Missouri's Harvest is in Reach
An Exploration of Missouri's Food Access Landscape
Throughout the year, farmers across Missouri showcase their bounties. Access to this healthy produce is key in promoting the public health of the state. Getting healthy food onto the plates of Missourians is not so simple, though.
Filling your grocery cart may be harder or easier depending on your income and where you live.
In this mapping project, we will explore the geographic distribution of food access in Missouri. We will also highlight food resources and programs. Finally, we'll look at what crops are growing across the state and ways you can join in on the fun.
Social Vulnerability and Food Access
Social vulnerability is the negative effects an individual or community experience due to external environmental forces. These forces may include factors like poverty, lack of transportation, lack of housing, etc.
The orange and red areas are census tracts in Missouri that score "Moderate to High" or "High" in the Overall Social Vulnerability Index Ranking set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1).
Moderate to High Social Vulnerability Indicies are those between 0.5 and 0.75. High rankings are anything above 0.75.
We often hear food insecurity, sometimes called "food deserts" defined by how far you are from your local grocery store, but there's much more to the story than that. Financial insecurity, among other socioeconomic factors, go hand in hand with getting dinner on the table. Click below to see an overlay of food insecure areas. These often overlap with socially vulnerable areas.
If you have low income, and the closest food source is greater than 1 mile in an urban area or 10 miles in a rural area, then you could be considered to have food insecurity.
The Food Insecure Areas and Social Vulnerability layers are defined by Census tract. Census tracts are small subdivisions of counties or other communities used by governments for tracking and statistical purposes.
Expanding Access In Food Insecure Areas
For many Missourians, grocery stores are the main source of food. In recent years, there are many areas in Missouri that have increased the number of grocery stores in food insecure areas (3). Food insecure areas are the diamond hatches already shown on the map. Click below to see areas with growing numbers of grocery stores.
Click below to see areas where the number of retailers that participate in the SNAP program have expanded (4).
Farmer's Markets
Grocery stores aren't the only place to find fresh food. Missouri is lucky to have many farmer's markets accross the state.
All counties in green house at least one farmer's market (5).
To find a farmer's market and other direct farm retailers close to you, click the link to Missouri Grown below.
The WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) Farmer's Market Nutrition Program began in 2021 and allows residents of participating counties to use their WIC vouchers at select market vendors in their residing county.
The Senior's Farmer's Market Nutrition Program provides vouchers to low-income seniors aged 60 and above at the same markets and vendors as the WIC Farmer's Market Nutrition Program. Seniors must be residents of the county they redeem their vouchers in.
Click below to see participating counties for both programs:
To see participating market vendors, along with other retailers accepting WIC, click the link below.
For more information on the Senior's Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, see the link below:
What's for Dinner Tonight?
Missouri's fields contain more variety than you think. You can find grapes, bok choy, even rice.
Sample what's growing in your county (6):
See something new at the market that you're unsure how to cook? Or just curious about?
Have a Plant is full of recipie inspiration!
Get Outside
Fall weather brings many opportunities to explore the food around Missouri.
The University of Missouri Extension office has many public educational events planned for the summer.
You can be part of the harvest too! Pick berries, explore a research farm, or go on a hayride! You can find farm events near you:
More Information
1) National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, Overall Percentile Social Vulnerability Rank, 2018:
2) Food Insecure Areas, USDA Food Atlas, 2021:
3, 4, and 5) Increases in Grocery Store Access (3, 2011-2016), SNAP Participation (4, 2012-2017), and Farmer's Markets (5, 2012), USDA Food Environment Atlas:
6) USDA/NASS Census of Agriculture, 2017:
Note: The "Vegetable" dataset includes vegetables, potatoes, and melons. The "Fruit" dataset includes fruit, nuts, and berries. The "Orchard" dataset has overlap with the fruit data, like apples and peaches.
7) Missouri Environmental Public Health Tracking Program:
8) Missouri Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program:
