TEFAP Rules for Food Pantries in New Mexico
In New Mexico, TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) is run by NM Health Care Authority, Income Support Division, Food & Nutrition Services Bureau. This page sets out what a food pantry or other distribution site has to do: who qualifies, what each household declares, what you record at each visit, how long you keep it, how complaints are handled and what you report. Where New Mexico's own documents disagree, that is said plainly rather than smoothed over.
New Mexico's TEFAP agency and official documents
- NM Health Care Authority, Income Support Division, Food & Nutrition Services Bureau — the State agency's own TEFAP page (checked 2026-10-10).
- NM Health Care Authority: TEFAP income guideline (Feb 2026) (checked 2026-10-10)
Who qualifies: the income limit
Household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines (official table: TEFAP Income Guideline Feb 2026). Households in these programs qualify without an income test:
- SNAP
- WIC
- CACFP
- CSFP
- FDPIR
| Household size | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $29,526 | $2,461 |
| 2 | $40,034 | $3,336 |
| 3 | $50,542 | $4,212 |
| 4 | $61,050 | $5,088 |
| 5 | $71,558 | $5,963 |
| 6 | $82,066 | $6,839 |
| 7 | $92,574 | $7,715 |
| 8 | $103,082 | $8,590 |
| Each additional person | +$10,508 |
The eligibility declaration
Form: Eligibility Application (manual attachment). How often: annual with change check each visit. Clients self-declare; proof of income is not required.
What to record at each visit
- household name
- household_size
- adult signature
- county
- state
- zip
Client signature at every pickup: Yes. Electronic signatures: No. Electronic intake: only the temperature log may be electronic (manual).
Proxies
USDA Foods - TEFAP Proxy Authorization (up to 12 months, homebound). The proxy does not have to show ID.
What you must not collect
- ID cannot be required to receive TEFAP food.
How long to keep records
3 years.
Civil rights
Complaints: forward within 3 days to TEFAP Manager, HCA/ISD/FANS (age complaints within 24 hours; others within 3 working days). Anyone may complain, in writing or verbally, without giving a name. Training: annual (regional food banks), attendance sheets.
Posted or handed out:
- poster
- exterior sign in English and Spanish with hours, phone and statement
Reporting
monthly to regional food bank, due by the 5th on Food Box Log.
- households
- people
- meals
Storage temperatures
Refrigerated 35–40°F, frozen at or below 0°F. Temperature log: daily on open days (date, time, temperature, initials).
Also
- How often households must be able to come: monthly
- Client data may not be shared with third parties even with consent; interpreter-waiver form if interpretation declined; clients told the food is TEFAP.
Where the sources disagree
- Manual allows only the temperature log electronically - electronic intake for NM must be confirmed with the regional food bank/state.
Ask your food bank which one they monitor against.
Sources
TEFAP in nearby States
TEFAP in Arizona · TEFAP in Colorado · TEFAP in Oklahoma · TEFAP in Texas · all States