Forum on Dane County food deserts addressed poverty, access to local agriculture

On March 6, the League of Women Voters of Dane County hosted a forum on food desert issues in Dane County.

Kristie Maurer, operations manager of the Fresh Madison Market and the Freshmobile Initiative

A food desert is an area where the residents lack both financial and physical access to healthy and affordable food. The forum discussed limitations of Madison’s food system and what local government and businesses are doing to address related problems.

Carrie Edgar, department head and community food systems educator for Dane County UW-Extension, said poverty is one of the main factors that causes food deserts in Madison.

According to Edgar, 13.8 percent of the population in Dane County report food hardship. Food hardship measures the percentage of people who do not have the money they need to buy food.

“Poverty is not unique in Wisconsin,” said Edgar. Because of the two significant recessions in the 2000s, Dane County’s Food Share participants more than tripled from 2000 to 2010. Among those suffering from poverty, children outnumber the elderly two to one.

Edgar encouraged the community to address the food insecurity by promoting and establishing food access points, such as farmer markets, that are convenient to all community members.

After Edgar, Kyle Richmond, member of the Dane County Food Council and vice-chair of the City of Madison Food Policy Council, explained methods by which local government is trying to fortify the local food system.

Government methods include pursuing an institutional food market coalition and sustainable agriculture agenda.

Through the institutional food market coalition, the government hopes to expand the market opportunities by getting institutions like universities and hospitals to buy more local food.

“One dollar spent locally is equal to four dollars spent on the Wisconsin economy,” said Richmond.

He believes the sustainable agriculture agenda will help the city better utilize the land and educate the local children.

“We have strong agriculture in Dane County,” Richmond said.