Food Policy Task Force Recommendation “Support Research on Food Deserts and Collaboration with Policy Makers"
In partnership with Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), we created a Baltimore City food desert map highlighting access to healthy food based on resident’s distance to supermarkets, poverty (measured relative to the Federal Poverty Level) vehicle availability, and the quality and availability of healthy food in all food stores. Millions of low-income Americans live in food deserts and in Baltimore City, 20% of the population live in what is considered a “food desert”.
These maps are essential to the work of BFPI because they define the areas of greatest need, track progress, and tell the story of food access throughout the city. BFPI uses the food desert maps in order to better inform policy recommendations that aim to increase access to healthy foods in and around food deserts, and to improve the overall food environment in Baltimore City.
Read about the methodology behind the Food Desert Map and use the Interactive Food Environment Map.
Food Desert Definition
An area where the distance to a supermarket is more than ¼ mile, the median household income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, over 40% of households have no vehicle available, and the average Healthy Food Availability Index score for supermarkets, convenience and corner stores is low (measured using the Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey).
Healthy Food Retail Overlays (the circles and squares on the map)
- Supermarkets: are defined as large format grocery stores with all food departments present, including produce, meats, seafood, canned goods, and packaged foods.
- Farmers markets: Markets, with at least 3 vendors, open to the public. Markets are for the selling or offering for sale of fresh fruits, vegetables, juices, flowers, plants, herbs, and spices produced or grown by the vendor, and baked goods, meats, dairy goods, meats and prepared foods made by the vendor, and arts and crafts made by the vendor, occurring in a pre-designated area, including vendors that have taken such items on consignment for retail sale.
- Baltimarket is an innovative program that uses an online grocery ordering and delivery system to bring food to neighborhoods with low-vehicle ownership and inadequate access to healthy foods. It enables residents to place grocery orders at their local library, elementary school, senior/disabled housing or from any computer, and pick up their order at their community site weekly with no delivery cost.
- Public Markets, the oldest continuously operating public market system in the United States consists of six markets: Lexington, Northeast, Hollins, Avenue, Cross Street, and Broadway. They are open six days a week and offer a range of fresh produce and meats, as well as many prepared foods.
Food Desert Data
- 1 in 5 people in Baltimore live in a Food Desert. (approximately 125,000)
- Nearly 1 in 4 of Baltimore’s school aged children (0-17) live in a Food Desert. (approximately 31,000 -or- 23% of Baltimore’s population)
- 1 in 4 of Baltimore’s African American population lives in a Food Desert. (approximately 105,000 -or- 26% of Baltimore’s population) [Ranges between 13% to 18% for Baltimore’s other minorities, with 7% of Baltimore’s White population living in a Food Desert]
- 1 in 3 of Baltimore’s neighborhoods has Food Deserts in them. (100 out of 278 -or- 36%)
Source: 2010 Census Data and the Department of Planning
Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future develops food desert maps as part of the
Maryland Food System Map Project, which aims to collect and analyze data about food production, distribution and availability throughout the state, to better understand the local food system and identify opportunities for improvement.
Food Desert Resources
Below are some resources that provide background on obesity, food deserts and food access. Key national partners involved in increasing access to healthy food include Let’s Move and The Partnership for a healthier America.