Feeding Community, Growing Opportunity: The Story of Cruz Farm
Gabriel Cruz of Cruz Farm
Tucked along the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona, Cruz Farm practices sustainable, ethical and regenerative methods. Along with pasture-raised eggs, the fourth-generation, family-run farm also grows and prepares its own feed, made of barley, oats, fish meal and alfalfa. It cultivates pinto beans, coffee beans, pecans and garlic, while also selling honey and fresh tortillas.
“Agriculture is up and down, left and right,” says farmer Gabriel Cruz. “We have to constantly be prepared and ready for anything.”
Coyotes, droughts, power outages — he’s learned to navigate them all. But like many rural farmers, Cruz now faces a different kind of uncertainty: cuts to federal funding that support food access programs and supply chain logistics. For Cruz Farm, those dollars helped move eggs, beans and tortillas into food banks and school districts across the region — ensuring that local food made it to local tables.
When those funds are delayed or disappear, it doesn't just disrupt a business — it disrupts a community.
To meet this challenge, Cruz turned to Local First Arizona. Through the Southeastern Arizona Micro-Loan Program, designed specifically for small businesses in Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties, Cruz accessed vital capital to keep operations moving, despite unpredictable funding cycles.
These flexible loans — reviewed and approved by local steering committees — are helping farmers like Gabriel build bridges through the dry spells.
“There’s still a major disconnect,” he says. “At the end of the day, it costs money to get the product to the destination.”
In rural Arizona, where market access often requires hours on the road, logistics are half the battle. Programs like the Southeastern Arizona Micro-Loan and the Southwest Regional Food Business Center help fill in the gaps — not just for equipment or supplies, but for mileage, time and the everyday hustle of moving food from field to fork.
Despite the uncertainty, Cruz is planning ahead. Contracts may end, but his commitment remains. He’s already pivoting, strategizing and working to secure new buyers and outlets for Cruz Farm’s products — with the same resilience that’s kept his family farming for generations.
“We’re in survival mode,” he says. “But we’re not giving up.”
At Local First Arizona, we believe Arizona’s food economy is strongest when it’s local, diverse and community-powered. That’s why we’re investing in the farmers who feed us — especially those in rural places where innovation and hard work go hand in hand.
Are you a small farm or rural food producer in Arizona?
We may be able to help. Explore our loan programs and technical assistance designed to keep you growing.