Connections between grocery stores, local producers and consumers could help combat food insecurity in the state, according to Oklahoma State University researchers and Hunger Free Oklahoma, a nonprofit organization that works to ensure Oklahomans have access to affordable, nutritious foods.
Sophia Darrow, a horticulture graduate student in the OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture, is conducting surveys centered around the barriers grocery stores face and assessing programs and policies that hinder food security. Darrow recognized a link between the capabilities of local producers and the needs of grocers. Her goal is to connect the fields of horticulture, nutrition and business together to create awareness for people in the food industry and adjacent fields and policymakers, leading to better support, understanding and resources within the food system.
PHOTO: An OSU horticulture graduate student is conducting surveys centered around the barriers grocery stores face while assessing programs and policies that hinder food security. (Photo by Mitchell Alcala, OSU Agriculture)
