New Refrigerated Truck to Expand Regional Food Aggregation by 50%

Two men standing next to a refrigerator truck with a sign on the door of the truck that says Amigos Locale, Juice Bar, Coffee, Cafe, Events

A.I.R.E. has acquired a 16-foot refrigerated truck through a grant from Rio Grande Colonias, with an ambitious goal: expand regional food aggregation by 50%, connecting producers across Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado to markets, schools, and families.

Why This Matters for Food Security:

One of the biggest challenges facing our regional food system is infrastructure—specifically, the ability to efficiently aggregate, transport, and distribute food from multiple small and mid-size producers. Many farmers and ranchers grow exceptional food but lack the transportation capacity to reach larger markets while maintaining food safety and freshness.

Our new refrigerated truck addresses this critical gap and positions A.I.R.E. to significantly expand our aggregation capacity.

From Ten Farms to Regional Scale:

A.I.R.E. currently aggregates production from ten local farms through The Taos Community Farm CSA program, providing weekly boxes to more than 60 families. We also prepare 800 USDA organic farm-to-school meals daily. With the new refrigerated truck, we can:

Expand to additional producers across Northern New Mexico and the San Luis Valley
Increase aggregation capacity by 50% to serve more families and institutions
Maintain proper cold chain for vegetables, fruits, grains, and meats
Deliver efficiently to schools, the Amigos Locale Farm Store, CSA pickup sites, and other outlets
Support the freezer trailer program transporting local beef, lamb, and bison from processing facilities

Shifting Dependence from California to Colorado:

A man wearing warm clothes and a hat standing next to a cooler with a pallet loaded with fresh apples.

This expansion isn’t just about scale—it’s about resilience and sustainability. Currently, our region depends on California for year-round fresh produce like carrots, onions, beets, potatoes, apples, and greens. By increasing regional aggregation capacity, we can shift this dependence to Northern New Mexico and the San Luis Valley.

The impact? Thousands of pounds of fresh produce traveling hundreds fewer miles, dramatically cutting carbon emissions while keeping food dollars in our regional economy. This is food security that makes environmental and economic sense.

Part of a Larger Collaborative Effort:

The refrigerated truck supports the goals of the Taos Regional Farm and Ranch Food Security Collaborative, which includes A.I.R.E. and partner organizations working to strengthen food systems across our region. This collaborative effort received support through the Governor’s Food, Farm and Hunger Initiative, recognizing that food security requires coordinated infrastructure investment.

To ensure food safety at scale, A.I.R.E. is partnering with the Association of Food and Drug Officials, Cornell University, the FDA, and USDA (through New Mexico State University) to provide food safety certification training. Pueblo farmer Geronimo Romero, 6th generation rancher Robert Martinez, and ten Vista Grande student interns are earning certificates that will enable them to aggregate and prepare food to meet state standards.

Growing the System Together:

We’re currently finalizing pickup and delivery routes and building relationships with additional producers throughout the region. If you’re a farmer or rancher in Northern New Mexico or Southern Colorado interested in participating in our expanded aggregation program, please contact Micah Roseberry at micah@airetaos.org.

For consumers, this expansion means more variety at the Amigos Locale Farm Store, increased availability of local food at CSA pickup sites, and continued high-quality, locally-sourced meals for students across Taos County.

One truck. Fifty percent expansion. Thousands of pounds of carbon saved. Countless connections strengthened between producers and our community.