The analysis of household food security data collected annually as part of the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census has been conducted by the Economic Research Service for 30 years. The subsequent annual report, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, has been essential for understanding the food security landscape in the U.S., and in Virginia. The analysis of the data by household type (e.g. households with children, single parent households, households with adults aged 65+) and trends in the data over time has been used by state agencies, public health practitioners, and researchers to: identify populations of interest and those in need of assistance; allocate state resources; plan programs; and adjust approaches and strategies over time to align with trends in the data. On a broader level, these data are used to assess overall economic health of communities and the Commonwealth, as well as the potential impact of changes in policy and funding for food security related programs and services. These data-driven approaches allow for the efficient use of federal, state, and local resources.
As Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension employees we have used these valuable ERS data to plan our approach to food security promotion and chronic disease prevention efforts for the Commonwealth, as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed), in partnership with the Virginia Department of Social Services, and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Through both SNAP-Ed and EFNEP we work with Virginians at risk for food insecurity. Due to finite resources, we cannot offer programs uniformly across the state. Instead, we must be strategic. We use the annual ERS report to target communities/locations, populations, and settings for programs. The lack of these data and reports limits our potential to be targeted and effective. They also affect other how other services and programs in Virginia are administered.
While the current federal model for collecting, analyzing, and reporting food security data is the most efficient use of public resources, a strategy for continuing to collect data for Virginia is essential, especially with coming changes to SNAP, Medicaid, and other federal programs run in partnership with states.
The team who prepared the Household Food Security in the United States in 2024 (ERS Report #358) was comprised of skilled economists employed by the USDA Economic Research Service, Food Economics Division, Food Assistance Branch and a senior research USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Research and Analysis Division. We commend Del. Cousins and strongly support the strategy outlined in HB866 for convening a work group to develop (and plan) a statewide survey. A work group consisting of individuals with the skillset necessary to conduct a similar analysis and prepare a report for the Commonwealth is an important step for filing the gap left by the cancellation of this federal resource. We would value and utilize the findings from statewide reports for the administration of SNAP-Ed and EFNEP and our ongoing research on factors affecting food access and the development of cost-effective interventions to promote food and nutrition security for Virginia households.
The analysis of household food security data collected annually as part of the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census has been conducted by the Economic Research Service for 30 years. The subsequent annual report, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, has been essential for understanding the food security landscape in the U.S., and in Virginia. The analysis of the data by household type (e.g. households with children, single parent households, households with adults aged 65+) and trends in the data over time has been used by state agencies, public health practitioners, and researchers to: identify populations of interest and those in need of assistance; allocate state resources; plan programs; and adjust approaches and strategies over time to align with trends in the data. On a broader level, these data are used to assess overall economic health of communities and the Commonwealth, as well as the potential impact of changes in policy and funding for food security related programs and services. These data-driven approaches allow for the efficient use of federal, state, and local resources. As Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension employees we have used these valuable ERS data to plan our approach to food security promotion and chronic disease prevention efforts for the Commonwealth, as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed), in partnership with the Virginia Department of Social Services, and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Through both SNAP-Ed and EFNEP we work with Virginians at risk for food insecurity. Due to finite resources, we cannot offer programs uniformly across the state. Instead, we must be strategic. We use the annual ERS report to target communities/locations, populations, and settings for programs. The lack of these data and reports limits our potential to be targeted and effective. They also affect other how other services and programs in Virginia are administered. While the current federal model for collecting, analyzing, and reporting food security data is the most efficient use of public resources, a strategy for continuing to collect data for Virginia is essential, especially with coming changes to SNAP, Medicaid, and other federal programs run in partnership with states. The team who prepared the Household Food Security in the United States in 2024 (ERS Report #358) was comprised of skilled economists employed by the USDA Economic Research Service, Food Economics Division, Food Assistance Branch and a senior research USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Research and Analysis Division. We commend Del. Cousins and strongly support the strategy outlined in HB866 for convening a work group to develop (and plan) a statewide survey. A work group consisting of individuals with the skillset necessary to conduct a similar analysis and prepare a report for the Commonwealth is an important step for filing the gap left by the cancellation of this federal resource. We would value and utilize the findings from statewide reports for the administration of SNAP-Ed and EFNEP and our ongoing research on factors affecting food access and the development of cost-effective interventions to promote food and nutrition security for Virginia households.