In February, we joined representatives from across the country at the Fair Food Network's national Double Up Food Bucks meeting. The meeting was an incredible opportunity for us and other DFBA implementers to share our experiences, successes, and challenges.
We heard updates from Fair Food Network's D.C. lobbyist, Kate Fitzgerald, and discussed the next Farm Bill that is currently being drafted. The bill must be completed and voted on by Fall 2018. An Arizona representative, Tom O'Halleran, serves on the House Agriculture Committee and is writing the bill. The Fair Food Network and our DFBA colleagues are optimistic about FINI continuing in the next Farm Bill. We also had the opportunity to discuss technology pilots across Double Up Food Bucks programs. Each pilot looks a little different, and there is interest in streamlining this through how FINI is written into the next Farm Bill.
Our team, by chance, sat with representatives from our neighboring Four Corners states and made great connections with New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada contacts. Our Nevada contact was just awarded this Spring to implement DFBA. Due to lack of farming in the state, she needs needs to do a regional version of DFBA implementation. This could be a great opportunity to uplift many of our Arizona growers, especially those in the Kingman area.
New Mexico has a $2 million Double Up program across farmers markets and grocery stores. Their similarity to Arizona is allowing us to learn a great deal from their successes and lessons learned. We're looking forward to a bright future for Double Up Arizona!
