Food Insecurity Changes in the United States during the Global Pandemic

AAEA member releases new research in AEPP

In 2018, 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure. Fast forward two years, with COVID-19 causing sharp economic declines across the country:  How will the pandemic effect food insecurity rates?

Craig Gundersen from the University of Illinois, and Monica Hake, Adam Dewey, and Emily Engelhard from Feeding America analyzed the possible impact of COVID-19 could be on the annual food insecurity rates in the United States for 2020 in their new article published in AEPP “Food Insecuirty during COVID-19.”

Gundersen says, “We are projecting an unprecedented increase in food insecurity since measurement began in 1996.  This will far exceed the increase seen in the Great Recession.  Due to this increase, a profound burden will be (and has) been put on the Feeding America network of food banks.  Of even more importance, this increase will lead to concordant increases in negative health outcomes and health care costs.”

If you are interested in setting up an interview, please contact Allison Ware in the AAEA Business Office.

ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes two journals, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices and the online open access publication series Applied Economics Teaching Resources. To learn more, visit www.aaea.org.

Contact: Allison Ware
Senior Communications Manager
(414) 918-3190
Email: aware@aaea.org