Tackling Food Deserts In Michigan

Farmers market. Photo by Ivan LaBianca.

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Map

Check out the USDA food desert map

What are you having for dinner? Imagine trying to answer that question if you couldn’t get to a grocery store all week.

That’s the reality for more than 23 million Americans who live in “food deserts.” According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a food desert is a low-income area where at least 33 percent of the population has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. In urban areas low access means living more than a mile from the nearest grocery store; in rural areas its 10 miles. (Check out the USDA food desert locator map here).

Many people living in rural food deserts do not own a car nor do they have access to public transportation. The closest place to buy food is typically a convenient store or small shop where fresh fruits and vegetables are in short supply.

Farmers Markets & Food Deserts

But with the right strategies, food can grow in these deserts, drastically improving quality of life. Farmers’ markets are one example. More than 7,800 farmers’ markets currently operate in the U.S.—more than double the number from a decade ago.

Michigan has 250 farmers’ markets. However, those in poorer, rural communities often lack the facilities required to provide and sell a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy. And area residents are often unaware that affordable healthy food is available right in their own neighborhoods.

What We Are Doing

Despite our conservation of 20,000 Michigan farm acres, fresh fruits and vegetables remain out of reach in the “food deserts” of rural Michigan. We’re working to change that.

With a $400,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we are helping minority farmers with small- and mid-size farms increase crop production and get their goods to farmers’ markets in 11 Michigan counties. We’ll also be providing small grants to community groups so they can develop educational demonstrations and activities at rural farmers’ markets. These activities will aim to encourage young people and families to eat healthier and make the right food choices.

Our Midwest Director, Peg Kohring, who lives in one of the counties, was inspired to launch this project by the need in her own community—where many kids and families cannot walk to a supermarket. “In order to get more healthy options from the fields to the families in need we have to provide practical solutions to the challenges facing growers, sellers and communities. Many minority farmers in Michigan do not have the resources they need to grow more produce and improve their profitability. This project will better equip farmers and farmers’ markets to become a vibrant part of the local infrastructure and ultimately provide a robust selection of healthy food options.”

With Kellogg’s support, we will assist rural farmers, markets and communities in Allegan, Berrien, Monroe, Bay, Lenawee, Van Buren, Cass, Oceana, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Washtenaw counties.

Our Midwest team set out to create a set of maps to illustrate the variables that determine greatest need, such as the locations of food deserts and minority-owned farms. Together, they provide the information needed to determine the best places to disperse grant money. Download the maps by clicking on the links to the right.

Click on the maps below for more information: