Food Insecurity in Farm Country: Solutions to American Food Apartheid

More than 19 million people in America live in food apartheid. The primary focus of the inequality in our food system has been “food deserts”: geographical areas empty of affordable, fresh food. However, the term “food desert” does not accurately define these areas, and has ties to white supremacism. “Food desert” doesn’t take into account systematic racism that leads to food insecurity. Food apartheid, on the other hand, addresses the important question: “What are some of the social inequalities that you see, and what are you doing to erase some of the injustices?”

Black or Hispanic families are twice as likely as whites to struggle with food access. One in nine Americans used SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, formerly known as food stamps) in 2019. Gallons of ink have been spilled over this problem in large cities and urban areas. 

This problem doesn’t just exist in big cities. Food apartheid persists among the people who grow our food. People living in flyover county, growing the majority of food that Americans eat, go hungry year after year. The nationwide hunger rate in rural towns was 12.7 percent in 2018; that’s more than two points higher than that of urban areas. Even more importantly, rural U.S. counties have the highest rates of food insecurity. 

Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, more than 2.3 million households in rural communities faced food insecurity—and it’s only getting worse. 

How does hunger persist in rural America, where farmers grow thousands of pounds of crops?  The American attachment to the “band-aid” solution. 

The Band-aid Solution

You may have heard the expression “Band-aid on a bullet wound” before. The American government and the Department of Agriculture are applying this idiom to a nationwide crisis—hunger.   

The charitable food model offers a “band-aid” solution. Food pantries, community soup kitchens, community gardens, and farmers’ markets do not change the fabric of our society or eradicate poverty—and consequently, food insecurity. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding economic slump have exacerbated the existing hunger crisis. Realizing your neighbors, your siblings, and your friends can struggle with food insecurity brings the issue to the forefront of many Americans’ minds this holiday season. 

Real change must come on a broad, institutional scale while also supporting those in need right now with these temporary charitable programs.

This threadbare bandage aims to conceal the gaping wound: people continue to live in extreme poverty and experience profound hunger. Real change must come on a broad, institutional scale while also supporting those in need right now with these temporary charitable programs. The creation of a response team is crucial, utilizing the expansive resources of the federal government. Without action, millions of people will starve in the coming years. 

Farmers’ Markets Are the Most Promising of These Temporary Solutions  

Over the past two decades, interest in fresh, local food has increased. This increase has caused growth in farmers’ markets across the country. Markets are an opportunity for Americans to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and animal products—at reasonable prices! 

People in rural parts of America often grow their own food. Farmers’ markets are a way to create community and use a barter system, even when your neighbor lives 5 miles down the road from you. Markets provide a space for farmers and producers to interact. 

Beyond the surface level benefit of farmers’ markets, there are incredible educational outreach opportunities for rural citizens. Educational programming like cooking classes, nutritional info, and tips on buying and keeping food encourage healthy eating.  

In addition, farmers’ markets offer food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC. This increases attendance, sales, and vegetable intake; it’s a win-win.  

Carolyn Rose-Seed is “lead mama” at MamaSprings Farm in Durham, North Carolina. She grew up on a 1-acre farm in Goldsboro, NC. 

Rose-Seed attends the South Durham Farmers’ Market every Saturday morning. “I see myself supplying healthy food to friends, family, and community”, Rose-Seed said. As one of the many farmers at the South Durham market that offers SNAP and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) WIC benefits, she hopes to provide some safety and security for those in need. 

“You can get more bang for your buck as a consumer using EBT at a farmers’ markets,” says Rose-Seed, “for fruits and vegetables, it is a way better deal than the grocery store”. 

“You can get more bang for your buck as a consumer using EBT at a farmers’ markets, for fruits and vegetables, it is a way better deal than the grocery store”. 

Carolyn Rose-Seed

Rural farmers’ markets are less expensive, require less space, and are quicker to implement than grocery stores or supermarkets. They increase community social capital. They provide nutrition education and information for low-to-none cost, encouraging future generations to eat healthier and push for food security and access for all. 

