MARTA Tries to Tackle Food Deserts
In February of 2015 the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) announced that they would be partnering with local food banks in order to help those living in food deserts find fresh produce. The Fresh Marta Market program launched in May.
Food desert is a term given to areas where people live more than one mile from fresh produce. These communities tend to have higher rates of obesity and pay more for the energy-dense foods they buy from convenience stores. To date 36% of Atlanta qualifies as a food desert.
The USDA has a map of food deserts throughout the United States.
Rideshare company Lyft has partnered with MARTA to help those relying on public transportation to get to these Fresh Marta Markets with $2 fares to and from the stations on days the markets are open.
The Five Points station market is admittedly small. It can easily be called a kiosk. However, they do have a variety of produce on offer: broccoli, mustard greens, shiitake mushrooms, various potatoes and gourds.
They also have the Added Value section of local goods. The idea of added value is something that isn’t necessarily farmed locally but its value is added in Georgia. “We have peanuts that grow locally but they can be turned into peanut butter which adds value to the product,” Sonny Sol explains. She’s worked for the Fresh MARTA Market for a few months. One of only three full-time employees.
Those who contribute produce to the markets make sure to provide seasonal produce for people as well as items that grow in green houses all year.
She explains other benefits of the market such as the FVRx program “You go to Grady and you take a class. They give you a prescription for fresh produce,” she explains to me. “…you can bring it here and gather those items. We take that prescription in exchange for your produce.”
The Fresh MARTA Market has also created EBT and SNAP incentives. People using food assistance can double their benefits. So, the shiitake mushrooms they have for $3 end up being $1.50.
Farmer’s Markets are on the rise around metro Atlanta. There was a 600% increase in markets in the area between 2007 and 2012. Unfortunately, many of them are in more suburban settings which makes them difficult to get to via MARTA.
Georgia ranks 24th in obesity meaning 31% of the state is unhealthy. Additionally, Georgia ranks 18th with regards to childhood obesity. The largest demographics for childhood obesity are African American children at 22% and Hispanic children at 19% respectively. A huge contributor to this is access to fresh food. The long-term health effects of obesity are conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, gout, and osteoarthritis. These conditions cost $190 billion.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of new people at the Fresh MARTA Markets. Sol admits that’s most of the people that come to the markets are repeat customers. The typical clientele are commuters on their way home.
While access to fresh produce is important there are some flaws in the system they’ve set up. Firstly the market is inside the actual station. Meaning that if a person wants to use the market they have to pay $2.50 to reach it. If someone uses the Lyft code for the $2 fare then they’re paying $4 round trip plus the $2.50 to get into the station.
This isn’t ideal but it is good for those budgeting their time and money. $6.50 round trip is far less expensive and time consuming than what it would cost to take the same service at market price to a larger grocery store.
