Household Food Security in the Rural South: Assuring Access to Enough Food for Healthy Lives

Food insecurity is more prevalent in the rural South than in metropolitan areas of the South and rural areas in other regions. This reflects the lower incomes and higher poverty rates in the rural South. On the other hand, the prevalence of poverty-linked hunger--the most severe range of food insecurity--is about the same in the rural South as in the rest of the nation. Single mothers with children are especially vulnerable to food insecurity and hunger, as are blacks and Hispanics. On the positive side, rates of food insecurity and hunger in the rural South have declined substantially since they were first measured in 1995. Federal programs play dominant roles in assuring that all people have enough food, particularly through the Food Stamp Program and the National School Lunch Program. States and local communities also can make important contributions by making sure that work pays, especially for less skilled and less educated workers; promoting policies to improve employment and earnings of less skilled workers, while also providing opportunities to enhance job skills; paying attention to issues that affect single mothers, such as child care for training programs and employment, cash welfare, and teenage pregnancy prevention; assuring that federal and state programs are readily accessible; developing strong community organizations to meet emergency needs; and coordinating services among providers and public assistance agencies.