The Questa Sangre de Cristo Valley Market will receive a major investment as part of a statewide effort to strengthen local food systems and improve access to fresh foods in rural areas.
The store was awarded $150,000 through New Mexico’s Healthy Food Financing Fund, one of 25 projects sharing $1.6 million in grants announced by the state Economic Development Department this month.
The funding is intended to help strengthen local agricultural supply chains, expand access to healthy foods and support rural and tribal communities involved in food production and distribution.
State officials said the grants support projects ranging from rural grocery improvements and mobile food delivery programs to climate-smart agriculture and expanded meat processing capacity.
“Food is central to our culture in New Mexico and essential to everyday life; investing in our food system is an investment in our future,” Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Rob Black said in a statement. “These projects support the people who are feeding our communities and strengthening our economy.”
The Sangre de Cristo Valley Market award is among the largest grants announced this cycle. The money will be used to replace the store’s existing floor.
“The floor replacement project is more than a building upgrade, it is an investment in the long-term sustainability of the Sangre de Cristo Valley Market,” said Lynn Skall, Director of the Questa Economic Development Fund who wrote the grant that’s funding this project. “This is the only full-service grocery store in the Questa area, it’s reliably open seven days a week, providing fresh, high-quality food from local producers, and keeping local dollars in Questa.”
Officials said the Healthy Food Financing Fund is designed to help food retailers, processors and distributors expand access to fresh food while building stronger local economies.
In Questa, where residents often travel long distances for groceries and services, the funding is expected to support the market’s role in connecting local families with fresh food and regional producers.
The Healthy Food Financing Fund is intended to improve food security while supporting New Mexico’s agricultural economy through investments in food hubs, retailers, processors and climate-smart farming practices.
