Rural food and hunger resources related to rural health and human services, with information provided by the Rural Assistance Center Copyright 2012 Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/topics/food/ Published two times each year, Rural Connections focuses each issue on a particular topic of interest to residents in the Western U.S. Contributors include researchers, faculty, and professionals from throughout the nation. Focuses on topics such as health communities, water, food security, sustainability, and renewable energy. -- Western Rural Development Center https://wrdc.usu.edu/htm/rural-connections Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:26:33 CST https://wrdc.usu.edu/htm/rural-connections -- North Central Regional Center for Rural Development http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/webinars Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:53:42 CST http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/webinars FOX News article reports that Native Americans who often ate processed meat in a can, generically known as "spam" and a common food on reservations, one subsidized by the government -- had a two-fold increased risk of developing diabetes over those who ate little or none, according to a U.S. study. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/31/spam-meat-tied-to-diabetes-risk-in-native-americans-study-finds/#ixzz1l3Vb2JOV Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:55:46 CST http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/31/spam-meat-tied-to-diabetes-risk-in-native-americans-study-finds/#ixzz1l3Vb2JOV The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released new meal requirements that will raise standards for the first time in more than 15 years and improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day. http://www.raconline.org/news/details.php?news_id=17220 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:18:20 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/details.php?news_id=17220 Co.Exist article tells of an organization called Fork in the Road that sells produce and staple pantry items in low-income areas, but it also goes beyond just presenting people with healthy options, it also helps people overcome their fears about healthy eating by providing advice and meal planning. http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679104/fork-in-the-road-drives-the-grocery-store-to-food-deserts Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:39:20 CST http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679104/fork-in-the-road-drives-the-grocery-store-to-food-deserts The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must be built to meet the evolving needs of a 21st century agricultural economy, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday in presenting USDA's Blueprint for Stronger Service, a plan that helps producers continue to drive America's economy by streamlining operations and cutting costs. http://www.raconline.org/news/details.php?news_id=17145 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:55:57 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/details.php?news_id=17145 Serves as an executive summary of the Map the Meal Gap project. Outlines 2009 estimates of child food insecurity (CFI) rates at state, county, and congressional district levels. Provides information on the proportions of the food insecure child population above and below the income threshold for most government childnutrition programs, and an overview of foodcost variation. Includes data comparisons by metropolitan, micropolitan, and nonmetropolitan areas. -- Feeding America http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap/~/media/Files/research/map-meal-gap/ChildFoodInsecurity_ExecutiveSummary.ashx?.pdf Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:16:25 CST http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap/~/media/Files/research/map-meal-gap/ChildFoodInsecurity_ExecutiveSummary.ashx?.pdf Serves as an executive summary of the Map the Meal Gap project. Outlines 2009 county-level food insecurity estimates by income categories and offers an estimate of the food budget shortfall that food insecure individuals report experiencing. Includes data comparisons by geographic region and by metropolitan, micropolitan, and nonmetropolitan areas. -- Feeding America http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap/~/media/Files/research/map-meal-gap/ExecutiveSummary_MaptheMealGap_Final.ashx Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:09:01 CST http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap/~/media/Files/research/map-meal-gap/ExecutiveSummary_MaptheMealGap_Final.ashx Assesses the impact of healthy food access on both rural and urban communities. Reviews ongoing strategies to develop new grocery stores to help existing grocers, farmers markets, corner stores and other local food retailers expand their healthy food choices. -- PolicyLink http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97c6d565-bb43-406d-a6d5-eca3bbf35af0%7D/HFHC_FINAL.PDF Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:12:56 CST http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97c6d565-bb43-406d-a6d5-eca3bbf35af0%7D/HFHC_FINAL.PDF Compares data on local food marketing channels, such as: direct-to-consumer, local grocers and restaurants. Describes how small, medium, and large-sized farmers use these channels in different regions and in rural or urban areas. -- USDA Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR128/ Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:33:34 CST http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR128/ Uses data from the 2007, 2009, and 2010 American Community Survey to provide an up-to-date look at changes in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program receipt over the course of the recession. -- Carsey Institute http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Bean-SNAP-10-11.pdf Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:12:24 CST http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Bean-SNAP-10-11.pdf Offers numerous human service programs, including housing, healthcare, at-risk youth, elderly, homeless, people with disabilities, recovering addicts, and those returning from prison. Provides listing of state offices. http://www.voa.org/ Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:42:54 CST http://www.voa.org/ Serves people along the Alabama-Mississippi-Georgia Gulf Coast who are hungry, homeless, and otherwise in need of assistance. Offers programs for children, chronic mental illness, hard of hearing, community enhancement, elderly, housing, and substance abuse. http://www.voasoutheast.org/ Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:42:35 CST http://www.voasoutheast.org/ Reports on a study that examined differences in fruit and vegetable consumption between U.S. rural and non-rural adults and identified associated characteristics. Presents data by various