A variety of fresh produce for students from the San Juan College Harvest Food Hub, one of the winners of this years Golden Chile awards. (Courtesy San Juan College)
Several San Juan County organizations are being recognized with a Golden Chile Award for their involvement in New Mexico-grown food and its distribution to locals.
The Golden Chiles are awarded annually by the New Mexico Grown Coalition to schools and centers who incorporate locally grown, fresh food into their nutrition programs. The coalition, an initiative that connects New Mexico farmers, ranchers, and food producers with public institutions, received about $3.3 million of investment from the state this past fiscal year.
To win the award, the New Mexico Grown Coalition examines nominees participating in five key areas: purchase and use of locally grown foods, promotion of local food culture in meal program, edible gardens, student voice and nutrition education, and program sustainability.
There are various award tiers which reflect a group’s progress in these categories- Seed (the program has potential), Sprout (the program is growing strong), Blossom (the program is reaching maturity), and Golden Chile (mature and fruitful program).
Of the 136 organizations being recognized this year, Farmington Preschool, Aztec Municipal School District, and Bloomfield Senior Center are designated “Sprout” programs, while Farmington Municipal Schools, Bloomfield Schools, and Aztec Senior Center achieved the “Blossom” tier. Blanco and Lower Valley Senior Centers is the highest level at “Golden Chile”.
Farmington’s Edgars Farm and San Juan College Harvest Food Hub, along with Bloomfield’s Gatherings Gardens and Bluffs Farm, are also being recognized as approved suppliers in the program.
Multiple representatives from organizations belonging to the New Mexico Grown Coalition will be present at the upcoming awards ceremony, including The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), the Departments of Aging and Long-Term Services, Agriculture, the Office of Indian Elder Affairs, Early Childhood Education & Care and Public Education, as well as the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association and Farm to Table New Mexico.
“We’re always happy to see more New Mexico Grown participants each year connecting children and seniors to fresh, local food,” said Rita Condon, director of NMDOH’s Office of Nutrition and Physical Activity in a press release. “Congratulations to the awardees for work that enriches the health of our communities and vitality of our food producers.”
The Golden Chile Awards ceremony will take place Oct. 19 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, where awardees will each receive two certificates promoting their work in the program.
