This is how the pandemic has affected food access in the US

One-third of Americans say the pandemic has affected their household’s access to food, according to a new poll.
Over half of the 31% who said their household had altered access to food, reported fewer financial resources.
Those experiencing financial strain reported consuming less food, buying different brands and using government programs such as SNAP.
Nearly one-fifth of respondents visited food banks more often.

In a recent poll, one-third of Americans say the pandemic has affected their household’s access to food.

Of the 31% who said their household had altered access to food, over half (53%) reported fewer financial resources. Thirty-seven percent did not feel comfortable shopping at the grocery store and 32% felt their food choices were more limited because they did not have reliable transportation. Nearly one-fifth (17%) visited food banks more often.

“COVID-19 laid bare vulnerabilities that already existed in the food system,” says Sheril Kirshenbaum, co-director of the Michigan State University Food Literacy and Engagement Poll. This eighth wave of the poll sampled 2,002 Americans to explore how COVID-19 has affected food choices and access.

“Unfortunately, many families already struggling with food insecurity were strained even further as others found themselves at food banks for the first time,” says Kirshenbaum.

Among respondents who said they had fewer financial resources, three-quarters (74%) chose different brands of food. Nearly half (47%) consumed less food and roughly one-third (31%) used government programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

“The pandemic presented yet another challenge to people obtaining nutritious and affordable diets,” says Doug Buhler, co-director of the poll. “On one hand, we should be pleased that the basic system stayed intact, but the pandemic also exposed vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.”

Among the half of respondents (50%) who reported the pandemic has changed the way they purchase and store food, 51% seek out foods with a long shelf life, 50% store more food at home, and 48% take fewer trips to the grocery store. Of respondents, 27% are more aware of the food they waste, and 23% began using a grocery delivery service.

Two billion people in the world currently suffer from malnutrition and according to some estimates, we need 60% more food to feed the global population by 2050. Yet the agricultural sector is ill-equipped to meet this demand: 700 million of its workers currently live in poverty, and it is already responsible for 70% of the world’s water consumption and 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

New technologies could help our food systems become more sustainable and efficient, but unfortunately the agricultural sector has fallen behind other sectors in terms of technology adoption.

Launched in 2018, the Forum’s Innovation with a Purpose Platform is a large-scale partnership that facilitates the adoption of new technologies and other innovations to transform the way we produce, distribute and consume our food.

With research, increasing investments in new agriculture technologies and the integration of local and regional initiatives aimed at enhancing food security, the platform is working with over 50 partner institutions and 1,000 leaders around the world to leverage emerging technologies to make our food systems more sustainable, inclusive and efficient.

Learn more about Innovation with a Purpose’s impact and contact us to see how you can get involved.

The survey also explored whether receiving a COVID-19 vaccine influenced food access and behavior. Among the 69% of respondents who had been vaccinated at the time of the survey, over two-thirds (67%) say they now visit the grocery more frequently than prior to receiving the shot. One-third (33%) spend more time in the grocery store and 29% report they can more easily access and transport groceries. Just 15% stopped wearing masks where it isn’t required.

Data from the MSU Food Literacy and Engagement Poll were weighted using US Census Bureau figures to ensure the sample’s composition reflects the actual US population. Launched in 2017, the poll has support from Michigan State’s AgBioResearch.

Source: Michigan State University

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