Conclusions

1. A GIS Based Approach to Applying NMSU Experimental Farm Resources to Reduce Rural Food Insecurity Chris Sylvan BS Geography USDA funded UNM Foodshed Fieldschool Participant Introduction GIS analysis is a technique used to study the impact of place on public health. One area of study is access to adequate food. A geographic location can determine if the population has access to adequate food. If not, then the area is known as a food desert or vacuum. This situation contributes to food insecurity. In New Mexico, many New Mexico State University Experimental Farm Stations are located in counties that are food insecure. Problem: Food Insecurity in the United States Food insecurity is the inability to or limited ability to acquire sufficient quantity of food to meet nutritional needs in socially acceptable ways. A food insecure person may be able to obtain enough calories, but still not meet their overall needs1. In the United States during 2007,11.1% and rising, of households reported food insecurity for a portion of that year. More than a third of those households reported very low food security2.This means that an adult in the household went without food. Food insecurity can indicate hunger, but it can also manifest as obesity. This is because people who suffer from food insecurity can also become obese, because of several factors. These include reasons such as the need to maximize food intake when available, leading to overeating1. GIS Analysis Many food insecure counties in New Mexico have a NMSU Experimental Station located in the county (see map below). If these farms were able to donate food to local charities for distribution, this could contribute to reducing food insecurity. One problem with this may be New Mexico’s anti-donation clause. This clause restricts state government institutions from making donations. Another issue is undercutting local producers. Careful planning would be required to prevent competition if the NMSU Stations were used to increase food security. Following is a GIS based analysis of travel distance to NMSU Stations 3.4.5.6.7. • Some Food Insecure Populations in the United States1: • The working poor • Children • Single parents • Older adults • People who live in certain geographic areas • Farmers Conclusions Food Insecurity in New Mexico New Mexico’s food insecurity rates are higher than the national average. According to the USDA, in 2004 about 15% of people in New Mexico were food insecure and this calculation remains valid currently2. According to a report compiled by the New Mexico Food and Agricultural Policy Council, people who are located in rural areas are vulnerable to food insecurity due to their geographic location: “While poverty, hunger, and food inaccessibility are prevalent in the entire state, in rural communities these problems are exacerbated by geographic isolation, low population densities, high food prices, limited selection of healthy food, and few transportation options. A “food gap” refers to extraordinary difficulties that households face securing an adequate diet due to economic or geographic reasons.2” • Conclusion • While adding the NMSU research farms as distribution centers to decrease New Mexico’s food insecurity, there are still many areas around the state that would still be underserved. • Citations • Boyle, M. A., & Holben, D. H. (2010). Community nutrition in action: an entrepreneurial approach (5th ed.). Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth Learning. • Household Food Security in the United States, 2009. (n.d.). USDA Economic Research Service . Retrieved July 22, 2011, from www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR108/ERR108.pdf Closing New Mexico's Food Gap. (n.d.). Closing New Mexico's Food Gap. Retrieved July 24, 2011, from www.farmtotablenm.org/closing • NMSU: AES Off-Campus Science Centers. (n.d.). NMSU: College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Retrieved July 22, 2011, from http://aces.nmsu.edu/aes/offcampus.html • http://news.unm.edu/2010/12/%E2%80%9Ceducation-is-power%E2%80%9D-campaign-looks-to-help-solve-unm%E2%80%99s-budget-woes/ • Download the Data. (n.d.). USDA Economic Research Service - Home Page. Retrieved July 22, 2011, from http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodDesert/downloadData.html • Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food. (n.d.). ERSReport Summary. Retrieved July 22, 2011, from www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/AP/AP036/AP036_reportsummary.pdf • ERS/USDA Briefing Room - Food Security in the United States: Statistics and Graphics. (n.d.). USDA Economic Research Service - Home Page. Retrieved July 22, 2011, from http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodsecurity/stats_graphs.htm#geographic Literature Cited