Abstract
A body of literature has noted that local food systems (LFSs) may not involve active participation by individuals with lower incomes. This is, in part, a function of racial and class hegemony, as well as physical and financial accessibility of LFSs. LFS institutions, such as farmers’ markets, have been working to facilitate receipt of food assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Charitable assistance programs, such as food banks, have also been actively working to engage in LFSs, for example, by making local foods available. However, little research has explored the role that receiving public or charitable assistance can play in influencing LFS participation. In this article, I utilize quantitative and qualitative data collected from across the state of Ohio to examine the relationship between receiving assistance and LFS participation for women, who remain predominately responsible for food provisioning in the U.S., including among those who participate in LFSs. Quantitative results suggest that receiving assistance can increase participation in LFSs. Qualitative data provides more nuanced information about the importance of food assistance for women who want to participate in LFSs, and suggest that it is essential that food cooperatives and farmers’ markets are equipped to receive food assistance programs, such as SNAP, in order for women with lower incomes to participate in LFSs.
Highlights
In recent years there has been a rapid increase in local food system (LFS) participation [1].local food systems (LFSs) generally involve farmers’ who commit to sustainable food production, who are connected to consumers by spatial proximity and direct markets
Qualitative data provides more nuanced information about the importance of food assistance for women who want to participate in LFSs, and suggest that it is essential that food cooperatives and farmers’ markets are equipped to receive food assistance programs, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), in order for women with lower incomes to participate in LFSs
The quantitative results indicate that receiving public or charitable assistance is significantly associated with an increase in LFS participation
Summary
LFSs generally involve farmers’ who commit to sustainable food production, who are connected to consumers by spatial proximity and direct markets. LFSs are considered counter to the industrialized, globalized, and increasingly corporate agriculture and food (agrifood) system, which is referred to by some in academic literature as the “neoliberal food regime” [2]. Proponents of LFSs assert that they allow greater revenue for producers, those who wish to produce smaller scale agrifood products, which may be more beneficial for local economies, environmental well-being, and human health [1,3].1. Referring to geographic proximity, or the distance between the production and consumption of food, the 2008 Farm Act, which was adopted by the
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