Global Food, Local Hunger: Investigating Government Incentives For Equitable Local Food Systems

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Global Food, Local HungerInvestigating
Government Incentives For Equitable Local Food
Systems

• Brian Bamford Flynn
• November 17, 2004

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The Global Food System
Farm
Distribution/Processing Center
Supermarket
You

• Distribution centers source food from all over
  the globe
• - Relies on availability of affordable fossil
  fuels.
• Locus of production inconsequential in global
  food system.
• - Consumer left in the dark about where and how
  food was grown.

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West Coast to Providence 3000 miles
Holland to Providence 3500 miles
8 tons of CO2
Chile to Providence 5150 miles
Brazil to Providence 4770 miles
Argentina to Providence 5304 miles
New Zealand to Providence 9098 miles
Distances for Produce at a Providence StopShop
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Agribusiness Big Players Behind the Scenes
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And one of our great strengths in this country
is the productivity of our farmer and rancher.
One of the great strengths of America is that we
produce more food than we need. And if you
produce more food than you need, it seems like to
me that you ought to work to sell that food
overseas to people.
-George W. Bush, 2002
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Global Trade, Hunger at Home
- 12 of households in the US considered food
insecure
- 4 of households in US considered food
insecure with hunger (USDA, 2004)
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Local Food Movements

• Food consciousness is on the rise!
• Increased interest in organics
• Increased mainstream media coverage
• Number of US farmers markets increased 79
  between 1994-2002.
• Reasons for shopping local
• Freshness/nutrition
• Environmental/social concern
• Know your grower

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Woodstock Farms (CT) 38.23 miles
Cooks Valley (MA) 18.71 miles
SCLT 2.54 miles
Hill Orchards 13.78 miles
0.09 tons of CO2
Bettencourt Farm 12.86 miles
Arcadian Fields 35.6 miles
Wishing Stone Farm 35 miles
Distances Traveled to Hope High Farmers Market
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What are you getting at, Brian?

• On the whole, our country is immersed in the
  global food system.
• The global food system relies heavily on fossil
  fuels, corporate ownership, and an un-informed
  consumer base.
• Hunger is persistent in our society
• Local food systems are on the rise

To what extent, if any, do federal
subsidies/programs contribute to local food
security?
Local food security A condition in which all
community residents obtain a safe, culturally
acceptable, nutritionally adequate diet through a
sustainable food system that maximizes community
self-reliance and social justice." (Hamm, 2002)
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The next half-hour or so

• Intro (already did that)
• Methods
• Findings
• Conclusions
• Recommendations

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Food System Analysis A process by which we can
identify the structures and outcomes related to
how food is grown, processed and manufactured,
distributed, marketed, and sold.

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Methods
To what extent, if any, do federal
subsidies/programs contribute to local food
security?

• Methods
• Assemble USDA Production Subsidy Data for US and
  RI
• Identify key Federal and State initiatives that
  support local food systems and local food
  security
• Using Providence as a case-study, look at
  programs ability to create local food security
• Mapping and price comparisons to identify
  barriers to access to local food

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USDA Production Subsidies
-Commodity
Purpose To stabilize Farm Income
- Conservation
Programs Various forms of price supports for
farmers - Account for 80 of all USDA
production subsidies
Purpose To help farmers and ranchers meet
environmental challenges on their land
-Disaster

• Programs Rent payments to keep land idle, cost-
  shares for environmental measures
• Account for 12 of USDA production subsidies

Purpose To provide assistance to farmers and
ranchers in the wake of a natural disaster (i.e.
hurricane, drought) -Account for 9 of USDA
production subsidies
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USDA Production Subsidies to RI
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Top Ten USDA Subsidy Programs to Rhode Island
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Commodity Subsidies in RI

• Purpose To stabilize farm income
• Account for 1/3 of subsidies in RI 1995-2004.
• An average 136,000 per year
• Mainly dairy, corn, livestock, and apples
• Recipients tend to receive subsidy year after
  year
• Majority of top subsidy recipients in RI
  1995-2004 received commodity support.
• At lowest levels in five years for 2004

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Conservation Subsidies to RI

• Purpose Provide technical and financial
  assistance to address natural resource concerns
• 70 are Environmental Quality Incentive Program
  (EQIP) subsidies
• On the rise for RI? Nearly 500,000 in
  conservation subsidies in 2004.

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Highlights of USDA Production Subsidies to RI

• RI ranks 49th for number of farms receives the
  least amount of production subsidies
• 858 farms in RI less than 10 received federal
  subsidies in 2004
• Commodity subsidies should continue to decrease
  conservation subsidies on the rise
• 40 farms received 94 of subsidies 1995-2004.

