Food Security and Access During Coronavirus: A Vermont Study

This product is free for HEN DPG members.

This webinar was presented live on June 4, 2020.

Coronavirus’ impact in the US was perhaps most immediately apparent in our food system. Long before hospitals were overwhelmed and stay at home orders were in place, grocery shelves were empty, and toilet paper had disappeared. These new purchasing behaviors were a precursor for longer-term food system impacts, which are already materializing. Social distancing measures have led to a surge in unemployment and an increase in the number of people who experience food insecurity. The food system impacts of the coronavirus are myriad and span from our agricultural systems to our public health system. Understanding how eating behaviors, purchasing habits, and food availability has changed and will continue to shift after the coronavirus, as well as the food system implications of these outcomes for farmers, public health, and our environment are critical to envisioning a more resilient future.

We will share findings from a Vermont survey conducted shortly after the WHO declared that coronavirus is a pandemic. From a total of 3,251 respondences, we will provide general results regarding food access and security, the impact of coronavirus on Vermonters experiencing food security, as well as the impact of public health measures on employment and food in Vermont.

CPE Level: 2
CPEU: 1
Performance Indicators: 12.1.3, 6.2.1, 8.3.6

Learning Objectives

• Describe the current prevalence of Food Insecurity in Vermont and compare rates before and after the Governor of Vermont ordered a state-wide Stay Home Stay Safe protocol
• List the current government-funded food and nutrition programs and explore participation rates before and in the earliest weeks of the pandemic
• Recognize current research evaluating food security and our VT survey modifications to these tools including our validation and recruitment technique to capture current disruptions to food access due to COVID-19

Speaker

Dr. Meredith T. Niles, Assistant Professor

UVM Nutrition & Food Sciences

Dr. Farryl Bertmann, RDN

HEN Education Chair
Senior Lecturer, UVM Nutrition & Food Sciences

Dr. Emily H. Morgan

UVM Nutrition & Food Sciences