U.S. food insecurity and food access project research

Written By warren neth

  • Baker, G. A., Gray, L. C., Harwood, M. J., Osland, T. J., & Tooley, J. B. (2019). On-farm food loss in northern and Central California: Results of field survey measurements. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 149, 541–549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.03.022

Baker et al. (2019) surveyed and interviewed farmers to better understand crop loss in fields. They estimate that 33.7% of crop yields intended for market do not make it yet the amount of water, fertilizer, and energy to grow these crops is massive. Although this study focuses on California, not Washington, it is useful to know the results of their research on factors influencing crop loss. Based on the findings of their research, Baker et al. (2019) also conclude that more precise measurements of lost produce and formulating strategies to use potential food waste could have a key role in reducing environmental impact and reducing food insecurity.

U.S. food insecurity and food access project research

  • Billings, K. C., Lee, E., & Webster, E. M. (2020, June 25). Food Banks and Other Emergency Feeding Organizations: Federal Aid and the Response to COVID-19 (CRS Report No. R46432). Congressional Research Service. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46432

This report was prepared for Congressional committees and Members of Congress as an assessment of hunger in America and federal funding for entities alleviating hunger in the US. The report details the term “Emergency Feeding Organization,” defining them as private nonprofits that distribute food to those in need due to poverty or during emergencies. Emergency Feeding Organizations can be food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and even social nonprofit organizations. This source also defines food banks as primarily warehouse and distribution points for Emergency Feeding Organizations but acknowledges that some do provide food directly to clients. Additionally, this is a valuable starting point for national data on food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the report, Emergency Feeding Organizations reported an average client increase of 59%, and four out of ten of those new clients had never utilized food bank services in the past. Lastly, that authors succinctly summarize how federal funding is a primary source of revenue for Emergency Feeding Organizations. They specifically describe the Farmer to Families Food Box program, which was a new program funded to provide boxes fresh food from regional farms to those in need. Policymakers formed this program to redirect farmed food previously destined for restaurants and other institutional channels, which closed under pandemic restrictions.

  • Campbell, E. C., Ross, M., & Webb, K. L. (2013). Improving the nutritional quality of emergency food: A Study of Food Bank organizational culture, capacity, and practices. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 8(3), 261–280. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2013.816991

Campbell et al. (2013) assessed food bank capacity to improve and monitor nutritional quality of the products distributed. They surveyed 137 food banks and conducted six in-depth interviews of food banks in California. Their report highlights instances of food banks developing creative distribution models to side-step food pantries’ limited infrastructure and staff capacity, which had made increasing the distribution of fresh foods difficult. According to Campbell et al., food banks raised concerns that sourcing fresh foods required increased fundraising and time. They found that only 54 food banks had nutritional policy to help guide donation restrictions or how to utilize donated funds for food purchases. This article provides insight into the challenges that food banks face in procuring nutritious, fresh food.

  • Castro, A. N., White, M. A., Ishdorj, A., Thompson, D., & Dave, J. M. (2021). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food distribution at Emergency Food Assistance Organizations in the Southwestern United States: A qualitative investigation. Nutrients, 13(12), 4267. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124267

Castro et al. (2021) conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups to analyze how COVID-19 effected food bank network operations at the Houston Food Bank. Part of their assessment was the need for food banks to have established safety protocols for adapting to pandemics, so that they can be prepared to implement national protocols to their local sites. Their research emphasized food banks’ role in food security during a national crisis. They note that food banks depend on volunteers for operations, and during crises the pool of available volunteers changes drastically. They recommend using online systems to allocate volunteer resources to critical tasks across food bank networks.

  • Chapnick, M., Barnidge, E., Sawicki, M., & Elliott, M. (2017). Healthy options in food pantries—a qualitative analysis of factors affecting the provision of healthy food items in St. Louis, Missouri. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 14(1-2), 262–280. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2017.1284027

Chapnick et al. found that while food banks in the Feeding America network saw a 13% increase in produce donations in 2015, fresh produce was less than 50% by weight of food sourced. They conducted telephone interviews with food bank staff in St. Louis, Missouri that showed food bank staff had a desire to source healthier options but showed concern that efforts to increase healthy options would lower the number of clients serviced for a variety of reasons. Staff also displayed a lack of knowledge on what constitutes healthy food. The researchers provided advice on policies to help guide staff in prioritizing healthy options in inventory. The authors advised that food pantries develop policies to help guide staff on how to evaluate nutritional value of items in inventory and prioritize how donations are spent on food with high nutritional values. The report identifies the need for further research into what forms of produce clients prefer as opposed to what kinds of produce staff assume clients would prefer. Their methodology is helpful to our research because they directly reached out food bank staff, although they conducted their interviews via phone.

