How does the hunger problem in New Mexico compare to other states?
Hunger is a greater challenge in New Mexico than in most other states for three major reasons. First, New Mexico has one of the highest poverty rates of any state. So it’s no surprise that it has the second-highest level of food insecurity [the risk of not having enough food] and the third-highest level of hunger. Second, New Mexico is mostly a rural state with low population density and long distances between communities. Distributing food across these distances is costly, requiring proportionately greater resources to reach people in need. And third, relatively little food is grown or produced in New Mexico. As a result, the volume of surplus food here is low compared with most other states where food production is greater.
