Focus Area: Food Access

Evaluation of the USDA FINI Program Finds Benefits for Consumers, Farmers and Retailers, and Local Economies

By

In December 2018, Congress passed a new farm bill which included a reauthorization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program. This brief summarizes the findings of a recent qualitative evaluation of FINI, which concludes that the program has benefits for consumers, farmers and retailers, and local economies. This More

A Qualitative Evaluation of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program

By

This research describes findings from interviews conducted with grantees of multi-year community-based and large-scale projects funded by the FINI mechanism, as well as with stakeholders who could speak to FINI on a broader level. A total of 22 interviews were conducted with 19 organizations. Key elements addressed in this evaluation include: 1) Best practices and More

Parents’ Reports of Fast-Food Purchases for Their Children: Have They Improved?

By

Few research studies have examined the menu items that parents purchase for their children at fast-food restaurants or their attitudes about healthier kids’ meals. The purpose of this research was to document specific menu items that parents reported purchasing for their children at the top fast-food restaurant chains, attitudes about the restaurants, frequency of fast-food More

Best Practices and Innovative Solutions to Overcome Barriers to Delivering Policy, Systems and Environmental Changes in Rural Communities

By

This study investigated the barriers to implementing policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change initiatives within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) programming in U.S. rural communities, as well as strategies to overcome these barriers. SNAP-Ed staff members across 15 states were surveyed and/or interviewed regarding the types nutrition-related PSE programming currently being implemented, barriers to implementation, More

Evaluating Healthy Vending Policies for Youth in Four Cities

By

Vending machines are a common source for low nutrient, energy-dense snacks and beverages and youth can easily access vending machines at many public spaces such as parks, recreation centers, and swimming pools. Many cities are beginning to adopt healthy vending policies in public areas, but evidence regarding best practices for developing, implementing, and evaluating these healthy More

Arguments Used in Public Comments to Support or Oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Minimum Stocking Requirements: A Content Analysis

By

This content analysis examines the arguments used to support or oppose the USDA’s proposed rule that all SNAP-authorized retailers carry more nutritious foods. A random sample of public comments posted to the U.S. Federal Register was analyzed. Three main themes were discussed throughout the comments: 1) arguments used in opposition to the rule; 2) arguments More

Characterizing Multi-Year Community-Based and Large-Scale FINI Projects: Similarities, Differences, and Experiences across Retail Types

By

The purpose of this project is to collect qualitative information from awardees of multi-year community-based and large-scale projects funded by the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) mechanism. This qualitative information will include program implementation and impact across varying incentive delivery types and venues exploring topics such as redemption rates, volume of sales, and program awareness More

Examining Barriers and Facilitators to Delivering SNAP-Education (SNAP-Ed) Programming in Rural Communities

By

This project will examine the barriers and facilitators to delivering SNAP-Ed programming in rural communities with a focus on policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes. The goals of this project are: 1) to identify the types of SNAP-Ed programming currently being implemented in rural communities, with a focus on PSE changes; 2) to identify barriers More