A recently released University of Connecticut study ranks Connecticut’s 169 towns in terms of “food security.”
UConn researchers compiled information on farmers markets, poverty and unemployment rates, household access to vehicles and education levels of residents in order to determine the availability of safe, healthy, affordable foods in each Connecticut town.
“Although it is extremely difficult to pinpoint where food insecure households are located, one can look at certain variables such as location of food retailers, bus routes, and participation in public food assistance programs to draw comparisons on a town-by-town basis,” Jiff Martin, co-author of the study told UConn Today.
According to the report, “2012 Community Food Security in Connecticut: An Evaluation and Ranking of 169 Towns” Weston is the most food secure town in the state and Harford is the least food secure.
“We hope that these results will be used to stimulate town-level discussion, and may even help prioritize further analysis and commitment to strategies that will strengthen community food security in Connecticut,” Adam Rabinowitz, co-author of the study told UConn Today.
Access the full report on the website of UConn’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
