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Healthy Food, Farms and Families in Oklahoma

Community Foods Project

Kerr Center and the Oklahoma Food Policy Council

Explore potential of “local foods”

Open new markets for farmers

Make locally-grown available to more Oklahomans

Community Foods Grant: 2005-2007

Farm-to-school

Watchword: Health

How healthy is our food system in Oklahoma?

How healthy are our farms: profitable, sustainable?

How healthy are our families: are they eating healthy food?

Research on

agricultural production, food processing and local markets

combined with

nutrition, health, hunger, food deserts

A snapshot of Oklahoma’s “food system”

Gate-to- plate

Field-to-fork

2007: Oklahoma Centennial

A time for reflection

where we have been & where we want to go

O klahoma

O besity

Are we eating healthy diets?

2014 S TATE OF T HE S TATE’S HEALTH OSDH

Obesity

Oklahoma has the sixth highest rate of obesity in the nation

STATE OF THE STATE'S HEALTH 2014 OSDH

Obesity

Dramatically increases risk of cardiovascular disease

Rated third worst in nation: deaths from cardiovascular disease (2013)

2014 S TATE OF T HE S TATE’S HEALTH OSDH

Heart Disease: Deaths per 100,000

2007 2012

Minnesota (best)

129.8 119.4

Oklahoma 242.1 235.2

4,060 fewer deaths per year MORE of your friends and neighbors: Alive!

Health problems related to obesity

Obesity raises the risk of getting diabetes by as much as five times

Between 1994 and 2003, rates of diabetes doubled in OK

Since 2003, rate has nearly doubled again to about 12% of population

http://cdnfiles.americashealthrankings.org/SiteFiles/StateProfiles/Oklahoma-Health-Profile-2013.pdf

Obesity-poverty connection

Highest rates of obesity among the poorest Americans

Poverty and food insecurity associated with lower quality diets: High sugar and fat Low fruit and vegetable consumption

Eating more

whole grains legumes fruits and vegetables

STATE OF THE STATE'S HEALTH OSDH

Can Save Your Life!

O K LAHOMA

K ITCHEN

Do we know how to eat?

Food Illiteracy: Years to develop

Most people now more than one generation away from the farm

Schools no longer teach home economics or have school gardens

Most families do not have gardens

Eating 5 or More in OK

Adults: Only 15% eat 5 or more a day (worst in nation)

Seniors: less than 25% (next to last in nation)

2014 S TATE OF T HE S TATE’S HEALTH OSDH

Not eating our fruits

Oklahoma ranks 50th for fruit consumption nationally.

Half of adults in Oklahoma do not eat even one piece of fruit each day.

The percent of adults who ate fruit increased with education and income.

Fruits grown in OK:Strawberries Blackberries Peaches PearsApplesPersimmonsMulberries BlueberriesGrapes

2014 S TATE OF T HE S TATE’S HEALTH OSDH

Not eating our vegetables

Oklahoma ranks 44th for vegetable consumption nationally.

1 in 4 adults did not eat at least one vegetable every day.

More than half of men in Oklahoma did not eat at least one vegetable every day.

Garden Vegetables in OK

SPRING-SUMMER

Asparagus Peas Radish Broccoli Cauliflower Lettuce Spinach Chard CollardsPotatoes

SUMMER-FALL Green beans Tomatoes Squash Black eyed peas Okra Sweet corn Sweet potatoes Bell and hot

Peppers CantaloupesWatermelon

Nutrients for Health: OK coming up short

Vitamin

C A Mag. E Fiber

< RDA 53% 60% 72% 88% 91%

Strawberry

Sweetpotatoes

Spinach

Peanuts

Whole wheat flour

Bell pepper

Cantaloupe

Okra Turnip greens

Blackberry

Daily Oklahoman, Auguest 7, 2014

Food Literacy

“A lot of people that live here don’t even know how to prepare fresh food; they’re used to opening a can of ravioli and calling it good.”

Paulette Alexander, Valley Brook

What skills do we need?

How to plan

How to shop

How to cook

How to grow food

OK L AHOMA

L ocally grown

Can we “eat local?”

“You take peaches shipped green from California. They’re just not good. That’s a fact.”– Steve Upson

Why do we choose to eat what we do?

1. Taste2. Cost3. Nutrition4. Convenience5. Weight Control

Eat Fresh for FlavorFarm-fresh tastes best

We Can Grow It

From A-Z, Asparagus to Zucchini

% Fruits/Veg. Imported into OK

Asparagus 99.2 Tomatoes 98.2Peaches 81.2Squash 77.6Strawberries92.2

# Oklahoma Farms Producing:

1939 1950 2002

Pears 29,231 2,975 152

Tomato 5,435 966 271

Watermelon

5,284 1092 311

OKL A HOMA

A ffordable

Is healthy food affordable?

Households

2011-12 Food Insecurity

High Insecurity

Oklahoma 15.3% 6.6%

United States

14.7 5.6

Food Insecurity means you

Run out of food and money for food

Skip mealsFeed children unbalanced diets

Rely on a few kinds of cheap foods

What do people eat?

High energy: fill me up

High in sugar and/or fat: sodas, chips, pizza, cake

Low nutrition

Convenient

Low price

Do we have a choice?