However, rural markets are more likely to be disconnected from the nutrition programs—increasing food assistance programs in rural markets increases food access.

Food Pantries and Food Banks Lead the Charitable Food Model Charge

The bottom line is that food banks erode support for necessary welfare. They are inefficient in providing relief to the one in six Americans that need food this year. They simply were not designed to create that support on that scale.   

Food banks are especially limited in their services for people living in the rural United States. While some churches offer solutions, they are limited in their ability to provide nutrient-dense foods like dairy, vegetables, and fruits. 

Dasia Toone is the President of Carolina Cupboard, the charitable food pantry at UNC-Chapel Hill.

“Sometimes the band-aid is nice to stop the bleeding,” says Toone, “But eventually, you will need more care. It is temporarily useful.” 

“Sometimes the band-aid is nice to stop the bleeding, but eventually, you will need more care. It is temporarily useful.” 

Dasia Toone

Food pantries do incredibly important work to meet the immediate needs of those going hungry. But it won’t be enough to get millions of Americans through an economic crisis that has exasperated existing inequities.  

I wrote about food pantries and food banks a few weeks ago – read more here. 

Food Co-ops and Community Markets Open Doors

Food co-ops are grocery stores that are owned by the community. Organized as a consumer cooperative (rather than a private company), co-ops serve as a food distribution center. Members of the co-op have the power to make decisions on production, distribution, and other operations. 

Because members make decisions, co-ops can be an excellent solution to food insecurity; they have higher social responsibility than a regular business. 

Because members make decisions, co-ops can be an excellent solution to food insecurity; they have higher social responsibility than a regular business. 

Many food co-ops operate using the Rochdale Principles. The Rochdale Principles outline the values and identity of co-ops using cooperative guidelines like “concern for community”. 

Co-ops represent a medium between the “band-aid” solution and the long-term fix. They work for sustainable development within their communities. Co-ops also provide a food safety framework that allows people to meet their economic, social, and cultural needs. Co-ops build up communities and transform business. 

Most food co-ops carry food from local growers, mom-and-pop vendors, craft breweries, and local artisans. These high-quality foods are offered at fair prices that support the local producers without bankrupting consumers.  

Jon McDonald is a board chair at Weaver Street Market, a cooperative that sells natural food with “a focus on local and fair trade products”. The original market is found at the hub of Carrboro, North Carolina, although three other locations have sprung up across the triangle region through the years. 

McDonald has also worked as a bread baker for over a decade at Weaver Street.

“Since co-ops are democratically run, there’s actual possibility to make change happen on our end.” 

Jon McDonald

Community markets are a genre of co-ops that are run entirely by farmers and community members. Residents bring in tomatoes they grew in their backyard, the bread they baked fresh in the morning. Farmers turn a profit by providing healthy food for locals. 

The Long Term Fix

Food insecurity, especially in rural America, does not get enough attention. The presence of the virus this year has helped to create more awareness, but it’s important to understand that all of the solutions I’ve stated above won’t fix systematic hunger. 

“Emergency food helps to maintain food security, but when you start talking about the root causes of hunger and long-term solutions, the idea becomes how do we lift people out of systemic poverty, and then you have to start thinking about housing and fair wages and the building of a safety network. It’s not something that will be built overnight”.

Greg Silverman, Executive Director of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger. 

The reality of the situation is this: more than 50 million people will face food insecurity in 2020. Federal aid programs are running out of money quicker than expected. Pantries fear they will run out of staple items. 

This crisis is nationwide, and it affects people in big cities and small towns.  

Infrastructure is the Biggest Barrier for Rural Communities 

Rural areas with limited food access identified lack of transportation infrastructure as the biggest barrier in their environment. Providing access to healthy food is a challenge, and is even more difficult for people living more than 10 miles from a grocery store. 

Food access interventions like full-service grocery stores don’t make financial or practical sense. The nature of rural areas (sparsely populated, minimal commercialization), means that solutions that function in big cities are not transferable. A Harris Teeter will never build a store in a place like Winchester, Illinois.  

