Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) led a roundtable conversation on Aug. 24 with regional food banks to deliberate on the upcoming Farm Bill and its potential to cater to their unique requirements and enhance nutritional accessibility for disadvantaged communities, according to a press release. CEO of Roadrunner Food Bank of NM, Alice Perez, CEO of Gallup Community Pantry Inc., Laura Butziger, Interim CEO of ECHO Inc., Dianna Sprague, CEO of Food Bank of Eastern NM and Sherry Hooper, CEO of The Food Depot, joined.

"As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, keeping healthy food on the table is a top priority," Luján said.

After participating in a discussion with local food banks centered around the Farm Bill and addressing their distinct needs for enhancing nutrition access, Luján organized a roundtable discussion involving stakeholders from across the state. The conversation entailed extending the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) program, listening to their stories and celebrating the progress achieved. In the recent past, Luján led efforts that resulted in a substantial and bipartisan expansion and continuation of the RECA through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), as highlighted in the press release.

“It’s important to hear directly from our producers about the challenges and opportunities they face to ensure the Farm Bill meets their specific needs,” Luján said, according to the press release. “With so many New Mexican families who depend on SNAP and EBT, I’m fighting to make sure these critical programs are maintained and well-funded through the Farm Bill.

“Last month’s vote to expand and extend RECA was an important step in the fight for justice for downwinders and uranium miners, but we still have work to do. I’m carrying their stories back to Washington because I refuse to let their voices be ignored. I promise I will not stop fighting until RECA expansion is signed into law for those who sacrificed in the name of our national security,” Luján said.