Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food resources via the Rural Health Information Hub

News: USDA: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:52:15 -0500

Notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeking comments on the renewal and revision of information collections related to the USDA Food Distribution Programs. Comments are due by September 8, 2026.

News: FNA: Child and Adult Care Food Program: National Average Payment Rates, Day Care Home Food Service Payment Rates, and Administrative Reimbursement Rates for Sponsoring Organizations of Day Care Homes for the Period July 1, 2026, Through June 30, 2027

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:46:05 -0500

Announces the annual adjustments to the federal and state funding levels and reimbursement rates for the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Updated rates are effective from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Resource: Evaluation of the 2021–2024 Implementation of the Fresh Start Enhanced Food Is Medicine Intervention Among Rural, Underinsured People With Type 2 Diabetes

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:42:01 -0500

Examines the impact of the Fresh Start produce prescription (FSPRx) intervention in rural North Carolina among a medically underinsured population with type 2 diabetes. Utilizes program, survey, and interview data from FSPRx participants to analyze feasibility and acceptability of the program, with pre- and post-intervention data breakdowns according to dietary patterns, food literacy, health outcomes, and more.

Funding opportunity: Rural Grocery Initiative Technical Assistance

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:14:21 -0500

Technical assistance to help establish and sustain independently-owned grocery stores in rural communities.

News: FNS: National School Lunch, Special Milk, and School Breakfast Programs, National Average Payments/Maximum Reimbursement Rate

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:40:36 -0500

Announces the annual adjustments to the federal and state funding levels and reimbursement rates for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and the reimbursement rates for institutions participating in the Special Milk Program for Children. Updated rates are effective from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Resource: Access to WIC-Authorized Vendors and High-Speed Internet Services in Urban and Rural Areas

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:25:18 -0500

Examines the availability internet services across geographies that enable Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) eligible families to access online WIC shopping options. Utilizes data from 38,279 WIC-authorized vendors during fiscal years 2020-2022 and provides U.S. maps showing census tract-level access to WIC-authorized vendors, access to WIC-authorized vendors and fixed high-speed internet, and access to WIC-authorized vendors and 5G mobile high-speed internet. Includes rural versus urban census tract comparisons of adequate internet access and distance to nearest WIC-authorized vendor. -- USDA Economic Research Service

Event: 2026 National Indigenous and Native American WIC Coalition Virtual Education Days

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:45:17 -0500

Resource: Food Banks in the United States: Systems, USDA Programs, and Participation

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:07:38 -0500

Provides information on charitable food assistance systems in the United States and the households that utilize them. Includes data on food pantry programs, services, and participation, including use and knowledge of food pantries in metro versus nonmetro areas. -- USDA Economic Research Service

Funding opportunity: America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Program (HFFI Partnerships Program)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:08:10 -0500

Funding to build the capacity of locally and regionally focused Healthy Food Financing Partnerships to provide financial and technical assistance to eligible healthy food retailers and post-harvest food retail supply chain enterprises. Rural areas are a program priority. -- U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development

Funding opportunity: America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund Loans and Technical Assistance

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:21:05 -0500

Loans and technical assistance funding for projects related to increasing food access and strengthening, expanding, and innovating within the food retail supply chain. Loans are one-time investments of capital to address barriers to entry in the food retail or food enterprise fields for rural and other eligible areas. Technical assistance funding will support planning and other projects that build capacity to develop a food retail outlet or food enterprise. -- U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development

Resource: Socioeconomic, Demographic and Geographic Disparities in Accessibility to Food Pantries in the United States

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:50:37 -0500

Examines access to food pantries (FPs) according to sociodemographic and geographic variables. Analyzes 34,475 FPs across the United States and provides data breakdowns by travel time and distance, area deprivation index (ADI), sociodemographics, and rural versus urban location.

Resource: Changes in Neighborhood Foodscapes From 2003 to 2023 by Area Rurality in the United States

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:30:33 -0500

Examines neighborhood-level characteristics of U.S. foodscapes. Utilizes 2003-2023 licensed food retailer data to analyze healthfulness of available food, food deserts, and food swamps, with data broken down by state and rurality.

Resource: Research Brief: Supporting Indian Tribal Organizations To Expand Summer EBT Access

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:23:22 -0500

Analyzes Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) participation in the the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program. Discusses the history of Summer EBT, ITOs and federal nutrition programs, inclusion of culturally relevant foods, and benefits and barriers of ITO participation in Summer EBT. Includes a U.S. map showing area where states and Tribes administer Summer EBT. -- Food Research & Action Center

Resource: Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2024

Wed, 20 May 2026 08:55:37 -0500

Presents an overview of the SNAP Program eligibility requirements and benefit levels. Provides detailed tables showing comparisons in rural-urban areas. Coverage includes October 2023 through September 2024. -- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration

Resource: From Pickup to Porch: Best Practices for Diverse Rural Non-Congregate Meal Distribution

Tue, 19 May 2026 11:16:05 -0500

A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to successfully implement rural non-congregate (RNC) meal distribution programs. Provides RNC program examples focused on grab-and-go options, mobile meal routes, and home delivery across geographically dispersed areas. Transcript available below description. -- No Kid Hungry