For families with limited means of travel—older adults, disabled people, and low-income groups—food access becomes particularly stressful. Mobile markets are an excellent temporary solution for rural areas. Mobile markets facilitate healthy eating and bring the grocery store to residents, instead of requiring residents to travel to get healthy food. The challenge with mobile markets is sustainability. it is still unclear if this intervention is a financially stable option for those driving the bus. 

Effective public policy for rural food access must consider the actual travel and behavior of rural residents. The inability to move places without a car is only deepening the crisis. 

Effective public policy for rural food access must consider the actual travel and behavior of rural residents. The inability to move places without a car is only deepening the crisis. 

Robust Legislation and Expanded Grant Money Aid Systematic Change 

Food insecurity necessitates a multi-pronged solution. Ending hunger in America will require the continuation of charitable food programs, the expansion of local markets and co-ops, and—most importantly—action from the government. 

The U.S. government and congress play a vital role in the amount of money that food aid programs receive. It is the main responsibility of agricultural committees to provide the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is a comprehensive package that includes agriculture, rural development, research, conservation, and food assistance. The Farm Bill is renewed every 5 years, the latest time being 2018. 

Because the Farm Bill incorporates food assistance, it covers SNAP and WIC benefits. SNAP and WIC are the largest food-purchasing assistance federal aid programs. SNAP benefits supported around 40 million Americans in 2018. Approximately 9.2 percent of American households obtained SNAP benefits in 2017. As such, the Farm Bill influences every single American in the basic way—food access and security. 

What Action Should the Government Take to Tackle Food Insecurity?

Through broad infrastructural changes, every single American can have consistent access to healthy, nutritious food. Here’s what the U.S. government needs to do to secure that future: 

1. Pass another economic relief package right now.  The most recent stimulus bill puts checks at $600 per person. Right now, in the United States, that is not enough money to get by, no matter how you spin it.   Americans are calling out for relief in the middle of this pandemic, living paycheck to paycheck. Congress seems to feel no pressure to provide adequate aid. Something more substantial than $600, like direct payments, would be a good start. 

2. Increase SNAP and WIC benefits. Feeding America, the largest charitable food aid program, is calling for government intervention. “The most efficient and effective way the federal government can respond to the food insecurity crisis is to increase SNAP benefits,” says Kate Leone, the chief government relations officer for Feeding America, “for every meal our network provides, SNAP provides nine.”  Increasing benefits would be a tremendous help to people all over the United States. 

3. Pay workers a living wage.  We need to raise the minimum wage. Right now, someone working two minimum wage jobs would struggle to support themselves, much less a family. Americans would be happier, healthier, and crime rates would even decrease. There are endless benefits to paying our workers a living wage. 

“We need to pay people a living wage. That’s the bottom line. We have a lot of systemic motivation to provide s—– food for cheap. We have to stop subsidizing cheap food that has no nutrition in it”.

Carolyn Rose-Seed 

4. Make changes to transportation infrastructure. American transit systems are among the worst in the world. Many Americans see public transit as a welfare system for those who can’t drive. The inherent bias towards welfare, and supporting those who need help, means people aren’t willing to pay higher taxes for better transportation. Local governments play an important role in developing new projects that will create more options for those without cars.

5. Support local endeavors and “band-aid” solutions. The short-term solutions like farmers’ markets, food pantries, and other charitable food programs have to be sustained to ensure people who need help get it. But while we should support these programs, we also need to push for greater, institutional level change. 

Your Role: Educate and Understand 

Every single day, you make decisions about how you prioritize your time. In the next week, month, or even year, take time to advocate for those who are hungry and prioritize educating and giving. Hunger is an easy thing to ignore when you don’t see people struggle with it, but it affects more than 15 percent of the American population. 

In the next week, month, or even year, take time to advocate for those who are hungry and prioritize educating and giving.

Even if you can’t afford to donate to charitable food programs, you can move towards more equitable food purchasing programs (like farmers’ markets). Engage with your community, do your best to keep reading articles like this one, and make the planet a better place for all.