In the last 12 months, have you ever:

• worried that your food would run out before you got money to buy more?
• been unable to afford balanced meals?
• cut the size of your meals or skipped meals because there wasn't enough money for food?
• lost weight because there wasn't enough money for food?
• relied on only a few kinds of low-cost foods to feed your children because there wasn't enough money for food?
• been unable to feed your children a balanced meal because you couldn't afford it?

If you answered yes to more than three of these, then you are likely among the 17 million American households (12.8% of us) who have experienced food insecurity. This is only a sample of the ten to 18 questions that the USDA uses to track and monitor household food security every year and to rate the level of food security based on participant households' responses from food secure to very low food security depending on the number of affirmative answers provided.

During the pandemic and in the years leading up to it, the rate of overall food insecurity stayed relatively stable. This seems surprising, that as millions of Americans lost their jobs and suffered from negative health consequences, food security remained flat. Only recently have we started to see the upward trend in food insecurity return.

In their 2023 report, the USDA Economic Research Service notes that food insecurity increased in 2022 across all subpopulations and was significantly higher than the 10.2% prevalence of food insecurity recorded in 2021.

Why didn't food insecurity increase during the COVID-19 pandemic? Why is it increasing now?

Perhaps, policy actions to support low-income households helped:

• In a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Report (Aug 2022), researchers estimate that SNAP emergency allotments (a temporary increase in benefits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic among participating states which ended in the February 2023 issuance) “kept 4.2 million people out of poverty in the fourth quarter of 2021, reducing poverty by 9.6 percent in states with emergency allotments, relative to a scenario in which emergency allotments were eliminated. Child poverty was reduced by 14.0 percent in states with emergency allotments and was reduced most among Black, non Hispanic children, falling by 18.4 percent.”
• In another study (June 2022) researchers found that a 15% increase in SNAP benefits, enacted in January 2021, reduced instances of food insufficiency during the pandemic and also reduced food pantry visits (Bryant and Follett, 2022)
• In one nationally representative study (Dec 2023) of SNAP-participating households, discontinuation of SNAP emergency allotment benefits was significantly associated with increased food insufficiency.
• In a cross-sectional study (June 2023) of US respondents to the Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, analyses showed that ending emergency allotments was associated with significantly higher overall food insufficiency and child food insufficiency.

SNAP Emergency Allotments were implemented in response to the pandemic. Following their expiration, the average SNAP participant was expected to receive about $90 less in benefits per month (Rosenbaum et al. 2023). 

Perhaps this is telling us that, where there is a will to end food insecurity and hunger, there is a way.

See a local story about hunger in the Tribune Dec 7, 2023: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article282183253.html

This summer three UCCE programs including CalFresh Healthy Living, Master Food Preservers, and Master Gardeners collaborated with local libraries to teach nutrition, gardening, and food preservation skills to families through the Lompoc Library “Learn and Grow” series and the Santa Maria Teens Club. These three UCCE programs cover community education topics from the garden (Master Gardeners) to pantry (Master Food Preservers) to plate (CalFresh Healthy Living).  By bringing the three programs together there is potential to enhance learning and promote community health.

In Lompoc, more than 18 families participated in three, 90-minute sessions learning about growing food and preparing healthy recipes such as trail mix, limeade, and developing food preservation techniques by making refrigerator pickles.

Photo: UC Master Food Preservers in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara

In Santa Maria, the UC Master Food Preservers held a series of workshops for the Santa Maria Library Teens Club. In total, 75 teens learned about fermentation through making quick kimchi, and got to practice using an atmospheric steam canner to make Thai dipping sauce and chutney. UC Master Food Preservers also participated in Family Storytime about pizza and tacos at the Santa Maria Library where they demonstrated how to use the atmospheric steam canner to make salsa and 12 families took home food safety handouts and recipe cards. 

Increasing knowledge and skills around growing and preserving food and eating healthy has been shown to improve community health and wellness. 

Photo: UCCE

Families provided positive feedback with one community member stating: “What a fantastic lesson for children to learn, and great literacy to introduce as well.” 

"Thank you very much, my girl had a lot of fun and great activities. She was very happy" -Parent

Looking ahead, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE is back in the classroom for the new school year, partnering with teachers, food service staff, students, and families to teach nutrition, gardening, and promote healthy communities. Meanwhile, UC Master Food Preservers are in the middle of training a new cohort of volunteers in research-based practices of safe home food preservation. 

Today several members of the CalFresh at Farmers Market Working Group attended the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors' meeting to accept the proclamation of August 6th -12th 2023 as SLO County Farmers Market Week. Supervisor Arnold read the proclamation and the remaining supervisors remarked on the importance of local agriculture to our community and the important connection between farmers markets and food assistance programs like CalFresh, Market Match and WIC.

UCCE Staff Receive the Proclamation. Photo: Chris Greer

Thank you to the Board of Supervisors for taking the time to recognize the importance of farmers markets to our county culture, livelihood, and vitality. Several board members specifically highlighted their support for programs that promote equitable access to local and healthy food, including the CalFresh and Market Match programs which are available at markets across our county. (To find a market near you, visit FMFinder.org)

Our CalFresh at Farmers Markets work group mission is to increase the use of CalFresh benefits at local farmers markets in order to support equitable access to healthy food and support for local farmers. Our work group includes five farmers market associations, representing ten markets throughout the county that accept CalFresh and offer the nutrition incentive Market Match. Additional partners include UC Cooperative Extension, the SLO Food Bank, County Departments of Social Services and Public Health and the Promotores Collaborative. Since 2017, our work group has helped to bring in over $600,000 in CalFresh and Market Match at local farmers markets.

