Data & Publications

The impact of the current recession on hunger and food insecurity in Utah has been devastating. We can see that record number of Utahns (pdf) have been utilizing Food Stamps during the recession.

Although USDA data indicate that Utah’s rate of food security is on par with or higher than the national average, most federal nutrition programs are still woefully underutilized in Utah. The most recent USDA data indicates that just over half of Utah households eligible for Food Stamps actually use the program. Utahns leave over $180 million in unclaimed Food Stamp benefits on the table every year, or roughly three times the annual output of the Utah Food Bank. Utah also ranks very low in our utilization of school lunch programs, and last in the country in our rate of school breakfast participation among impoverished children.

Utah data

• October Survey -  Utah State Office of Education -A survey of the free, reduced price and paid eligible students enrolled in all Utah schools that operate the National School Lunch Program. The survey is performed once a year on the last operating day in October.  This is a link to the most updated survey and surveys from prior years.
• Food Stamp Caseload Trend – DWS (click on image to the far right)
• Utah Household Food Stamp Profile (click on image below)

National data

USDA

• Lifeline for Families, Support for the Economy. – Congressional Report on benefits of SNAP – Nov 2011
• Food Insecurity in the U.S. – Economic Research Service – Sept 2011
• State Fact Sheets – Economic Research Service
• Food Access Research Atlas (formerly Food Desert locator)
• Food Environment Atlas
• Characteristics of Food Stamp/SNAP households by congressional district

From National Partners

Food Research and Action Center

• FRAC Summer Nutrition Status Report 2011
• Food Hardship report – August 2011
• Poverty Statistics
• The Cost of Food

Center on Budget Policy and Priorities

• “House-Passed Proposal to Block-Grant and Cut SNAP (Food Stamps) Rests on False Claims About Program Growth” – June 7, 2011

Feeding America

• Child Food Insecurity:  The Economic Impact on our Nation – A report on research on the impact of food insecurity and hunger on child health, growth and development.      (includes an Executive Summary (which includes definitions of key terms))

Children’s HealthWatch

• The SNAP Vaccine: Boosting Children’s Health – This report’s medical evidence shows that SNAP is an effective “vaccine” for supporting the healthy minds and bodies of our future leaders–our children.