The Hidalgo County Food Coalition and the Southwest New Mexico Food Policy Council regard the availability of affordable and healthy food as a social justice issue. The Center for Health Innovation (CHI) helped to establish these two food policy councils at the local (county) and regional (four counties) levels, and CHI team members continue to support and participate in both of them. Council projects deal with the unique characteristics and challenges of food security in rural and frontier communities. Both health outcomes and economic development factors are considered in the review of existing and potential food systems, infrastructure and policies. To learn more download “The Southwest New Mexico Food Policy Council: Thinking Regionally, Acting Locally” from the John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and FoodPolicyNetworks.org.
