wild setting. This type of agroforestry mimics natural ecosystems and uses the space available in a sustainable way. UK-based Martin Crawford is one of the pioneers of forest gardening. Starting out with a flat field in 1994, his land has been transformed into a woodland and serves as an educational resource for others interested in forest gardening. This short film by Thomas Regnault focuses on Crawford’s forest garden, which is abundant, diverse, edible, and might be one answer to the future of food systems.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/video/shorts/1438178883749/

https://www.instagram.com/dewtownmayor/

Amendments to the act  are here:  https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/19%20Regular/Amendments_In_Context/HB0204.pdf

The amendments seem to emasculate the act by removing details of carbon sequestration and sustainable practices that define what healthy soil is.  But according to Jeff Goebel of the Climate Consensus Institute, removing the practices but keeping the principles listed on p. 3 above the section that is lined out made it possible to achieve consensus, namely the support of the NM Cattlegrowers Association and the NM Farm and Livestock Bureau.  The principles are:

(1) keeping soil covered;

(2) minimizing soil disturbance on cropland and minimizing external inputs;

(3) maximizing biodiversity;

(4) maintaining a living root; or

(5) integrating animals into land management, including grazing animals, birds, beneficial insects or keystone species, such as earthworms

Without an advisory board, funding, or practices, I’m not sure how seriously NM ag will take the act, but the principles are a start.

Updates:

3.4.19  HB 204 Passed in House Appropriations Committee today and is heading to the House Floor, then to the Senate, and finally, if all goes well, to the Governor

https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legType=B&legNo=204&year=19

SB 218

https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=S&legType=B&legNo=%20218&year=19

Soil Stewards,

Your voices were heard! The Healthy Soil Act passed the Ag&Water Committee this morning with bi-partisan support.

Thank you for your calls and emails, and a very special thank you to those who showed up today, undaunted by winter storms.

We’ll keep you updated about next steps, in the meantime:

Now is a good time to contact your local representatives (House and Senate) and ask them to support the Healthy Soil Act (HB 204).

Contact your legislator:

Kelly Fajardo 

505-573-0471

kelly@kellyfajardo.com

Alonzo Baldonado

505-363-6214
zobaldonado@gmail.com

Your personal story is always best, or here are some talking points:

Healthy soils provide financial benefits for farmers and ranchers (less cost and greater production), and environmental benefits that affect all of us.
The Healthy Soil Act supports farmers and ranchers in voluntary soil health stewardship, offering education, technical assistance and financial incentives.
The Healthy Soil Act empowers local soil and water conservation districts, tribes, pueblos and acequias to work with land managers to implement soil health stewardship.
The Healthy Soil Act leverages federal funds, providing a match for NRCS and other new grant opportunities in the 2018 farm bill.

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And she has done and can do some harm.  Article is short, so do read.. Let’s hope she doesn’t get the post.

“If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Skipwith’s duties will include enforcing federal wildlife laws, protecting endangered species, managing migratory birds, and conserving and restoring wildlife habitat.”

https://returntonow.net/2018/11/06/trump-picks-former-monsanto-executive-to-head-u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service/?fbclid=IwAR1FC-RHPv-MDMcd3Jux2DkDVkpQTVSGv0qspKe2N65PL7FNqzSefOl3yR8

Wahls is a doctor who “cured” her MS with this diet after other approaches failed.

A friend tried jackfruit and recommends it.

https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-01-28-jackfruit-seeds-can-be-used-as-an-alternative-protein-source.html

Here are some recipes: jackfruit crab cakes!

Yumhttps://www.yummly.com/recipes/jackfruit 

Where to buy jackfruit:  Whole Foods

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/get-know-jackfruit

I wouldn’t buy seeds from Amazon–Reviews show problems with germination–and think we probably couldn’t grow them here anyway.

Regarding NM HB204:  Healthy Soil Act

I am seriously concerned about food scarcity for young people in Valencia County. As a long-time member of the community garden we have always promoted family gardening. However, many county families really don’t have the time and resources to grow even a little food in the summer. We have tried to support the East Valencia Urban Garden Project sponsored by VSWCD at Meadow Lake and El Cerro Mission, and those gardens are starting to supply some fresh food for the area residents.

New Mexico HB204, now in the legislature, would give that program a boost. If you followed the crowd-funding project sponsored by Laura Bittner from the County Extension Office, you would know that she only reached about 65% of her $15,500 goal to supply weekend food sacks to Century High School Students. I recently talked to Diana Good, the Valencia County State Health officer, and I was amazed to learn that the school lunch programs in the summer often rely on volunteers to deliver lunches to the “food deserts” in our county.

I have talked to Ron Moya in Adelino who is growing commercial organic vegetables on his small farm. HB204 would certainly help him get financing. And last, I have listened to Newt McCarty of the County Extension Office and Ron talk about building a food hub in our county so that locally grown food could be sold and distributed locally to community centers, schools and other agencies. We would have more locally-grown food available to our disadvantaged citizens.

The food we try to grow in our county will only be as good as the soil. Alfalfa and corn drastically deplete the nutrients in the soil so it is amended with chemicals, and then the crop is given to animals. Our county needs food for people locally grown without pesticides and herbicides.  Look at all the bare fields, abandoned plots, and over-grazed acreage along Hwy 47. There are methods now being used to bring back that soil . . . to grow food, but it takes support and training. HB204 could provide that.

Details of HB204 https://www.legiscan.com/NM/bill/HB204/2019

New_Mexico-2019-HB204-Introduced.pdf

Joyce Johns, Valencia Community Gardens, outreach

Regarding HB204:  adapted from Jan. 24, 2019 email Joyce sent to State Representative Kelly Fajardo

Ask seed companies if they have taken the Safe Seed Pledge and tested their stock for GMOs. Here’s a list.

Purchase, plant, and save seeds from heirloom varieties. We need to support Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange, and Clear Creek Heirloom Seeds and others that specialize in heirlooms and that are NOT owned by Monsanto or Seminis. The legacy of Seed Saver’s Exchange is to tell you how to collect and store seeds.

For more, go to https://deeprootsathome.com/4-ways-to-keep-monsanto-out-of-your-home-garden/?fbclid=IwAR3rkmJZXqA4AX6R4dqCri5rdtONRHNkP8kOxcuNviopKZAH-AxXEKGZe3A

I hope if HB204 passes, the advisory board takes note:  Costco is removing Roundup from shelves.  Now let’s pressure Home Depot and Lowe’s to do the same:

Home Depot – 1-800-466-3337
Lowe’s – 1-800-445-6937

https://www.wakingtimes.com/2019/01/18/costco-to-be-the-first-major-retailer-to-dump-monsantos-roundup-and-glyphosate-herbicide-from-its-shelves/?fbclid=IwAR2CNxV7gaoDjpVD2dYiLSDqR2mle7yETF360lVn5ncysnC8iTuoHTjI8RI

Nathan P. Small 
Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics

https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legtype=B&legno=204&year=19

This bill establishes a voluntary program, but it’s heading in the right direction:  establishes an advisory board to help define “healthy soil” and appropriates five million dollars to educate growers.  Let’s hope the board includes a soil specialist educated about the harmful effects of GMOs, herbicides, and pesticides on beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

Email or call Kelly Fajardo and Alonzo Baldonado.  The bill heads to their Commerce and Economic Development Committee on Jan. 23:

Kelly:

kelly.fajardo@nmlegis.gov or kelly@kellyfajardo.com

505-573-0471

Alonzo:

alonzo.baldonado@nmlegis.gov or zobaldonado@gmail.com

505-363-6214

https://philhoward.net/