Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food.
Public Transit Supports for Food Access: 2021 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living (CBS HEAL)
Examines public transit availability and planning, presence of demand responsive transportation (DRT), and DRT services to food retail destinations in 1,956 municipalities. Provides data on demographic disparities in public transit access and planning, including rural-urban disparities. Discusses health impacts of access to healthy food and the importance of planning for adequate public transit.
Author(s): Brianna L. Smarsh, Young Shin Park, Seung Hee Lee, Diane M. Harris, Heidi M. Blanck
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240458
Date: 05/2025
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Examines public transit availability and planning, presence of demand responsive transportation (DRT), and DRT services to food retail destinations in 1,956 municipalities. Provides data on demographic disparities in public transit access and planning, including rural-urban disparities. Discusses health impacts of access to healthy food and the importance of planning for adequate public transit.
Author(s): Brianna L. Smarsh, Young Shin Park, Seung Hee Lee, Diane M. Harris, Heidi M. Blanck
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240458
Date: 05/2025
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Who Regularly Uses the Nutrition Facts Label? Exploring Demographic, Socioeconomic, and Geographic Differences
Analyzes the consumers who regularly read nutrition facts labels when purchasing food. Utilizes National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to examine label use by demographic and household characteristics, dietary and spending behaviors, nutrition information use measures, and geographic characteristics, including small/medium metropolitan area versus nonmetropolitan area.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Brandon J. Restrepo
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Analyzes the consumers who regularly read nutrition facts labels when purchasing food. Utilizes National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to examine label use by demographic and household characteristics, dietary and spending behaviors, nutrition information use measures, and geographic characteristics, including small/medium metropolitan area versus nonmetropolitan area.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Brandon J. Restrepo
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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County Characteristics Associated With Receipt of Food Boxes Through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program
Reports on county-level food box distribution through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program between May 2020 and May 2021. Provides data on program funding and characteristics of food distributed by program round. Examines associations between likelihood of receiving food boxes and county-level rurality, access to food, and other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Keenan Marchesi, Saied Toossi, Katy Georg
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on county-level food box distribution through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program between May 2020 and May 2021. Provides data on program funding and characteristics of food distributed by program round. Examines associations between likelihood of receiving food boxes and county-level rurality, access to food, and other demographic factors.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Keenan Marchesi, Saied Toossi, Katy Georg
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Households Accounted for Nearly One-Sixth of U.S. Food-Insecure Households in 2023
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Charts depicting the share of food insecurity in 2023 by residence area type.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Food Security Status Across the Rural-Urban Continuum Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines food insecurity across the rural-urban continuum and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access in various locations. Utilizes 2015-2019 and 2020-2021 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS FSS) data to analyze food security according to urban, large rural city/town, small rural town, or isolated rural town/area.
Author(s): Patrick J. Brady, Melissa N. Laska, Rachel Widome, Sruthi Valluri
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Examines food insecurity across the rural-urban continuum and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access in various locations. Utilizes 2015-2019 and 2020-2021 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS FSS) data to analyze food security according to urban, large rural city/town, small rural town, or isolated rural town/area.
Author(s): Patrick J. Brady, Melissa N. Laska, Rachel Widome, Sruthi Valluri
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Number of Census Tracts Classified Low Income and Low Access to Foodstores Increased in U.S. Urban and Rural Areas from 2015 to 2019
Bar chart comparing number of rural and urban census tracts classified as either or both low-income and low foodstore access between 2015 and 2019. Discusses reasons for the changes over time.
Author(s): Alana Rhone, Clio Polanco Cercado
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Bar chart comparing number of rural and urban census tracts classified as either or both low-income and low foodstore access between 2015 and 2019. Discusses reasons for the changes over time.
Author(s): Alana Rhone, Clio Polanco Cercado
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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No Kid Hungry Summer Meals Eligibility Map
An interactive map that allows the user to search eligible summer 2024 locations for reduced priced meals at meal site or day care homes. Also shows qualifying rural areas that may provide non-congregate summer meals according to USDA rural definitions.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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An interactive map that allows the user to search eligible summer 2024 locations for reduced priced meals at meal site or day care homes. Also shows qualifying rural areas that may provide non-congregate summer meals according to USDA rural definitions.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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School Foodservice Supply Chain Challenges Dashboard
An interactive dashboard that provides data on supply chain challenges experienced by School Food Authorities (SFAs) during the 2023-2024 school year. Includes information on the type of challenge and characteristics of the SFA, such as Healthy School Meals for All (HSMFA) status, public versus private, size, and urbanicity.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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An interactive dashboard that provides data on supply chain challenges experienced by School Food Authorities (SFAs) during the 2023-2024 school year. Includes information on the type of challenge and characteristics of the SFA, such as Healthy School Meals for All (HSMFA) status, public versus private, size, and urbanicity.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Results of USDA's Food and Nutrition Service-Administered School Food Authority Survey III on Supply Chain Disruption and Student Participation
Analyzes supply chain disruptions impacting school nutrition assistance programs during the 2023-2024 school year. Utilizes survey data from School Food Authorities (SFAs) to examine school meal applications and eligibility, reported supply chain challenges, impacts on school food operations, food and labor costs, student participation, strategies to address supply chain issues, and more. Includes data breakdowns according to SFA size and urban, suburban, or rural location.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Analyzes supply chain disruptions impacting school nutrition assistance programs during the 2023-2024 school year. Utilizes survey data from School Food Authorities (SFAs) to examine school meal applications and eligibility, reported supply chain challenges, impacts on school food operations, food and labor costs, student participation, strategies to address supply chain issues, and more. Includes data breakdowns according to SFA size and urban, suburban, or rural location.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
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Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
Examines and locates veteran food insecurity in rural areas by mapping areas of high vulnerability with geographic information systems (GIS). Utilizes multiple data sources to map out Veterans Health Administration (VHA) locations, food deserts, high veteran population density, low community health rankings, and more. Shows locations in the U.S. that have a high population of veterans and food insecurity that are near a VHA location and may benefit from interventions.
Author(s): Sarah E. Bradley, Jacquelyn Heuer, Bridget Hahm, Kristin Pettey, Karen Besterman-Dahan
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 15
Date: 11/2024
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Examines and locates veteran food insecurity in rural areas by mapping areas of high vulnerability with geographic information systems (GIS). Utilizes multiple data sources to map out Veterans Health Administration (VHA) locations, food deserts, high veteran population density, low community health rankings, and more. Shows locations in the U.S. that have a high population of veterans and food insecurity that are near a VHA location and may benefit from interventions.
Author(s): Sarah E. Bradley, Jacquelyn Heuer, Bridget Hahm, Kristin Pettey, Karen Besterman-Dahan
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 15
Date: 11/2024
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Last Updated: 5/23/2025