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THE HEALTH OF COUNTY RESIDENTS
Health Data and Health Concerns
Health Care Facilities
Aging
Food Distribution and
Access
PLANNING ISSUE
There’s no argument that food
is something that county
residents need—as good
nutrition and access to
affordable and healthy food is
crucial to a healthy population.
Easy access is not guaranteed:
some local supermarkets have
shut their doors and some
neighborhoods are clearly
underserved.
What’s New
•
In January 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration released a draft Produce Safety Rule
(which is open for changes; revised regulations are
likely to follow) that will establish mandatory safety
practices nationwide to prevent the microbial
contamination of fresh produce. This is a major
shift from previous practices, which have mostly
been reactive. These regulations would affect—
among other things—farmworker health and
hygiene, manure handling, animal grazing, and
building cleanliness and will primarily apply to food
items typically eaten raw, like fruits and sprouts.
•
The interest in local and organic food has not been
lost on local farmers, restaurants, and grocery stores.
Organic and/or local produce, eggs, meat, and
cheese are readily available at supermarkets and
farmers markets. Backyard bee hives and chicken
coops are growing in popularity. Several farms use
community supported agriculture (CSAs) models to
bring weekly shares of produce to local residents;
CSAs from surrounding counties serve residents as
well. Many restaurants feature seasonal menus and
produce from local farms; some fast food chains
(such as Chipotle or Elevation Burger) are following
suit and choosing organic items for their menus.
•
The North Penn Community Health Foundation
estimates (in a 2013 report) that more than 83,000
county residents—more than 10% of the total
population— live in food insecure households. A
food insecure household has limited or uncertain
access to adequate food, resulting in residents who
go hungry when the money for food runs out.
Funding cuts over the last several years have hurt
food aid programs; the increased need for food
assistance has only been exacerbated by an increase
in food prices. Even with these cuts, Montgomery
County has seen a 115% increase in SNAP
participation (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program) since 2007.
Food Distribution and Access
Food distribution and access is an important issue for the
county—not only is it a health issue, but an economic
development and equity issue as well.
The county’s farms and food processors play an important
role in supporting our local food system. There is a growing
interest across the county (and country) in supporting local
farmers, eating locally grown foods, purchasing organic
products, and preserving the growing season’s bounty at
home. Many products one would purchase at the grocery
store are available from local producers at the county’s
farmers markets and farm stores...as long as one’s willing to
forego strawberries and corn on the cob in the middle of
winter! Encouraging sustainable food production is a way
of building livable communities, strengthening the local
economy, and protecting the environment from degradation.
Food safety is an escalating concern as food-borne illness
outbreaks from products as varied as spinach to peanut
butter affect thousands of Americans every year. Although
the Montgomery County Health Department plays a major
role in maintaining our health by inspecting establishments
like farmers markets, grocery stores, and restaurants—as
well as promoting food safety in the home—the way that
produce is grown or livestock is raised and slaughtered is
outside of the purview of the county’s regulations.
Access to affordable and fresh food benefits the health and
welfare of all of the county’s residents and municipalities.
Some of the county’s most urban and densely populated
communities, like Norristown and Pottstown, do not have
easy access to full-service grocery stores. Corner stores and
drug stores fill this void to some extent, but prices may be
high and fresh food and produce is typically sold elsewhere.
Food pantries, such as Lansdale’s Manna on Main Street,
may also fill a void for those residents with empty
cupboards. And as the economy tightened toward the end of
the last decade, many of the county’s major grocery store
chains have responded by closing local stores, leaving
darkened storefronts in places like Trappe, Collegeville, and
Lansdale. Some communities have looked to fill this void
by supporting new food co-ops, such as CreekSide Co-op in
Elkins Park; others (like Collegeville and Souderton) have
established weekend farmers markets.