McDonald’s: Fast Food

Big Mac : $3.99Large French Fries: $2.40Fruit & Yoghurt parfait: $1Three cookies: $1Large soft drink: $1.49

Total: $9.88

Food from market: Slow Food

½ gallon milk: $1.99 ½ lb. green beans: $1.35 1 loaf wheat bread: $2.49 Bell pepper: $1.19 2 bananas: $.40 2 chicken drumsticks: $1.71 Crown broccoli: $.80Total: $9.93

In short supply: Time and Know-how to

Plan meals

Shop

Cook

Garden

Busting a Myth: Selected produce price comparisons ($/lb.), Tulsa-area

Farmers' Wal-Mart

MarketRomaine Lettuce $0.76 $1.38

Turnips $0.91 $1.46

Green Onions $1.63 $3.26

It’s Affordable!

Farmers’ Market Walmart

Vine Ripe Tomatoes $2.74

$2.84 Red Bell Peppers $2.74

$4.48 Eggplant $1.83

$1.54

OKL A HOMA

A CCESS

Can we get to the food?

Who has problem with access to healthy food?

Elderly

Disabled

Those without a car or unreliable car

Poor (cost of gas)

People in areas with no public transportation

Food Deserts in Oklahoma32 of Oklahoma’s 77 Counties

classified as food deserts

At least 25% population lives 10 miles or more from a supermarket

9 counties severe food deserts

Entire population lives 10 or more miles

USDA definition: food deserts

Areas of high poverty

Urban: 1/3 live at least a mile from a large grocery store

Rural: 1/3 live at least 10 miles from large grocery store

Food Deserts created when:

Grocery stores and supermarkets move out

Convenience stores move in

Daily Oklahoman, August 7,2014

DT’s Convenience Store: Valley Brook , S. OKC

Soda Beer White bread Cans of soup and chili Dairy case: a few jugs of milk, one

block of cheddar, hot dogs, bologna ½ dozen onions

Low selection, but higher prices within walking distance

OKLA H OMA

HEALTHY KIDS

Can we feed our kids healthy food?

Will kids eat their veggies?

It’s surprisingly easy to get most of the kids to try new fruits and vegetables….it’s not uncommon for them to clean their plate and then ask for more spinach.”

--Mason Weaver, Urban Harvest Gardens, OKC

Overweight Kids: Going Up

Unbalanced Diets

44% of Oklahoma youth reported they did not eat at least one piece of fruit each day.

Among Oklahoma youth, 40% reported they did not eat at least one vegetable everyday.

In 2013, 12% of Oklahoma youth were obese and 15% were overweight

OK Farm-to-School

Makes healthy foodsavailable

Significantly improve eating habits

2003: 3 district pilot

2007: 40 school districts in OK

Farm to School

OKLAH O MA

O pportunity

Can we increase farm profits and keep $ in rural communities?

Are Oklahoma Farms Profitable?

Average net farm income in 2012

Oklahoma: $11,899 ($8,220 in 2002)

U.S. overall: $43,750 ($19,032 IN 2002) 

Can be grown on small acreages

Can be sold with minimal processing

Can be sold directly to consumers for max. share of consumer $

Higher value crops

Opportunities: Direct and local sales Higher per acre

returns– horticulture crops

Direct sales: farmers get 100% food dollar

Attractive to young, women, minority and beginning farmers

Fruits and veggies: 2002

Most rapidly growing sectors in OK ag: vegetables, melons, nursery, tree crops, fruits, nuts and berries.

Progress?

Vegetables

Fruits/Nuts

Farms Sales ($1,000)

Farms Sales ($1,000)

2007 842 25,315 2,204 17,543

2012 444 19,333 1,831 41,373

OKLAHO M A

M arketing

Can we develop OK-grown markets?

I just like to keep the dollars in our state, where they belong—

Muskogee Farmer’s market regular customer, David Willis

Consumers are driving change

Where to get locally-grown?

Farmers’ marketsFarm-to-school Community gardensFarm storesCSA farmsFood cooperativesU-pick farms

Farmers’ Markets

Increase Access to Healthy Foods, Affordable

70 Farmers’ Markets in Oklahoma (35 in 1007)

Direct Sales Oklahoma: 2002

Value of direct sales: $3.7 million

$1.07 spent per person per year buying directly from Oklahoma farmers (Iowa: $3.97)

OK Direct Sales: 2012

Value of Direct sales 2012: $7,640,000

$1.98 spent per person per year buying directly from Oklahoma farmers.

Multiplier Effect

Every $ spent at Iowa farmers’ market generated $1.58 in additional sales in the community

For every 100 farmers’ market jobs, 145 additional jobs created

OKLAHOM A

A CT

Can we take positive steps?

You’ve got to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is. -– Will Rogers

Challenge:

Spend 5% of your grocery $ on buying OK grown

(on average) $67 per year, $2.74 per week

Challenge:

Next time you drive by a farmers market:

Stop and buy $5 worth of produce

Plant a tomato plant for yourself and your neighbor

Find Common Ground: Get Healthy with Oklahoma Farm-Fresh

Oklahoma—OK!

www.kerrcenter.com