Big Picture

Millions of Americans, particularly in low-income and rural communities, rely on convenience stores and fast food chains for their daily nutrition. It is very commonly perceived that healthy food is more expensive and difficult to find than junk food.  These food deserts, or areas where residents lack access to affordable, nutritious food, are becoming increasingly prevalent and are fundamental issues with diets in the U.S. This lack of fresh, healthy food contributes to rising obesity rates, diabetes and heart disease, furthering issues like the obesity epidemic. 

Operative Definitions

1. Food Desert: a geographic area where residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious food, typically defined by the USDA as being “more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas or more than ten miles in rural areas.”
2. Nutritional Inequality: disparities in access to healthy food options, leading to differences in diet-related health outcomes across socioeconomic and racial groups
3. Urban Farming: the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around urban areas to increase local food availability.
4. Food Insecurity: the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life, often due to financial constraints.

Important Facts and Statistics

• More than 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts. 

• People living in food deserts are more likely to be obese.

• Studies show that low-income neighborhoods have around 30% fewer grocery stores than in wealthier areas.

• Communities that are predominantly Black are more likely to be food deserts.

Four-Point Plan

(1) Offer tax incentives for grocery stores and farmers’ markets in food deserts. To encourage supermarkets and farmers’ markets to establish locations in food deserts, state and federal governments should provide tax breaks and grants to businesses that invest in these underserved areas. This policy has been successful in states like Pennsylvania, where the Fresh Food Financing Initiative led to the opening of more than 80 grocery stores in food deserts, serving over 400,000 residents.

(2) Expand funding for urban farming and community gardens. Cities should invest in urban agriculture by repurposing vacant lots and providing resources such as seeds, equipment and training to residents. Programs like Detroit’s urban farming movement have demonstrated that local food production can improve food security and create jobs. Federal grants should be expanded to help cities replicate these successes.

(3) Implement fresh food delivery programs for low-income communities. For residents in rural food deserts where grocery store development may not be feasible, fresh food delivery programs should be expanded. Partnerships between government agencies and private delivery services can bring affordable, fresh produce directly to households, particularly those without reliable transportation. It would function as a national expansion of mobile markets that have been implemented in several cities.

(4) Strengthen nutrition assistance programs to support healthy eating. Current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits should be modified to incentivize the purchase of fresh, healthy foods. Programs like “Double Up Food Bucks,” which allow SNAP recipients to get additional credits for buying fruits and vegetables, should be expanded nationwide to encourage healthier diets among low-income populations.

Why This Initiative Is Important

Beyond simply improving Americans’ diets, addressing food deserts connects to environmental justice, public health and economic opportunity. When communities lack access to healthy food, they face higher rates of chronic diseases, lower academic performance among children and limited economic mobility. Implementing targeted policies to bring fresh food into underserved areas will not only improve public health but also stimulate local economies, reduce healthcare costs and promote a more equitable society. By adopting this plan, policymakers can take a significant step toward ensuring that all Americans, regardless of income or location, have access to the nutritious food they need to thrive.

Sources

1. Colson-Fearon, Brionna and H. Shellae Versey. “Urban Agriculture as a Means to Food Sovereignty? A Case Study of Baltimore City Residents.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 19, Oct. 2022, p. 12752. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9566707/#B23-ijerph-19-12752
2. “Food Insecurity in Black Communities | Feeding America.” Feeding America, www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/black-communities.
3. “UTSA Researchers: Those With Inadequate Access to Food Likely to Suffer From Obesity.” UTSA Today, www.utsa.edu/today/2019/01/story/FoodInsecurity.html.
4. Chavis, Celeste, et al. “Understanding Access to Grocery Stores in Food Deserts in Baltimore City.” Morgan State University, by Urban Mobility & Equity Center and Morgan State University, report, Morgan State University, 21 July 2020, www.morgan.edu/Documents/ACADEMIA/CENTERS/NTC/Chavis%20Final%20Post.pdf.
5. Ney, Jeremy. “Food Deserts and Inequality.” DataVisualizationLab, 25 Jan. 2022, www.socialpolicylab.org/post/grow-your-blog-community.
6. PharmD, Jessica Caporuscio. What Are Food Deserts and How Do They Impact Health? 8 Mar. 2024, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-are-food-deserts.
7. Access to Affordable, Nutritious Food Is Limited in “Food Deserts” | Economic Research Service. www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2010/march/access-to-affordable-nutritious-food-is-limited-in-food-deserts.
8. Holzman, David C. “DIET AND NUTRITION: White House Proposes Healthy Food Financing Initiative.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 118, no. 4, Apr. 2010, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2854743/
9. Farmonaut. “Detroit’S Urban Farming Revolution: How Farmonaut Is Empowering Community Gardens and Food Sovereignty -.” Farmonaut®, 4 Feb. 2025, farmonaut.com/usa/detroits-urban-farming-revolution-how-farmonaut-is-empowering-community-gardens-and-food-sovereignty.