In This Issue: Making food systems fundamentally better

First paragraph: On the cover of our fall issue (completing our 14th year of publication) is a photo by Timothy Willms, owner of Talus Wind Ranch. Willms participated in the New Mexico Grown Meat Pilot Program reported in the article in this issue, Farm-to-institution in the Southwest: An evaluation of the New Mexico Grown Meat Pilot Program, by Kathryn Coakley, Acadia W. Buro, Caitlyn Sandoval, Bryan Crawford-Garrett, and Francisco Soto Mas. Willms’ heritage sheep are well-suited to the high desert, so their grazing is a fitting use of the land—which can be traced back centuries under Navajo stewardship. Moreover, Talus Wind Ranch’s commitment to local food security is laudable. JAFSCD applauds the return of appropriate-scale raising of heritage sheep in this region, among the poorest in the United States. We hope to see its expansion in the coming years with increased livelihood opportunities, sustainable grazing practices, and place identity branding, especially for Pueblo communities. . . .