Connections between grocery stores, local producers and consumers could help combat food insecurity in the state, according to Oklahoma State University researchers and Hunger Free Oklahoma, a nonprofit organization that works to ensure Oklahomans have access to affordable, nutritious foods.

Sophia Darrow, a horticulture graduate student in the OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture, is conducting surveys centered around the barriers grocery stores face and assessing programs and policies that hinder food security.

“This project is a unique opportunity for Sophia because she gets to work with nonprofits and industry partners. She is assessing real-world problems with real-world solutions that have a direct impact on our state,” said Justin Quetone Moss, department head for the OSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Darrow’s research supervisor.

Darrow said she recognized a link between the capabilities of local producers and the needs of grocers. By surveying select grocery stores in Oklahoma about the challenges they face in sourcing produce, she hopes to increase market access for local growers.

“Through the horticulture lens, I see the disparities in Oklahoma’s fruit and vegetable production and health,” Darrow said. “Consumer education, represented in both nutrition and business, is crucial to sustaining local producers, and right now, fruit and vegetable producers experience hardships and difficulties in production because consumers are not educated on a healthy diet.” 

Darrow said her goal is to connect the fields of horticulture, nutrition and business together to create awareness for people in the food industry and adjacent fields and policymakers, leading to better support, understanding and resources within the food system.

“We will remedy the disparity in local food systems by identifying the importance of local food systems, creating the necessary resources for producers and consumers and by identifying the importance of the consumption and promotion of specialty crops,” Darrow said.

Through her study on grocers, Darrow hopes to help shed light on market accessibility for local producers and increase consumer awareness regarding local economies and quality diets.

“By doing this survey and having conversations, we will better understand the position grocers are in, learn where they are experiencing success, the areas they need support and how to use resources to help them,” she said.

A second survey being conducted by Hunger Free Oklahoma is related to food as a source of health and well-being. The survey will identify the state’s current, past and future efforts related to food as a means of healing and wellness.

Larsen said the hope is that the surveys will give an understanding of where to intervene to help increase access to locally grown foods in grocery stores and increase the number of programs available to patients living with diet-related chronic conditions.

“The Oklahoma Food is Medicine Coalition is thankful for the support Sophia is providing. Her research is helping us identify barriers and opportunities for growth for some truly impactful programs,” said Lauran Larson, senior manager of food and health at Hunger Free Oklahoma. 

Source - https://www.oklahomafarmreport.com