New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service is participating in a program to help rural communities improve access to healthy eating and physical activities for children.
NMSU Extension offices in Quay Grant and Torrance counties have been selected to administer the state's initial projects, which is to look at regional needs.
Many rural communities lack access to affordable fresh, nutritious food, and it is difficult to walk or bike to destinations and participate regularly in physical activity and recreational sport programs.
The program was developed by Oregon State University and is being conducted in Washington, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
GROW Healthy Kids and Community is funded by a $4.87 million grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
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