Event: 2026 Food Sovereignty Summit

Mon, 18 May 2026 16:26:26 -0500

Suquamish WA
August 23, 2026 -- First Nations Development Institute

Resource: Reaching the Last Mile: Strategies for Serving Ultra-Rural Populations

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:22:42 -0500

A recorded webinar that discusses barriers when serving meals to ultra-rural and remote populations and provides related insights, strategies, and collaborative approaches to reach communities. Transcript available below description. -- No Kid Hungry

Resource: Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meals: How Sponsors Are Implementing This Option

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:33:30 -0500

A fact sheet that provides information on the implementation of the Rural Non-Congregate option as an expansion of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program's Seamless Summer Option (SSO). Includes spotlights of local programs and their various meal service and distribution methods, delivery options, and partnerships. -- Food Research & Action Center

Resource: Perspectives on Universal Free School Meals Among Rural Middle and High School Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:34:05 -0600

Examines perspectives on Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) among students living in rural Maine. Utilizes survey and interview data among middle and high school students to analyze student characteristics, meal preferences, and perceptions of school breakfasts and lunches.

Resource: Transforming Rural Health: Strategies from the Field - Food Insecurity

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:54:27 -0600

A brief that provides an overview on food insecurity in rural areas. Discusses examples of rural-focused food programs and their strategies to create partnerships, enhance food access, and improve health outcomes. -- Georgia Health Policy Center

Resource: Super Stores' Impact on the Availability of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Approved Stores

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:31:16 -0600

Examines the effect of new super stores on the survival of existing traditional stores and the cost savings accruing to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries. Features statistics including SNAP redemptions and share of redemptions by store type from 1992–2017, and impact of super store entry on the number of SNAP-approved stores with breakdowns by urban and rural areas. -- USDA Economic Research Service

Resource: Income, Healthy Food Availability, and Consumption Mediate Rural–Urban Health Disparities

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:41:30 -0600

Discusses rural versus urban health disparities and how healthy food availability and consumption mediate disparities. Utilizes national and state-level survey data from Oregon residents regarding their self-reported income, perceived fruit and vegetable (FV) availability, FV consumption, and health status, analyzing their associated mediating effect on rural health disparities.

Resource: Implementing Nutrition Policy, System and Environmental Change Strategies in a Rural Food Pantry to Improve Nutrition Security: Contextual Factors and Outcomes

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:42:26 -0600

Discusses policy, system, and environmental (PSE) food security strategies by analyzing the facilitators and barriers at a volunteer-run food pantry in rural Georgia. Utilizes client surveys, informant interviews, and program documents to examine the pantry's nutrition policy, food storage methods, partnerships, capacity, volunteer expertise, and more.

Resource: FNS Rural Designation Map

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:35:38 -0600

Interactive map that shows rural designations in relation to Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) eligibility. User can input address to see if a location is designated as rural. -- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration

Resource: Impact of Food Accessibility on Eating and Anthropometric Outcomes among Rural Parent-Child Dyads: A Secondary Data Analysis of a Mindful Eating Intervention

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:59:39 -0600

Examines the relationship among food insecurity, food behaviors, and health outcomes in rural children and parents enrolled in a mindful eating intervention trial. Utilizes data from 154 parent-child dyads recruited from Head Start childcare centers in the U.S. and includes breakdowns according to sociodemographics, food accessibility, eating habits, health status, and more.

Resource: Household Food Security in the United States in 2024

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:52:12 -0600

Reports on household food security, food expenditures, and use of federal food and nutrition assistance programs in 2024. Includes food insecurity statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. -- USDA Economic Research Service

Resource: Food Security, Access, and Health Outcomes in Rural America: Challenges and Policy Pathways

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:24:36 -0600

A recorded webinar focused on access to nutritious and affordable food options in rural areas and the relationship between food security and health outcomes. Discusses policy and collaborative efforts to improve rural food security. Transcript available below description. -- North Central Regional Center for Rural Development

Resource: Optimizing Access to Fruits and Vegetables in Rural Communities: A Decision-Making Model for the Placement of Produce Markets

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 09:02:59 -0500

Examines fruits and vegetables (FV) access in rural communities and the systems that support FV markets. Analyzes policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change interventions in a rural Texas community and the impact on driving distance to FV markets, service capacity, and financial resources of the community. Discusses the effect of 27 different interventions, provides related data, and includes suggestions on how PSE changes can support improved nutrition.

Resource: Co-Creating Non-Congregate Summer Meals: Engaging Your Community to Design Your Program

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 14:49:42 -0500

Examines collaborative processes to create successful non-congregate summer meal programs in rural communities. Discusses a pilot program in Florida and offers suggestions related to meal sites, activities for children, caregiver appreciation, and more. -- No Kid Hungry

Resource: The Impact of Nutrition Training Programs on Knowledge, Confidence, and Behavioral Intention Among School Nutrition Professionals

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 16:26:45 -0500

Examines training programs for rural school nutrition professionals (SNPs) that include flexible scheduling and considerations related to staff and resource shortages. Utilizes observational data and pre- and post-training evaluations to analyze SNP knowledge and confidence to implement new culinary behaviors after the virtual and in-person flexible training format.