Albuquerque woman honored by James Beard Foundation for work within farming cooperative
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The leader of an Albuquerque cooperative that provides access to New Mexico-grown organic produce and meat was selected as the recipient of a prestigious award from the James Beard Foundation.
Helga Garcia-Garza, the executive director of Agri-Cultura Network, a farmer-owned
cooperative, and their community-supported agricultural program, La Cosecha CSA, will be awarded the 2024 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award under the “food security and access” category.
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Garcia-Garza’s work through the South Valley Albuquerque-based organization has enabled hundreds of low-income families and individuals to access fresh and local produce using SNAP funds. She also oversees the distribution of produce and meat to senior nutrition sites, early childhood centers, the public education department, charter schools, hospitals, and clinics across the state. “I am the recipient named, but for me, I accept that award with everyone that has put effort in collectively to where we’re at now,” Garcia-Garza said.
Management staff from the Agri-Cultura Network and leaders from the Rural Advancement Funding Institute (RAFI), which Garza is a board member of, nominated her for the award. “I wasn’t told by any of them that they had nominated me, and it wasn’t until we were in a staff meeting a couple of weeks ago, and there was a phone call that the James Beard Award had great news for me,” Garza explained.
Garcia-Garza, who spent 20 years as an organic farmer, said her drive to do what she does comes from her upbringing. She is the daughter of an activist and a member of a marginalized Native Indigenous community. “I grew up grounded in a ceremonial agricultural calendar, which we continue to this day, practicing within four generations actively. And I hold that very deep in my being and celebrate life. And that has also been my pathway to getting here,” she said.
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Being an environmental justice activist herself, Garcia-Garza ensures that pesticides are not used by the 73 farmers and ranchers of the Agri-Cultura Network and that they are taking into to consideration the limited land and water resources in New Mexico.
Apart from her involvement in multiple other organizations, Garcia-Garza is now focusing on building a multi-million dollar solar-powered “Eco-Wellness” clinic that aims to bridge the gap between sustainable agricultural practices and nutritional wellbeing.
Garcia-Garza will travel to Chicago in June to receive the award from the James Beard Foundation. “Just excited that I’ll be able to meet a lot of folk that are really grounded and doing a lot of amazing work within food systems,” she said.
