Recently over 10,000 pounds of potatoes were harvested and donated to hungry Wyoming families in the face of a growing epidemic of food insecurity nationally.
The harvest was thanks to the efforts of the University of Wyoming’s James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) in partnership with the Cent$ible Nutrition Program (CNP).
Although the 2021 harvest saw 6,500 pounds of potatoes, this year’s harvest saw over 3,500 pounds access which was distributed to food banks statewide. According to director Steve Paisley, a surplus of potatoes led to the decision to donate.
Feeding American estimates one in eight Wyoming children face hunger. After devastating job losses and economic recession post-pandemic, an increasing number of families are facing challenges to meet their basic needs.
“Obviously, inflation of grocery prices is a big factor right now. Food pantries and soup kitchens across the state, including Laramie Interfaith and the Laramie Soup Kitchen here in Albany County, have been seeing all-time record numbers of visitors this year,” Jess Dooly, educator for Albany County CNP, said.
“There are a lot of people out there who are struggling financially, but not struggling enough to qualify for various assistance programs.”
One such program is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Only 52% of eligible residents are enrolled in the program, an estimate of over 29,000 people. However, Dooly notes that the program is still under utilized.
Barriers to food access can include lack of transportation, inadequate grocery store access, and, of course, poverty. In Laramie, the difference between a family eating a healthy meal, and having access to a grocery store can be as simple as the division of the train tracks.
Without adequate transportation, West Laramie residents are denied access to more affordable, healthier food options. While food access disparities remain an issue within city limits, the problem only grows more expansive in rural, underdeveloped areas of Wyoming.
“The Wind River Reservation is located within an empowerment zone, meaning that it is a place of high poverty and unemployment which is one barrier that can create food insecurity. We have one local grocery store, and a few gas stations that are far apart,” said CNP educator Dynse Ute.
The Reservation, spanning 2.2 million acres, has no established food pantry despite high levels of food insecurity.
“There are local food programs like the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Food distribution centers. A mobile pantry from the Food Bank of America has been coming through Fort Washakie and Arapahoe one time per month.”
These efforts, and the potato harvest at SAREC, represent an increasingly important local response to the crisis of hunger in Wyoming.
“When it comes to the larger issue of poverty the most important thing you can do is to pay attention to the issues. Write to local, state, or national leaders, and vote for issues that will help those struggling to get by,” Dooly said.
