Food insecurity on rise

On any given day in Utah, thousands of families struggle to provide enough food for themselves and their loved ones, according to a government report noting increased rates of "food insecurity" across the nation.

The Beehive State ranks fifth in terms of food insecurity, with 14.8 percent of the state's households having difficulty finding the financial resources to adequately feed their families. Nearly 5 percent of those qualify as "hungry," meaning people simply could not afford food.

Nationally, 38.2 million households were food insecure in 2004 — 11.3 percent of all adults and 19 percent of all children in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture report.

Though dire, the numbers may not tell the whole picture, since they predate hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and the surge in gas prices, said Bill Tibbetts with Crossroads Urban Center.

"Actually, the overall picture right now is probably even worse than the numbers would indicate," Tibbetts said.

Insecurity and hunger rates increased across the nation, the USDA report notes, with only six states marking a decline in food insecurity and one, Oregon, noting a decline in hunger prevalence.

"It's not something that's just affecting one group of people or one part of the country. Every community and every state is seeing increases in food insecurity," said Lynn Parker, director of child nutrition programs for the Food Research and Action Center. "We're all in this together."

In 2004, the typical U.S. household spent $40 per person per week on food, the report states. Insecure households spent considerably less, and anti-hunger advocates worry the number will drop even further with strains placed on families by rising costs this winter.

"Families are going to have to be making decisions about whether to heat their houses or feed their families," Parker said.

The report marks the fifth consecutive year food insecurity rates have risen and marks the biggest jump since 2000 — numbers that frustrate advocates in light of threatened federal budget cuts to social service programs.

"I think it's a huge indicator of people's lack of resources. It's that people are just falling further and further beyond," said Gina Cornia with Utahns Against Hunger.

"For a bunch of people, their economic situation isn't improving." she said. "And that, to me, is what's frustrating — that there isn't an acknowledgment at how much people are struggling."

The House Agriculture Committee on Friday, as part of the federal budget reconciliation process, approved $844 million in cuts to the federal food-stamp program over the next five years.

The vote is unfortunate, Tibbetts said, and reflects a disconnect between lawmakers and "the way most ordinary people really feel."

"I think that most Utahns would say we do have a duty to make sure that our neighbors are able to meet their basic needs," he said. "I think we could come to a consensus on that pretty easily."

Parker agreed: "It shows a lack of vision and a lack of empathy for our fellow citizens and people across this nation for (the committee) to make this cut."

The Senate Agriculture Committee previously voted against any cuts to the food-stamp program.

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E-mail: awelling@desnews.com