Yet we know there is more work to do. There are many county residents out there who are struggling to put food on the table and who could qualify for CalFresh but are not aware of it (visit GetCalFresh.org for more info). We know there are people who currently receive CalFresh/EBT or P-EBT benefits but do not know that they can use their benefits and even get more money for fruits and vegetables with Market Match at many of our local markets.

On behalf of our working group partners, I invite everyone to come out to a farmers market near you - from Paso to Arroyo Grande during Aug 6th-12th to enjoy your local bounty, try using your CalFresh EBT/P-EBT card, and get to know your community and your farmers.

Additionally, the SLO Food System Coalition will host a social event on Monday Aug 7th at the Baywood Farmers Market from 3-4:30. We invite you to join us to learn about the Food System Coalition and to support your local farmers and food operators.

Thank you to our Board of Supervisors for the opportunity to acknowledge the importance of our farmers markets and the great work they are doing to support food access in our county.

Where can you use your CalFresh or WIC benefits? Visit FMFinder.org to find a market near you.

How?  To use your CalFresh/EBT or P-EBT card at participating markets, look for the Information or Market Manager booth and a friendly staff person will help walk you through the process. You will want to have an idea of how much money you are going to spend so you can ask them to swipe your card for a specific dollar amount which will be debited from your CalFresh account. In addition, many markets will provide an extra $10 or $15 in Market Match tokens that you can spend on fresh fruits or vegetables at the market.

RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING AUGUST 6-12. 2023, AS

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY FARMERS MARKET WEEK

WHEREAS San Luis Obispo County farmers markets support the health of local residents by providing access to healthful, fresh, delicious, and local foods and agricultural products, and 

WHEREAS farmers markets support small-to-medium, new and beginning, and veteran agricultural producers so they can sell their local agricultural products, generating revenue that supports the sustainability of local farms and the economic vibrance of rural communities nationwide, and

WHEREAS most farmers markets in San Luis Obispo County currently accept one or more federal supplemental nutrition assistance programs such as CalFresh, WIC, and/or Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs as forms of payment, and many also offer additional market incentives to increase the purchasing power of community members with limited incomes, and

WHEREAS San Luis Obispo County encourages all county farmers markets to accept CalFresh and other federal nutrition program as payment so that local farmers and ranchers can expand their customer base and all residents can benefit from the diverse agricultural products produced in the county, and 

WHEREAS farmers markets in San Luis Obispo County help foster community connectedness and resilience by bringing together neighbors and farmers, serving as a community gathering space, encouraging tourism, and playing a role in educating community members on our local food system, and

WHEREAS farmers markets directly facilitate the selling and purchasing of local fruits and vegetables and other agricultural products and thus support the Vision of the County of San Luis Obispo as a healthy and prosperous community, and

WHEREAS San Luis Obispo County recognizes the importance of expanding agricultural marketing opportunities that assist and encourage the next generation of farmers and ranchers; building community connections and health through direct farm to consumer encounters in our communities; and supporting access to farmers markets for people on limited incomes through increasing the number of markets that accept CalFresh and other food benefit programs;

NOW, THEREFORE, to further awareness of farmers markets' contributions to San Luis Obispo County life, we, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, do hereby proclaim the week of August 6-12, 2023, as San Luis Obispo County Farmers Market Week, in conjunction with the observance of National Farmers Market Week. I call upon San Luis Obispo County residents to celebrate farmers markets with appropriate observance and activities.

4-H SNAC youth ready to lead garden demonstrations. Photo: UCCE

The 4-H Student Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC) club at Rice Elementary returned to in-person meetings this year for the first time since March 2020. 4-H SNAC is a collaboration between UC Cooperative Extension programs (CalFresh Healthy Living and 4-H) and local schools and provides 4th - 6^th graders opportunity to build leadership skills and create healthy changes in their community.

Student leaders were excited to join the club this year and promote healthy living at a school-wide Family Wellness Night event, where families were invited to learn about community resources and healthy living tips. 4-H SNAC youth leaders worked together to decide which topics they wanted to promote. Ultimately they voted to host two booths including 1) a garden station where students demonstrated how to plant tomato and pepper plants and provided information on how to grow food at home, and 2) a hydration station with a spin-the-wheel game where students leaders engaged families in physical activity and shared how to make fruit infused waters to reduce their consumption of sugary beverages.

4-H SNAC Leaders preparing a healthy fruit-infused water Photo: UCCE

Leading up to the event youth learned about the importance of nutrition, gardening, and physical activity and the role they play in living a healthy lifestyle from the club facilitator. During club meetings, they practiced making group decisions following Parliamentary Procedure, making healthy recipes, maintaining their school garden, and playing games that focused on being physically active. Family Wellness Night was a culmination of the 4-H SNAC youth leaders' hard work where they were able to showcase all their new skills to be agents for change in their community. As a result, students reported that the best part of participating as a youth leader in this program included making food and learning how to make the world a healthier place, getting to work as a team, teaching others, and promoting healthy living at Family Wellness Night.

More information on starting a 4-H SNAC Club in your community can be found in our recently published 4-H SNAC Guide.

Funding support provided by USDA NIFA, CYFAR

California's CalFresh Healthy Living, with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – USDA SNAP, produced this material. These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. For important nutrition information, visit www.CalFreshHealthyLiving.org.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.  Full FNS Nondiscrimination Statement.