Principal Investigator/Mentor: Francisco Soto Mas (with Vittoria Totaro)
Funder: NIOSH Education and Research Center (ERC)/Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH). Pilot Projects Research Training (PPRT) Program.
Start Date: July 2024
End date: June 2025
The aim of this exploratory study is to assess the impact of climate change on the mental health of farmers
Project Team: Francisco Soto Mas, Laura Nervi, Elizabeth Yakes-Jimenez, Marygold Walsh-Dilley
Funder: Natural Resources Conservation Services, US Department of Agriculture (USDA): Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements
Start Date: July 8, 2024
End Date: June 30, 2027
The Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements fund projects to expand the delivery of conservation assistance to producers who are new to farming, are low-income, identify as one or more marginalized race or ethnicity, and/or are military veterans.
PASE will establish a new education program to train underrepresented students on natural resources conservation practices and promote opportunities with NRCS for natural resource conservation and climate-smart agriculture.
PASE builds on an existing Bernalillo County/UNM College of Population Health (COPH) partnership and the expertise of a transdisciplinary team of practitioners, educators, and researchers. It addresses the following NRCS priority areas: 1) promoting the adoption of climate-smart conservation by supporting small-scale traditional agriculture and educating future producers on NRCS conservation and financial and technical assistance programs; and 2) offering career opportunities in conservation and building a generation of conservationists by recruiting and training students attending a minority‐serving institution on conservation and the multilevel benefits of small and traditional agriculture from a population health perspective. These initiatives are consistent with NRCS and state level recommendations to promote conservation/sustainability and ensure the future of NM agriculture.
Start Date: March 2024
End Date: December 2025
Leading Researchers: Kathryn E Coakley, Francisco Soto Mas
Research Assistant: Vittoria Totaro
Funder: Thornburg Foundation
The aims of the project are to: 1) develop an inventory of farmer and rancher training programs in New Mexico, and 2) conduct a state-wide evaluation of farmer and rancher training programs. The evaluation phase consists of a multilevel impact assessment that includes environmental, social, economic, health, and food systems indicators (e.g. human capital, financial security, social capital, physical environment and soil health, sustainability and conservation, food production and access).
Link to Phase 1 Inventory and Case Study Results
Link to Rancher Training Program Inventory
Abstract/Presentation:
Coakley KE, Buro AW, Sandoval C, Crawford-Garrett B, Soto Mas F. Sustaining Local Food Systems: An Evaluation of the New Mexico Grown FY23 Meat Pilot Program. Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) Annual Conference. July 29-August 1, 2024. Knoxville, TN. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S149940462400112X
In partnership with the New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association (NMFMA)
Leading Researchers: Kathryn E Coakley, Acadia Buro
Research Assistant: Caitlyn Sandoval
AIMS: 1) understanding NM Grown meat supply chains through supply chain mapping, 2) gathering input from FY23 Meat Pilot buyers, 3) gathering input from FY23 Meat Pilot Approved Supplier Meat Vendors, and 4) gathering input from diverse FY23 Meat Pilot stakeholders.
Researchers at the University of New Mexico, College of Population Health are interested in learning about the national impact of COVID-19 on USDA-certified organic principal operators/producers. The results of this survey will be used to inform future actions and guidance to protect and support organic farmers through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Factors that may compromise the health and safety of organic farmers differ from those of non-organic farmers. These differences go beyond the use of organic pesticides and organic inputs to include practices and psychosocial and contextual factors that may be unique to the organic farmer. The overall aim of this study is to develop, validate and administer a comprehensive survey that identifies and typifies health and safety risks among organic producers in the SW Ag region and provides information on the occupational, psychosocial and contextual factors that may contribute to injury and disease prevention. The Organic Farmers Safety, Health and Life survey study, is funded by NIOSH through the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education (SW Ag Center).
This study aims to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on organic farmers in five states, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Questions spanning four domains: prevalence, preventive behavior, collateral damage, and resilience were developed and administered in conjunction with the Organic Farmer Safety, Health & Life Survey. This study is funded by NIOSH through a grant awarded by the SW Ag Center.
https://hsc.unm.edu/news/2022/12/researchers-covid-toll-farmers.html
Grow the Growers is a farmer training and business incubation program by Bernalillo County Open Space. The Program provides participants with the infrastructure, land, and tools necessary to get started in local food production and helps graduates find business opportunities. The COPH APE Unit provides technical assistance with planning and evaluation
NMPHA 2024 Meeting Presentation
Francisco Soto Mas, MD, PhD, MPH, Vittoria Totaro, MPA, MA, UNM COPH; Mari Simbana, MCRP, Bernalillo County Open Space; & Cathy Day, PhD, AgriCulturaCooperative Network
Download: NMPHA 2024 Meeting GtG Evaluation Poster PDF
The Grow the Growers (GtG) Farmer Training Program was crafted with the overarching goal of offering aspiring farmers a thorough education in agricultural methodologies, sustainable practices, and business management strategies. GtG employs a multifaceted approach, incorporating hands-on field demonstrations, interactive workshops, and mentoring to ensure a well-rounded and practical learning experience for participants.
In 2019, to assess the effectiveness of the program and ensure improvement, a multi-year evaluation plan was developed in collaboration with the UNM College of Population Health, Assessment, Planning & Evaluation Lab (APEL). A continuous assessment was carried out to outline GtG, encompassing its principles, organizational framework, activities, accomplishments, and challenges. The aim was to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, offering recommendations for enhancement.
Watch local news clip on Bernalillo County Grow the Growers:
Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations. There is a significant opportunity for injury, disease, and mortality in the agricultural industry, including organic farming. The aim of this pilot project is to collaboratively develop, implement, and evaluate a health and safety training module to address the specific health and safety needs of organic and traditional farmers. This project is collaborating with the Grow the Grower Program, a farm training and business acceleration program in Bernalillo County.
Funding for this research was supported by the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education through Cooperative Agreement # U54-OH007541 from CDC/NIOSH
Contributes to community wealth by:
Funded by the Office of Substance Abuse and Prevention (OSAP), the program aims at reducing substance use risk and increasing resiliency through the Strategic Network of Advocates for the Prevention of Suicide and Substance Abuse (SNAP-SA), a multi-agency community coalition. Current strategies focus on underage drinking and prescription misuse through media campaigns, enforcement, education, training, and policy change. The COPH APEL Unit serves as an external evaluator for the program.