Learn about the roles of youth and families in prioritizing nutrition security in an upcoming webinar on Tuesday, August 31 from 3 – 4:30 p.m. EST (2 – 3:30 p.m. CST). The virtual session will be led by program experts each sharing their knowledge and experiences with a variety of NIFA programs that help elevate youth and families in prioritizing nutrition security. Attendees are highly encouraged to ask questions during the live Q&A segment.
This event is the third installment of NIFA’s new monthly Nutrition Security Webinar Series. The series is set to feature a broad range of topics and speakers focused on prioritizing nutrition security during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the live session. If you have any questions or comments, please email Sheila Fleischhacker at sheila.fleischhacker@usda.gov.
| Date/Time | Tuesday, August 31 at 3 – 4:30 p.m. EST (2 – 3:30 p.m. CST) |
| Webinar 2 Title | Prioritizing Nutrition Security: NIFA Elevates Youth and Families |
| Description | This session will provide an overview of a variety of NIFA programs that help elevate the role of youth and families in prioritizing nutrition security. |
| Intended Audience | NIFA stakeholders that are or work with youth and families including academics, practitioners, and decision makers. |
| Registration Link | Register in advance for this webinar |
| Moderator | Cassandra Huey, PhD, Program Specialist, NIFA Division of Community and Education |
| Speakers |
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| Programs Featured | |
| Communications Liaison | Giselle Caceres, MPH Student, NIFA Intern |
| NIFA Nutrition Security Team Lead | Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, RDN, National Science Liaison, Nutrition and Food Safety |
| Post-Webinar Materials |
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| Continuing Education Credits | Pending approval for each webinar in this series, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered through the Commission on Dietetics Registration. |
Background
Food and Nutrition Insecurity in the United States
During the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic ramifications, an unprecedented number of Americans face food insecurity, despite the abundance of food produced and available across the United States. Indeed, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) reported food insecurity affected 10.5 percent of the U.S. population at some point in 2019, down from a peak of 14.9 percent in 2011; illustrating the length of time—about eight years—that it took to return to pre-recession (2007) levels. Food insecurity is now estimated to have jumped to the highest level in decades, affecting over 20 percent of Americans (approximately 1 in 4 households). Both before and during the pandemic, Black, Latinx, and Native Americans, as well as people living in rural and lower-income counties suffer the greatest disparities in food insecurity and associated diet-related chronic diseases, including heart disease, certain cancers, stroke, and diabetes. Now, diet-related chronic diseases are the leading causes of death in our country. Food insecurity also creates enormous strain on worker productivity, healthcare spending, and military readiness. Addressing food and nutrition insecurity is interrelated with challenges and opportunities with our agricultural and food systems. That is, U.S. agriculture faces growing environmental challenges such as resource scarcity, loss of biodiversity, and soil degradation. These sustainability issues have direct relevance for human health, increasing the risk of food insecurity and diet-related chronic diseases. Thus, we need to accelerate a transformation of our food system so that every American is given a chance to live a healthy, productive life and reach their full potential.
NIFA’s Nutrition Security Related Activities
NIFA supports nutrition security, defined as having consistent access, availability, and affordability of foods and beverages that promote well-being and prevent (and if needed, treat) disease, particularly among our nation’s most socially disadvantaged populations. Promoting nutrition security is a critical ingredient to containing the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring racial justice and equity, rebuilding the rural economy, addressing the impacts of climate change, providing open markets and fair trade, and reinvigorating a competitive workforce. For fiscal year 2021, NIFA is estimated to invest more than $122.1 million to promote nutrition security, through the following 5 key programs:
- Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
- Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)
- Community Food Projects (CFP)
- Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP)
- Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) competitive grants program A1344 Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases.
NIFA also supports 17 additional programs that help promote nutrition security:
- 4-H Youth Development Program
- 1890 Land-Grant Institution Programs
- Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans (AgVets)
- Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)
- Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Program
- CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development & Technical Assistance (CMPC-PDTA)
- Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP)
- National Center for Home Food Preservation
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program (HSI)
- Master Gardener Program, as well as Master Health and Master Food Preserver Programs
- New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE)
- Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI)
- Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDC)
- Rural Health & Safety Education (RHSE) Program
- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
- Economics, Markets, and Trade.
A key ingredient to our nutrition security activities is developing and leveraging a diverse, interdisciplinary workforce through our support of AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships, Internship Program, USDA 1890 National Scholars Program, USDA NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Education and Workforce Program, USDA NIFA Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP), among others.
NIFA’s External Engagement Efforts
NIFA has used a variety of formats such as NIFA Listens, Calls to Conversation Meeting Series, and Project CAFÉ (Collaboratively Achieving Functional Excellence) to share agency overviews and gather external insights on a range of topics, including food insecurity. We hope you can join us throughout this webinar series. More details to follow on future NIFA Nutrition Security webinars.
Questions?
Please email sheila.fleischhacker@usda.gov.