demographic markers, by state, and rural vs. urban. -- Essentia Institute of Rural Health http://www.essentiahealth.com/downloads/consumptionoffruitsandvegetablesbyruralusadults.pdf Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:24:54 CST http://www.essentiahealth.com/downloads/consumptionoffruitsandvegetablesbyruralusadults.pdf Presents statistics on households food security, food expenditures, and use of food and nutrition assistance programs for 2010. Food insecurity is more common in large cities and rural areas than in suburban areas. -- USDA Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR125/ERR125.pdf Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:38:21 CST http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR125/ERR125.pdf Concludes that rural counties, compared to metropolitan counties, are disproportionately associated with high food insecurity risk. -- West Virginia Rural Health Research Center http://wvrhrc.hsc.wvu.edu/docs/2010_halverson_policy_brief.pdf Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:02:44 CST http://wvrhrc.hsc.wvu.edu/docs/2010_halverson_policy_brief.pdf Reports that rural counties are disproportionately associated with high food insecurity risk relative to urban counties. -- West Virginia Rural Health Research Center http://wvrhrc.hsc.wvu.edu/docs/2010_halverson_final_report.pdf Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:45:36 CST http://wvrhrc.hsc.wvu.edu/docs/2010_halverson_final_report.pdf State profiles of these Federal Food Programs: Demographics, Poverty and Food Insecurity; Federal Nutrition Programs; and State Economic Security Policies. -- Food Research and Action Center http://frac.org/map/ Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:20:30 CST http://frac.org/map/ Grants are made to feed the hungry, support breast cancer initiatives, provide disaster relief, and assist local grassroots organizations. -- Kroger Company Foundation http://www.raconline.org/funding/details.php?funding_id=259 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:19:03 CST http://www.raconline.org/funding/details.php?funding_id=259 Describes the implications of the cuts to the WIC budget to help policymakers and service providers to better understand the population likely affected by cuts to WIC funding. -- Carsey Institute http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Bean-WIC.pdf Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:45:30 CST http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Bean-WIC.pdf Journal issue includes articles that address climate change in the West and the adverse consequences that may and do occur because of the regions severe water shortages. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of droughts, reduce mountain snowpack, and induce the need for food security adaptation plans. -- Western Rural Development Center https://wrdc.usu.edu/files/uploads/Rural%20Connections/RCJUN11w.pdf Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:21:14 CST https://wrdc.usu.edu/files/uploads/Rural%20Connections/RCJUN11w.pdf Offers an interactive mapping tool to view census tract-level statistics on population groups with low access to healthy food, plus related information on food deserts (low-income neighborhoods with high concentrations of people who are far from a grocery store). -- USDA Economic Research Service http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/fooddesert/index.htm Tue, 03 May 2011 10:46:48 CST http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/fooddesert/index.htm Describes barriers rural, low-income families face to access quality, affordable, and healthful food. Concludes that remedies used in urban areas will not help to fix the problem of food deserts in rural areas. http://www.rrh.org.au/articles/subviewnthamer.asp?ArticleID=1631 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:59:37 CST http://www.rrh.org.au/articles/subviewnthamer.asp?ArticleID=1631 Report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Includes chapters focused on rural childhood obesity, place-based initiatives for rural early childhood development, and rural implications of accountable care organizations and payment bundling. Includes recommendations to address these issues. Includes appendices regarding June 2010 and September 2010 site visits. -- National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services http://www.hrsa.gov/advisorycommittees/rural/2011secreport.pdf Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:12:46 CST http://www.hrsa.gov/advisorycommittees/rural/2011secreport.pdf Presents the results from a workshop, held November 16-18-2010, which explored the relationship between food insecurity and obesity, and a variety of groups, including the rural population. -- Institute of Medicine http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?booksearch=1&term=rural&record_id=13102 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:41:07 CST http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?booksearch=1&term=rural&record_id=13102 Online search tool designed to help recipients find SNAP-authorized stores near their home or workplace.Spanish version: http://www.snapretailerlocator.com/spanish/index.html -- USDA Food and Nutrition Service http://www.snapretailerlocator.com/ Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:17:52 CST http://www.snapretailerlocator.com/ Describes the experiences of eighteen rural NewHampshire mothers with young children trying, andoften struggling, to secure healthy, affordable, and quality foods. -- Carsey Institute http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-25-Esala-Food-Landscape.pdf Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:29:22 CST http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-25-Esala-Food-Landscape.pdf Colors each county in America by the percentage of households in food deserts, according to the USDA's definition. Data is not available for Alaska and Hawaii. -- U.S. Department of Agriculture http://labs.slate.com/articles/food-deserts-in-america/ Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:36:29 CST http://labs.slate.com/articles/food-deserts-in-america/ Discusses the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and reports that increased demand for access to nutritious foods has been greatest in the South, in rural areas, and in single-mother households. -- Carsey Institute http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Bean-SNAP-Web-Final.pdf Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:34:04 CST http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Bean-SNAP-Web-Final.pdf Explores the opportunities and challenges for rural people in the local and regional food movement and food systems in general. -- Rural Policy Research Institute http://www.rupri.org/Forms/RUPRI_Rural-Futures-Lab_2010_Food_Systems_for_Rural_Futures.pdf Wed, 24 Nov 2010 09:18:22 CST http://www.rupri.org/Forms/RUPRI_Rural-Futures-Lab_2010_Food_Systems_for_Rural_Futures.pdf