Rural Connections Nov. 2009 from the Director
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Nov. 2009 Rural wrdc.usu.edu ConnectionsA Publication of the Western Rural Development Center Food Security in the Western US Research and Programs Rural Connections Published by the ©Western Rural Development Center Logan UT 84322-8335 November 2009 Volume 4 Issue 1 DIRECTOR Don E. Albrecht [email protected] PUBLICATION SPECIALIST Betsy H. Newman [email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR Stephanie Malin SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER Jim Goodwin [email protected] SENIOR STAFF ASSISTANT Trish Kingsford [email protected] CHAIR-BOARD of DIRECTORS Noelle Cockett NATIONAL PROGRAM LEADER Sally Maggard CONTRIBUTORS Le Adams, Isaura Andaluz, Pete Barcinas, Sandy Brown, Laura Caballero, David Castillo, Mark Edwards, Steven Garasky, Christy Getz, Carole Goldsmith, Craig Gundersen, Hopi elders, Suzanne Jamison, Jennifer Jensen, Emily McGlynn, Raymond Namoki, Joanne Neft, Delwyn Takala, Nancy Tarnai, Susan Secakuku, Jeff Williams IMAGES istockphoto.com Contributors Todd Paris (pg. 27) The Western Rural Development Center compiles this magazine with submissions from university faculty, researchers, agencies and organizations from throughout the Western region and nation. We make every attempt to provide valuable and informative items of interest to our stakeholders. The views and opinions expressed by these agencies/organizations are not necessarily those of the WRDC. The WRDC is not responsible for the content of these submitted materials or their respective websites and their inclusion in the magazine does not imply WRDC endorsement of that agency/ organization/program. This material is based upon work supported by annual base funding through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Printed on post-consumer recycled paper. Table OF CONTENTS 11 3 From the Director Don E. Albrecht 5 5 Food Insecurity in the Western States Mark Edwards 7 7 Poverty Amidst Plenty: Understanding Farm Worker Food (In)Security in California Christy Getz and Sandy Brown 11 Rural Collaboration Works to Build Higher Skill Levels in Hopes of Attracting Better Jobs Carole Goldsmith and David Castillo 21 27 13 13 Food Insecurity and Stress Among Children in the Western US Craig Gundersen and Steven Garasky 15 Farm to School: The Health of the Next Generation Le Adams 17 Marketing Healthy Foods in a Rural Convenience Store Setting Susan Secakuku and Isaura Andaluz 21 It Takes a Year to Write an In-Season Real Food Cookbook 29 Joanne Neft and Laura Caballero 23 Food Security in the Western US and Pacific Territories Peter Barcinas 27 Sunshine Barley: Ready to Grow Nancy Tarnai 15 29 GROW! Food Security with a Community Garden Jennifer Jensen 31 Wasatch Front CSA Collective: Growing Possibilities and Seeking Local Solutions to Food Production 17 Jeff Williams 33 Advocating Native Bee Pollination Services on US Farms Emily McGlynn 23 31 33 Nov. 2009 Rural Connections From the Director In this issue of Rural Connections we highlight several programs that increase food security and attempt to improve the health benefits and safety of our food system. mericans spend a smaller 3. There are growing concerns share of their income on food about the health consequences than at any time in history and of a diet based on the modern they spend proportionally industrial food system. At the Aless on food than any other society in present time, many Americans the world. The variety of food choices eat regular meals at fast food in a modern grocery store at any time is restaurants, and consume astounding. Fruits and vegetables that massive amounts of foods laced were once seasonal are now available with sugar and preservatives. throughout the year. Exotic tropical Among the consequences are fruits that I had never heard of during high rates of obesity, especially my childhood are now always available among children, and the at my local grocery store. skyrocketing occurrences of diet related illnesses such as Type II Despite these benefits, the very same Diabetes. It seems increasingly global industrial food system that likely that for the first time ever, provides such cheap and abundant food a generation of children will not has come under increasing attack during live as long, on average, as their recent years. Among the concerns: parents. 1. Communities and regions are no 4. The highly productive crops grown longer food self-sufficient. Even in the monocultures that comprise major farm states import the the global industrial food system vast majority of their food. Most necessitate ever-larger amounts farms grow only a single item, or of fertilizers and pesticides to at most a few items that they then deal with increasingly resistant market to the global industrial insects, funguses, viruses and food system. This raises severe other pests. These fertilizers and food security concerns when one pesticides then wreak havoc on considers how easily this system downstream waterways and could be disrupted. the dangers from highly toxic 2. The global industrial food system pathogens emanating from uses vast amounts of energy to the food system are a growing produce, process, transport, and public concern. store food. Cheap energy led 5. Despite the abundance of cheap to the centralization of the food food, hunger and food insecurity system. Increasingly expensive are a significant concern for some energy raises concerns about the segments of the population. future of the food system. And a system so energy consumptive is simply not sustainable. 3 Rural Connections Nov. 2009 From the Director To address this litany of problems, In this issue of Rural Connections we researchers, extension specialists and highlight several programs that increase others have been seeking solutions. food security and attempt to improve Among the more innovative solutions the health benefits and safety of our include workforce development food system. Our goal is to increase programs geared toward out-of-work awareness of the programs so others farm workers, farm to school programs will implement them. Increasing the where schools purchase products impact of these programs to ensure that from local farms, community gardens, they have the greatest possible impact community supported agriculture will require communities, consumers, programs, and the local-farming and agencies and organizations to have farmers-market movements. Each of the best information possible and will these efforts seeks a solution to one or require a strong and reliable research, more of the problems described above. education and outreach base. All are consistent in an attempt to provide nutritious, locally-produced food to a Don E. Albrecht is the Director of the broad spectrum of community residents Western Rural Development Center. in ways that are environmentally He may be reached via email to sustainable and enhance rural economic ;[email protected] development by expanding markets for or by calling 435.797.9732. local farmers and for locally-produced foods. Each November the USDA releases an annual report on household food security in the US. Food insecure households are those in which not everyone in the household “had access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Among food insecure households are those that have “very low food security,” a condition where one or more adults’ food intake was reduced and/or their eating patterns were disrupted due to a lack of money. This group is often referred to by advocates (and formerly referred to by the USDA) as being “food insecure with hunger,” or experiencing “hunger.” To learn more about the questions that households are asked regarding their food situation, visit the USDA’s Economic Research Service website: http://ers.usda.gov/. Nov. 2009 Rural Connections 4 Food Insecurity in Western States BY MARK Edwards ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Every Autumn, Oregon’s largest newspaper a social problem and the public response obscure important stories at the state reports the federal government’s newest to that problem may be unique, but we level. For example, Oregon’s reduction of estimate of Oregon’s household food can only know that by comparing it to its its hunger rate between 2001 and 2005 insecurity rate. Oregon’s unexpected neighbors and other Western states. from around 6% to around 3% appears ranking as one of the “hungriest” states in absolute terms to be a small number in the late 1990s embarrassed state Policy makers and citizens sometimes puzzle getting smaller. However, this decline political leaders and mystified researchers. over why their state’s food insecurity rate translates to a reduction from 90,000 to Its subsequent improvement in the early differs from that of neighboring states, 45,000 households experiencing hunger 2000s was the source of some pride leading to plenty of armchair theorizing in a given year. Monitoring such changes among advocates and social service about what is special or unique about does not reveal the exceptional work agency leaders. Its recent increase during one state or another. Researchers have completed by groups seeking to reduce the current economic crisis has swamped made some progress understanding the food