January 7, 2020

In many rural communities the local grocery store is the only source of fresh and healthy food, so the loss of these stores poses a risk for the health of rural residents. Lack of fresh produce has been closely linked to several chronic health conditions. “In North Dakota, a study of over 500 food bank customers found that 75 percent had at least one chronic health disease, 36 percent had high blood pressure, and 32 percent suffered from depression or some other mental illness.” Although, food security in the grocery environment is one of the many factors that limit access to healthy foods. Rural communities are approaching these barriers through local distribution coordination to provide affordable products.

Read the full article from Civil Eats, What it Takes to Keep Independent Grocery Stores Open in Rural Communities.