{"id":1509,"date":"2026-09-25T17:35:47","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T21:35:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/?p=1509"},"modified":"2026-09-25T17:36:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T21:36:26","slug":"inequity-and-access-in-the-food-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/2026\/09\/25\/inequity-and-access-in-the-food-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Inequity and Access in the Food System"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to Food Access and Food Security<\/span><\/h2>\n

Food insecurity is not contained to the most-populous 50 US cities. But, in 2024, the number of food insecure individuals across the country totaled just shy of their equivalent, roughly 48 million people or just over 13% of the population (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2026c). While by no means geographically confined, rates of food insecurity are higher than average in southern states, rural areas, and highly urbanized settings (USDA, 2026c).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Figure 1<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Note. <\/span><\/i>Figure 1 displays a color-coded map of the United States, visualizing comparative rates of food security in US states between 2022 and 2024 (USDA, 2025c).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Defining Food Security<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The USDA defines food security as having \u201c<\/span>no problems, or anxiety about, consistently accessing adequate food\u201d (2026d). Low food security, on the other hand, does not necessarily mean eating less, but often involves supplementing diets with low-cost, low-quality food. Very low food security applies when \u201ceating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake was reduced” (USDA, 2026d).<\/span> Food security is not static; a household\u2019s status can shift as prices, income, or living situations change (Halpin, 2026).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Figure 2<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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Note. <\/span><\/i>Figure 2 depicts a chart reflecting the number of US households facing low food security (8.3%) and very low food security (5.4%) (USDA, 2025c)<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Food Access and Hunger<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

We tend to closely associate food access with \u201chunger\u201d. Yet, in 2006, the US Department of Agriculture ceased using the term \u201chunger\u201d, instead opting for\u00a0 \u201cvery low food security\u201d (Allen, 2007; Fisher, 2017). The rationale: hunger, the physical sensation, is difficult to measure and that what surveys account for is, in the end, merely household food security (USDA, 2026d). The decision was met with disdain from food access advocates who feared the decision would cause \u201chunger disappear from the public agenda\u201d (Allen, 2007, pg. 22). <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some are more skeptical about hunger-focused language, however. Food-justice advocate, Andrew Fisher, points out in his 2017 book, <\/span>Big Hunger<\/span><\/i>, the shortcomings associated with focusing on \u201chunger\u201d in isolation. A key issue with a hunger-centric approach is that the underlying social and economic problems are swept away. Thus, we fail to \u201cto establish […] financial, human, or social capital needed to eliminate the problem on a more permanent basis\u201d (Fisher, 2017, pg. 21).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Responding to Food Insecurity<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

One pathway for mitigating food insecurity is through government assistance. In 2025, the largest governmental nutrition assistance program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, served around 42.1 million low-income Americans (USDA, 2026e).<\/span><\/p>\n

A second avenue which supplements government assistance in the alleviation of food insecurity is referred to as the \u201ccharitable food distribution network\u201d (Fisher, 2017, pg. 24). In other words, organizations that work to reduce food insecurity through donations and private funding.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Even with government assistance, there exists a need for secondary food assistance pathways. This is, in part, due to barriers in accessing government programs like SNAP, such as the strenuous paperwork and work requirements mandated to qualify (Wilkerson et al., 2018). The passage of One Big Beautiful Bill in July 2025 made requirements even stricter and barred asylum seekers, refugees, and select other migrant groups from receiving SNAP funding (Hodges and Jones, 2026, pp. 8-9). <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Food Assistance Close to Home<\/h2>\n

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On a local scale, Project SHARE and Feed Carlisle, PA are examples of charitable organizations that help bridge the gap between governmental assista<\/span>nce and food security in Cumberland County. <\/span>Established in 1984, Project SHARE has evolved from food pantry to advocacy organization and community education center (Project SHARE, n.d.). More recently, Feed Carlisle, PA has contributed to the expansion of Carlisle\u2019s food access network by introducing the community fridge and pantry at the Bosler Memorial Library. The idea behind the community pantry is to provide a universal and barrier-free means of accessing food for those struggling to afford groceries, supported directly by donations from community members (Feed Carlisle, PA, n.d.).<\/span><\/p>\n

Figure 3<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Note. <\/span><\/i>Figure 3 shows the community fridge and pantry located in the Bosler Memorial Library in Carlisle, PA, supported by the Feed Carlisle, PA organization (Photo by author)<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The above-mentioned governmental and charitable interventions to food insecurity are examples of what Fisher calls hunger-focused solutions. What strategies or initiatives do you think could play a role in reducing food insecurity altogether?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning to a localized perspective, what do you think your role as a community member should be in addressing challenges to food access?\u00a0 Where\u00a0do you see opportunities to improve food access in Carlisle or in your home community?<\/p>\n

Citations<\/h3>\n
\n
\n

Allen, P. (2007). The Disappearance of Hunger in America. <\/span>Gastronomica<\/span><\/i>, 19\u201323.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Feed Carlisle, PA. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2026, from <\/span>https:\/\/www.feedcarlislepa.org<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fisher, A. (2017). <\/span>Big Hunger: The Unholy Alliance Between Corporate America and Anti-Hunger Groups<\/span><\/i>. MIT Press.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Halpin, J. (2026, September 21). <\/span>Food Access<\/span><\/i>. FDST 201; Introduction to Food Studies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hodges, L., & Jones, J. W. (2026). <\/span>The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report<\/span><\/i> (EIB-304). United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Project SHARE. (n.d.). <\/span>Our History<\/span><\/i>. Project SHARE. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from <\/span>https:\/\/www.projectsharepa.org\/history\/<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

United States Department of Agriculture. (2026a). <\/span>A Short History of SNAP<\/span><\/i>. United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Administration. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from <\/span>https:\/\/www.fna.usda.gov\/snap\/history<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

United States Department of Agriculture. (2026b). <\/span>Food Security in the U.S. – History & Background<\/span><\/i>. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from <\/span>https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/topics\/food-nutrition-assistance\/food-security-in-the-us\/history-background<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

United States Department of Agriculture. (2026c). <\/span>Food Security in the U.S. – Key Statistics & Graphics<\/span><\/i>. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. <\/span>https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/topics\/food-nutrition-assistance\/food-security-in-the-us\/key-statistics-graphics<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

United States Department of Agriculture. (2026d). <\/span>Food Security in the U.S. – Measurement | Economic Research Service<\/span><\/i>. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. <\/span>https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/topics\/food-nutrition-assistance\/food-security-in-the-us\/measurement<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

United States Department of Agriculture. (2026e). <\/span>Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)<\/span><\/i>. United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. <\/span>https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/topics\/food-nutrition-assistance\/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2025). <\/span>Prevelance of food insecurity, average 2022-2024<\/span><\/i> [Map]. <\/span>https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/topics\/food-nutrition-assistance\/food-security-in-the-us\/key-statistics-graphics<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wilkerson, R., Krey, K., & English, L. (2018). The Complex Challenges to Participation in Federal Nutrition Programs. In L. H. Hossfeld, E. B. Kelly, & J. F. Waity (Eds.), <\/span>Food and Poverty: Food Insecurity and Food Sovereignty among America\u2019s Poor<\/span><\/i> (pp. 114\u2013125). Vanderbilt University Press.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction to Food Access and Food Security Food insecurity is not contained to the most-populous 50 US cities. But, in 2024, the number of food insecure individuals across the country totaled just shy of their equivalent, roughly 48 million people or just over 13% of the population (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2026c). While […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5503,"featured_media":1528,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[136307],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-studies-fall-2026","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5503"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1509"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1533,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1509\/revisions\/1533"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}