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Rhode Island Hunger Stats

• RI ranks 24th in the US for percentage of
  households that are food insecure (12.7)
• Unfortunately, RI ranks 2nd for percent increase
  in food insecurity between 2001 and 2004 (39.1)

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Where Do We Get Food in PVD?

• Nine large-chain supermarkets
• Supermarkets accept food stamps/EBT, WIC.
• At least 14 large-chain fast food restaurants
• Skyrockets to 43 if we include Dunkin Donuts.
• Nine Farmers Markets
• Five of these markets started within last two
  years.
• All nine accept food stamps/EBT.
• Three of the markets accept WIC FMNP vouchers.
• Seven accept SFMNP vouchers.
• Countless convenience stores

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USDA Distribution Programs

• Food Stamps
• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
• Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
• School Meal Program
• Summer Food Service Program
• Food Assistance for Disaster Relief
• Child and Adult Care Food Program

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Whats WIC?

• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
  Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Created by USDA in 1974
• Not an entitlement program
• Eligible families have incomes at or below 185
  of U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines
• Individuals participating in WIC has increased in
  RI each year
• 22,780 individuals participated in RI WIC in
  FY2004

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Farmers Market Nutrition ProgramRe-thinking
Food Assistance

• Dual Purpose
• Provide food assistance to a nutritionally
  at-risk population
• Support Farmers Markets and local farmers
• All women, infants, and children enrolled in WIC
  program are eligible
• In Providence, 66 of eligible WIC population is
  receiving WIC benefits
• Only 40 of WIC vouchers redeemed (2002)
• Receive 20 voucher to be used at approved
  Farmers Markets
• Unfortunately, Bush keeps cutting spending for
  FMNP.
• 25 million in 2003 20 million in 2005

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Benefits of FMNP

• WIC approved food packages do not include fresh
  fruits or vegetables (except carrots)
• FMNP provides this missing element
• National Farmers Market Association Survey 2000
• 71 of WIC recipients report eating more fruits
  and vegetables because of FMNP
• 80 say they will eat more fruits and vegetables
  year round after participating in FMNP
• Bridges the gap between environmental and food
  security movements

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Potential Barriers to Increased Access for
Low-Income Individuals

• Price
• Belief that supermarket will be cheaper
• Location
• Are farmers markets placed near/in low-income
  areas?
• Familiarity
• Food movement seen as upper/middle class
  privilege.
• Are low-income individuals familiar with farmers
  markets?
• Do eligible individuals know about WIC/FMNP/SFMNP?

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Based on prices on two visits to Hope High
Farmers Market, one visit to Monday Market, and
two visits to StopShop.
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Farmers Markets in Providence
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Fast Food Restaurants in Providence
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SuperMarkets in Providence
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Community Food Project Grants

• USDA offers many competitive grants for CFS
  initiatives
• Example Urban Edge Farm in Cranston, RI
• Started with 3-year 220,000 competitive grant
• Drawback
• Grant writing is a difficult process
• Requires educated grant writers
• What about farmers who just want to farm?

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PhewConclusions?

• Federal government endorses global food system
  over local food system
• Subsidies to RI are not as perverse US ag
  subsidies on the whole
• RI understands the link between agriculture and
  conservation
• Local food systems still seen as a special
  interest and not a serious part of federal
  agriculture policy

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More Conclusions

• Local food systems capable of addressing
  environmental and social concerns at the same
  time.
• Production and distribution viewed as separate
  entities, not as interconnected parts of the same
  system.
• Environmental focus on farms too often ignores
  environmental effects of distribution

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Recommendations

• Keep cutting back commodity subsidies
• Use these funds to support a more
  socially-responsible food system
• EWG suggests shifting all subsidy funds to
  conservation measures.
• Environmentalists must re-define conservation
• More dialogue must emerge over food system
• Can we connect environmentalism to other
  movements?
• Conservation subsidies for small farmers
  producing for local market
• Off-set development pressures

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More Recommendations

• Stop cutting funding to the FMNP
• This program is nothing less than revolutionary
• Increase public outreach and advertising for
  Farmers Markets, FMNP, and SFMNP
• Ads on RIPTA
• Need a Farmers Market in Olneyville/Silver
  Lake/Hartford neighborhoods.
• Get every Providence Farmers Market approved for
  FMNP and SFMNP by next season.

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Farmers Markets in Providence
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Thanks and Praises
- Caroline Karp for never letting me rest on my
beliefs
- All the farmers of RI
- The good people of EWG
- Dad and Mary
- Everyone in CES

• My roommates over the past year BP,
  Rachel, Goetsch-er, Becca

- The Men (you know who you are)
-All my friends here today and those who couldnt
make it
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Kittens!!!!!