SANTA FE, NM — Food banks across New Mexico are reporting a sharp rise in demand as federal changes to nutrition programs and related cuts squeeze local resources. Experts told lawmakers Wednesday that the strain has grown even though the state has put significant money into food insecurity efforts in recent years.

Roadrunner Food Bank’s Katy Anderson told the interim Legislative Health and Human Services Committee that 25,000 New Mexicans have lost SNAP benefits, including 13,000 children. She said that loss is forcing more people to turn to food banks for help. Anderson described SNAP as a short-term bridge for many households, and said more people now have to find another way to get across.

What Lawmakers Heard

Jill Dixon, executive director of The Food Depot in Santa Fe, said the rise in demand came on top of federal cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program, known as TEFAP. She said New Mexico food banks lost more than 20 truckloads of food in April 2025, a loss she put at $2 million.

Dixon also told lawmakers that food banks in the state have seen a 40% to 60% drop in food supplied through that program. At the same time, she said demand for help has climbed by 40% to 60%, driven mainly by affordability problems and inflation. She noted that SNAP feeds far more people than the food bank network can, saying the program provides nine meals for every one meal from food banks.

How The Strain Built

State support has helped food banks keep up with some of the losses, according to Dixon. Legislative Finance Committee analyst Ruby Ann Esquibel said lawmakers approved $30 million in so-called GRO funding, short for government results and opportunities. She said the first $10 million has already been spent, with just $1.01 left in that portion.

Dixon said that money has helped expand access across the state. She said there are now more than 600 food bank locations in every county, which she described as more than 100 additional sites compared with last year. In her view, that growth has allowed food to reach communities that had previously been underserved or not served at all.

What Happens Next

Dixon said the association of food banks will prepare an estimate of how much funding it needs going forward to keep operating at current levels. That estimate will likely shape future discussions about how New Mexico responds to higher demand and lower federal support.

For readers looking for details, the state’s food bank network and the Legislative Finance Committee are the main public points of contact mentioned in the hearing. The report suggests the issue will remain under review as food banks track demand, federal program changes, and whether state dollars can continue to offset the gap left by reduced aid.

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