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NMSU Cooperative Extension asks $2.5 million recurring to sustain nutrition program after federal cut
Summary
NMSU Cooperative Extension urged the Legislative Finance committee to provide $2.5 million in recurring state funding to preserve and expand the Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition (ICANN) program after federal SNAP‑Ed funds were eliminated; Extension officials said ICANN reached about 55,000 New Mexicans in 2024 and reported strong behavior change outcomes.
A Cooperative Extension Service presenter described the role of the county‑based extension network and asked the committee for $2,500,000 in recurring funding to continue the Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition (ICANN) program after federal SNAP‑Ed funding ended. The presenter said the program reached about 55,000 New Mexicans in 2024, that roughly 50% of participants are Hispanic and about 10% are Native American, and that participant surveys showed roughly 90% reported healthier diets after participation.
The Extension speaker said state funding would retain 29 nutrition educators located across 21 counties and give the program flexibility to reach nontraditional audiences beyond the prior federal eligibility constraints. Committee members asked whether employees would be state employees, how job descriptions and supervision would change, and whether Extension staff have worked with juvenile‑justice facilities; Extension representatives said many educator positions are paraprofessional and that educators have in some instances delivered services in residential juvenile settings.
What comes next: Extension requested recurring support that staff said would bridge ICANN through June 2026 and allow program expansion thereafter; the committee asked follow‑ups on staffing models and program performance measures.
