Joe Gentry

Food deserts are areas that have a high percentage of people who don’t have access to healthy food, either due to low income, or there may be no locations with affordable healthy food in their area. For some, the nearest grocery store may be many miles away, making it difficult without a vehicle to reliably get food.

People in food deserts thus tend to rely on convenience stores which rarely stock fresh fruits and vegetables while mainly selling junk food. They tend to be in rural areas and in cities with significant low-income populations. It should be no surprise that Michigan has a lot of them, particularly Northeast Michigan.

Since 1946, meat and grocery stores in the City of Alpena have been reduced from 46 to three — Save A Lot, Marine Market, and the Alpena General Store. This same phenomenon has been replicated in most of Northeast Michigan with fewer local grocers and a few large consolidated grocers. The lack of enforcement of the Robinson-Putman Act requiring a level pricing playing field was previously discussed. Another piece of the problem created by this consolidation is access to nutritious food by shoppers and the inability of local growers to get their locally grown food to market.

Farmers markets can often be the only opportunity for local food producers to market their product. Katie Brandt, educational programs manager at the Michigan State University organic farm has used a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)map of Michigan that lists all locations with farmers markets illustrating where potential food deserts exist. Resources are essential to the development of farmers, individual growers and markets. Resources include land access, incubator farms, land banks, money, funding, loans or financial assistance, farmer training, farms, hands-on-learning opportunities, marketing, food hubs, incubator kitchens, conferences, workshops, networking groups, guilds, advocacy organizations and nonprofits with many programs. Brandt split the local resources into layers depending on the type of aid they provide to beginning farmers. Her maps show an evident trend of common locations. There are many resources in the southeast, northwest and some parts of the Upper Peninsula. However, in the northeast and most of the UP, there are few resources.

Locally grown food is a potential solution to a food desert, and farmers markets are an essential part of this solution.

The United Way of Northeast Michigan has been the fiduciary for the NEMI Healthy Food Project (HFP) that is working to foster a vibrant and healthy food system in Northeast Michigan; one that is rooted in local and regional food and agriculture; that contributes to the rural economy; and supports the overall health and well-being of all residents. Their efforts include coordinating two Regional Food Councils, the NEMI Healthy Food Network and the NEMI Farm to School Community of Practice. They work with local small farms to expand their knowledge and capacity and enhance their financial viability. HFP has increased access to affordable healthy food for seniors, children and low-income families by hosting Fresh Pop-Up markets, encouraging utilization of the Double Up Bucks program, and helping schools navigate the 10 Cents a Meal program. HFP has been instrumental in the creation of the Sunrise Side Co-op Market. The long-term goal of this co-op market is to maintain a year-round full store (all necessities accounted for by local companies), create a commercial kitchen for the indoor market, provide yearly vendor training in business and food systems, and have co-op vendor loans for business development.

All of these initiatives are targeted to create the resources necessary to eliminate the Northeast Michigan food desert and to make our community a place that overflows with healthy partnerships, community connection, and resource abundance for all.

The United Way has recently focused on eliminating food insecurity. 13.4 million (19%) children in the U.S lacked reliable access to adequate food. This rate has risen nearly 50% since 2021. The USDA estimates that 44.2 million people live in food insecure households nationwide. These estimates do not include homeless families, so the actual number of children impacted is even larger. Alpena County has a population of 4,050 people dealing with food insecurity a rate of 14% of our population — 92% have incomes below the SNAP threshold. Alcona County’s population of food insecure people is 1,510 (14.9%) and 82% of these people’s income is below the SNAP threshold. Montmorency County’s food insecure population accounts for 1,530 (16.7%) and 86% have incomes below the SNAP threshold, according to data provided by the USDA and Feeding America.

Food insecurity has far-reaching implications for children, families, and society as a whole. Families who have difficulties buying adequate food also struggle to pay for housing, child care, health care, and other basic needs. These families sometimes have to make difficult choices between buying food, making rent, or paying for medical bills, for example. Food insecurity in children warrants particular attention as it is linked to numerous adverse outcomes that have lasting effects, including developmental disruptions, school problems, and physical and mental health issues.

Two factors have helped fuel the rising change in food insecurity:

1. Food costs have increased sharply since 2022 — 12% annually!

2. Pandemic relief measures, including the expanded Child Tax Credit, expired.

Consider that in 2023, one in four (28%) households with children reported that kids were not eating enough. Of the 44 ranked states, Michigan had the highest share of households with children not eating enough, at 43%.

Public policy has a substantial influence on childhood food insecurity. A key example is after the 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit was enacted, millions of children were lifted out of poverty and the food insecurity rate fell to a two-decade low for families with kids. Then, as this and other pandemic-era policies ended (including temporary food benefits) the childhood insecurity rate soared. State and local policies can influence food insecurity in similar ways.

Feeding America and other expert sources recommend that leaders:

¯ Improve access to other grocery and child nutrition programs — eliminate food deserts.

¯ Bolster safety net policies that promote family financial well-being (make permanent the expanded Child Tax Credit).

¯ Strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps) and increase participation in this and other food assistance programs.

The Trump administration is encouraged to consider this data and advice when considering reducing SNAP.

Joe Gentry is the executive director of the United Way of Northeast Michigan. Reach him at 989-354-2221 or jgentry@unitedwaynemi.org.