 

The USDA Economic Research Services conducts an annual survey of a representative sample of the U.S. to assess food security in the nation. In 2020, their survey identified that 10.5% of the U.S. population are food insecure, which was the same percentage as 2019. The percentage of Black, non-Hispanic food insecure increased from 19.1% in 1991 to 21.7% in 2020 (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2021). They found that among households surveyed in late 2020, 16.4% of those who experienced pandemic-related job loss also faced food insecurity (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2021).

  • Gregory, C. A., Mancino, L., & Coleman-Jensen, A. (2019, August). Food Security and Food Purchase Quality Among Low-Income Households: Findings From the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FAPS) (ERR No. 269). US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/93725/err-269.pdf?v=8148

Gregory et al. (2019) conducted a national survey among 4,826 households to assess behaviors and availability of food. They identified that low-income households were more likely to have more foods with refined grains, but no produce or dairy protein. They also found that food insecure households were found to spend 50% less than food secure adults on fruits and 60% less on proteins. This provides some baseline information about food insecurity leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

  • Holt-Giménez, E., & Wang, Y. (2011). Reform or transformation? the pivotal role of food justice in the U.S. Food Movement. Race/Ethnicity: Multidisciplinary Global Contexts, 5(1), 83–102. https://doi.org/10.2979/racethmulglocon.5.1.83

Holt-Giménez and Wang (2011) utilized critical theory to assess how race and class influence food justice movements as well as solidarity work with food insecure individuals. As ownership of food system infrastructure is held by global corporations, and strengthen white supremist economic structures, they conclude that food justice work must build local and international solidarity to change the racist and classist system that has put 1/6th of the U.S. population food insecure.

 
 

The report utilized interviews to assess market-based approaches for farm to institution growth. “Blended margin” business model (King Conservation District, 2021) as a way farm entrepreneurs plan for sales channel able to pay a higher price, farmers market, low margin sales channels like schools, and no-margin food banks. Gleaning was also identified as a strategy to bring fresh produce into food banks.

ReFED (2021) provides an interactive website with multiple datasets to help understand U.S. policy on minimizing food waste. Nine states have added state level tax-incentives to encourage farmers to bring that produce to food banks (ReFED, 2021).

  • Simmet, A., Depa, J., Tinnemann, P., & Stroebele-Benschop, N. (2017). The nutritional quality of food provided from food pantries: A systematic review of existing literature. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(4), 577–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.08.015

Simmet et al. (2017) conducted a systematic review of literature pertaining to the role of nutrition in food insecurity. They assessed 1546 articles and developed a methodology which identified nine studies to focus on further. The studies had regional focuses and were not representative of national assessments. They conclude that food pantries’ reliance on donations has not been able to provide those experiencing food insecurity with a balanced diet and addressing this issue would require further policy solutions.

  • Sharma, S. V., Chuang, R.-J., Rushing, M., Naylor, B., Ranjit, N., Pomeroy, M., & Markham, C. (2020). Social determinants of health-related needs during COVID-19 among low-income households with children. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200322.

The researchers used a rapid response survey of 16,436 low-income families enrolled in a weekly fresh food box program to provide a descriptive analysis of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected social needs and dietary habits. One key finding of their survey is that 41.4% of respondents identified lowered consumption of fruit and vegetables throughout the pandemic. They also found that many households were concerned about increasing prices and diminished availability of produce.

  • Ziliak, J. P. (2020). Food hardship during the COVID‐19 pandemic and great recession. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 43(1), 132–152. https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13099

Ziliak (2020) examined data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' Community Population Survey (CPS) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food Security Supplement survey to compare food insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic and great recession. Ziliak (2020) found that adults faced food insecurity at a much higher rate, 18.6% to 44.2%, when they had a reduction in food variety. This provides helpful historical context on the food insecurity faced during the current pandemic.

 
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