Reports

2022-2023

Whole Farm Revenue Protection & Micro Farm Crop Insurance Programs: A Texas Case Study

Farms of all types, stripes, and sizes are susceptible to a deluge of risks that put their viability in jeopardy every day. These risks are often out of the control of many farmers: market fluctuations, disease and pest issues, natural disasters, and more. This is why the federal government offers crop insurance programs to farmers, to help mitigate these risks and smooth out these financial fluctuations from year to year. Small Texas farmers are particularly susceptible to risks outside of their control. Since 1983, Texas has experienced 149 natural disasters, with 111 of those occurring in the past 20 years. This is more than any other state in the US. Without viable crop insurance options, the risk to these small farm operations will likely only increase in the coming years as weather becomes increasingly erratic. This report - commissioned by Sustainable Food Center (SFC) and prepared by Kitchen Table Consultants (KTC) - set out to document one case study that can help illustrate the need for crop insurance for smaller, diversified farms in Texas.

Identifying Successful Behaviors and Strategies for Nutrition Security

Food insecurity impacts health through a variety of mechanisms, including hunger, nutrition, chronic stress, and behaviors such as directing limited resources to some needs rather than others. Sustainable Food Center applied the positive deviance approach to community-based research—which centers the voices, experiences, and inherent knowledge of community members—within the communities we serve to identify successful behaviors and strategies for nutrition security.

2021-2022

Impact Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022

TEXAS BUYER SURVEY PILOT: Final Report

Sustainable Food Center developed and administered a pilot survey of Texas buyers to help build a greater understanding of the drivers and barriers to procuring local food for a variety of buyer types.

Statewide Discussions Around SNAP & Double Up Food Bucks: Focus Groups and Regional Convenings

2020-2021

Impact Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021

County Extension in Texas: An Analysis of Operations and Recommendations for Influencing Outcomes

Between November 2020 and January 2021, the Sustainable Food Center (SFC), in collaboration with the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, conducted a series of interviews with agriculture extension agents from around the country. The goals of the project were: to better understand how extension operates; assess how they determine county-level focus areas; and to enumerate ways that the Travis County Agricultural Extension Office can commit more attention and resources to food gardening education, food access, and regenerative agriculture.

2019-2020

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020

Neighborhood Pop-up Grocery Project Final Report

COVID-19 had a devastating impact across multiple social and economic sectors in the Austin community, including food access for families and the local food supply chain for local farms and restaurants. Sustainable Food Center, in partnership with Foodshed Investors and the City of Austin, responded to the resulting food crisis with a grocery pilot project by providing local food to neighborhoods in need, while boosting the local economy through restaurants serving as additional food access outlets. Read our report to learn more about the project operations and impact.

2018-2019

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019.

Feasiblity Study for a Central Texas Food Hub

This study addresses the need for a central aggregation and distribution hub for local Central Texas producers seeking access to new or expanded market opportunities in the Austin metro area. The final report analyzed the local supply, demand, and existing assets – with robust producer and consumer input – in order to inform the feasibility of a sustainable business model.

Read the report below or click here to learn more»

2017-2018

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018.

2016-2017

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017.

2015 - 2016

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016.

2014-2015

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015.

Increasing access to healthful foods: a qualitative study with residents of low-income communities

The purpose of this study was to gather low-income community members’ opinions about their food purchasing choices and their perceptions of the most effective ways to increase access to healthful foods in their communities.

Published in International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Click here to view the study.

2013 - 2014

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014.

2012 - 2013

Annual Report

Fiscal Year July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013.

Increasing Access to Locally Produced Food

  • Best Practices in Farmers' Market Incentive Programs & Recommendations for Local Implementation.
  • Published by the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

Introduction of farm stands in low-income communities increases fruit and vegetable among community residents

  • Ronda Rutledge and Andrew Smiley are contributing authors.
  • Published September 2012, in Health & Place, an international journal.

Click here to view the report.

2011 - 2012

Annual Report

Fiscal year July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012.

Exposure to Multiple Components of a Garden-Based Intervention for Middle School Students Increases Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

  • Ronda Rutledge and Andrew Smiley are contributing authors.
  • Published January 2012 in Health Promotion Practice.

View here

Sustainable Food Policy Board Annual Report

For Austin/Travis County

Central Texas Food Shed Assessment

  • By Karen Banks for SFC, released October 2011
  • English & Spanish

2010 - 2011

Annual Report

Fiscal year July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011.

2009 - 2010

Annual Report

Fiscal year July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010.

2008 - 2009

Annual Report

Fiscal year July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009.

Access Denied

An Analysis of Problems Facing East Austin Residents in Their Attempts To Obtain Affordable, Nutritious Food.