FOOD INSECURITY IN FARMWORKERS pistachio orchards, and mile upon mile of world-famous carrots, our region helps feed the nation and the world. In 2017, Kern County edged out Tulare County to become the top agricultural county in the nation for the first time, bringing in $7.2 billion in crop revenue.
Kern County is known for its agricultural production. With great expanses of fragrant citrus trees and grape vineyards, hundreds of thousands of acres of gorgeous blooming almond and
Despite this great abundance of produce, fresh foods, and juices, the farmworkers who labor all day in the hot sun are often unable to pay for enough food to feed their household. According to a recent report published by the Department of Labor, the average total income of farm workers is between $17,500 to $19,999 a year for individuals and $20,000 to $24,999 for a family. The federal poverty level
for a family of three is $19,790, which means thirty-three percent of all farm workers had a family income below the federal poverty line. In addition, many families rely on just one income due to large childcare costs, but one income isn’t enough to feed a family. As a result, fifty-four percent of farmworkers said someone in their household received some form of benefit from a needs-based program in the previous two years.
Many of our Farmer’s Markets and food bank sites reach areas where migrant families live and work, making fresh food accessible to them and their families.
THE HUNGRIEST CITY IN AMERICA The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) report (2016-17), released in August 2018, designated Bakersfield as the “Hungriest City in America” with a food hardship rate of 23.2 %. This equates to over 88,000 of the 383,579 people in Bakersfield not getting enough to eat. Kern County has higher levels of poverty and lower median incomes when compared to the state of California. Nearly twelve percent of California’s population was living in poverty in 2019 while over twenty percent of Kern County residents were living poverty. There are many contributing factors to poverty and food insecurity. Factors like stagnant wages, low part-time wages or temporary work, coupled
14 Feed Kern Now
with the growing cost of living and little access to affordable housing, contribute to the web of poverty in Kern County.
This often means many low-income working families must make a choice between paying rent or mortgage and buying food. Typically, the food budget is the first to be reduced, forcing families to fall back on unhealthy choices like fast food or groceries with poor nutritional quality. Families may cut down to just two meals a day or even a single hot meal a day to make their budget stretch. All of this can lead to increased stress, poor school or work performance, and in some cases child abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
Kern County is a very philanthropic community blessed with some of the most generous individuals, small businesses, corporations, charities, and churches. We are a community of big-hearted people who like to take care of each other. CAPK has been fortunate enough to partner with many people and organizations over the years who’ve gone above and beyond to support the work we do. We’re grateful to call Kern County our home and to have the support of so many. We believe we owe this community the chance to support the expansion of CAPK’s efforts to overcome hunger and Feed Kern Now.
Bakersfield was named the “Hungriest City in America” according to a report by the Food Research and Action Center. Community Action Partnership of Kern
