From the Arkansas Advocate:
At a rate of nearly 19%, Arkansas has the highest prevalence of food insecurity in the nation, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday.
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The annual study, which was conducted by the USDA’s Economic Research Service, found that Arkansas was one of seven states where the prevalence of food insecurity surpassed the national average of 13.5% in 2023, an increase from 12.8% in 2022.
The report defines food insecurity as being unable, at some time during the year, to provide adequate food for one or more household members because of a lack of resources. Very low food insecurity is the more severe range of food insecurity, where one or more members of a household experienced reduced food intake or disrupted eating patterns because they could not afford enough food.
New report ranks Arkansas’ food insecurity rate worst in the U.S.