Food insecurity spike hits Montana

“Town Crier” newsletter – Briefs from the Region (2) – 5/13/20

According MSU food and nutrition associate professor Carmen Byker Shanks, food insecurity—the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food—spiked from 11 percent to 38 percent nationwide since March. Those effects are parallel for Montanans, says Shanks: “We’re really learning that the pandemic is forcing us to use strategies we don’t use on a daily basis.” The professor believes it will help people understand how to stretch food, making better use of items if there ever is another shortage. “In the future, people will be more prepared because this is really the first time we’ve had to deal with such disruptions to our food [supply] chain.” The MSU nutrition department has launched a survey to see how Montanans are adjusting when it comes to food, and hope the results will help local, state and federal agencies plan for future health emergencies, reports NBC Montana.