Improving access to nutritious food for all Missourians
Our upcoming Missouri LSEN roundtable will address the causes, consequences and potential evidence-based solutions to food deserts in Missouri
By: Madalynn Owens
Between 2018–2020, more than one in nine Missourians experienced food insecurity, which is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as limited or uncertain access to enough food for active, healthy living. Almost half of the food insecure individuals in Missouri experienced “very low food insecurity,” or multiple instances of reduced food intake, altered eating habits and hunger. Food insecurity is associated with a number of negative health outcomes, including nutrient deficiency, diabetes and depression.
Food deserts cause significant public health and economic challenges, especially in low-income communities.
Many food insecure households live in food deserts — neighborhoods that lack healthy food sources due to income level, distance to supermarkets, or vehicle access. Food deserts can exist in both rural and urban areas. The USDA considers a food desert in an urban area if there is no ready access to a store with fresh and nutritious food within one mile. This distance increases to 10 miles in rural areas. A majority of people living in food deserts are classified as low-income.
Impact of reduced food access
The higher cost of healthy food impacts food security for lower income families, even if they are physically able to access it. Reliable personal or public transportation and amount of convenience stores or fast food vendors also impact whether an area is a food desert. Convenience stores and fast food vendors are less likely to have healthy food options and are more heavily concentrated in lower income communities.
In addition to the negative health impacts of food insecurity, food deserts can also impact economic growth and real estate prices. Food deserts can also limit the ability of residents to participate in federal nutrition programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Potential mitigation strategies
Various approaches have attempted to increase access to healthy food in food deserts, including:
- Expanding federal nutrition program access. Read our Science Note, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, to learn more about a recently enacted law that expands access to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) by allowing low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children under 5 years of age who are at nutritional risk to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from authorized farmers.
- Incentivizing supermarkets and grocery stores to open in food deserts. Read our Science Note, Tax Credits for Grocery Stores in Food Deserts, to learn more about programs in other states and recently proposed legislation in Missouri.
- Mobile markets. Individuals who live far away from full-service grocery stores (e.g., rural Missourians) and/or have additional mobility challenges (e.g., elderly Missourians) can experience difficulty getting to a grocery store. Entrepreneurs across Missouri have also started businesses to bring locally sourced food directly into communities (e.g., Metro Market, Kanbe’s Markets).
- Promoting community and individual urban agriculture. Several NGOs (e.g., Green Acres Urban Farm in Kansas City, Urban Harvest STL, Ramsey Quinn Garden in Columbia, Urban Roots Farm in Springfield) are already doing this work across the state. Read our Science Note, Tax Credits for Urban Agriculture in Food Deserts, to learn more about one strategy to incentivize urban farming in Missouri.
December’s roundtable discussion will gather local experts, decision makers and community members to discuss food deserts in Missouri.
Meet the panelists
Bill McKelvey, Senior Project Coordinator for the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Insecurity, works with communities to build and strengthen local community food systems.
Bill currently works on a variety of projects related to food security such as a multi-state hunger and food assistance study and developing a web application for the Missouri Hunger Atlas. He says one of most enjoyable parts of his job is the ability to work with diverse people and groups on important issues. Bill also works to develop the curriculum for Missouri EATs, a program that helps communities create plans to enhance their local food systems.
“Food deserts are complicated,” Bill said. “It is important to think about the data that underlie the concept and what has led to food access inequities.”
Dr. Ellen Barnidge, a behavioral science and health education professor at St. Louis University, will also be joining the roundtable discussion. Dr. Barnidge is engaged in many research disciplines including community engagement, health equity, household food insecurity and social determinants of health.
Dr. Barnidge has received multiple awards from St. Louis University for her research at the intersection of health and social justice. She is also on the Board of Directors for Propel Kitchens, a nonprofit organization focusing on creating health and wealth with food through education and community kitchens for Black and Brown food producers and entrepreneurs.
“Authentic engagement from diverse partners is essential for progress toward health equity,” Dr. Barnidge said.
>> Additional speakers will be announced by the end of November.
Register to attend December’s virtual roundtable discussion to hear from the expert panelists how evidence-based policy can reduce and prevent food insecurity in Missouri: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-insecurity-in-missouri-rural-urban-food-deserts-tickets-189815081017
