Post-pandemic rise of food insecurity

With the high costs of housing and inflated retail food costs, 1 in 9 Colorado residents are scraping by, unsure where their next meal may come from. This often forces people to choose between paying for healthy food versus healthcare, child care, transportation, etc. Research shows that people facing food or nutrition insecurity are more likely to experience other negative long-term health outcomes such as diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders – all of which lead to additional healthcare costs. 

Stress is high both for those seeking and those providing critical nutrition resources. While the pandemic relief funds were a crucial boost, those funds were temporary; now the long-term sustainability of food justice efforts is in question, particularly for rural areas and small food producers.

Fear of “funding running out” is top of mind, especially as food prices have increased alongside housing and transportation. In spite of the fact that federal nutrition programs have widely returned to pre-pandemic modes of operation, the need for food access has been exacerbated due to the number of incoming migrants seeking support service. At an estimated cost of $4.13 per meal in Colorado, the cost to meet the state’s food insecurity needs is roughly $521.3M. 

Realistically, how can the state meet such a need? 

Long story short: we need to start building yesterday.

The Coming Cliff

Recent Census data shows that the United States “experienced the largest one-year increase in history in overall poverty and child poverty in 2022, driven by the expiration of pandemic relief — including the expanded Child Tax Credit.” Many funds from programs like the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will evaporate in 2026, leaving a painful gap in Colorado’s economy. 

Consequently, many food system organizations and their contracted partners that benefited from these funds are straining to find alternative, long-term funding sources. While philanthropy fills some gaps, these funds are often distributed in silos with shifting priorities every several years which leaves organizations struggling to maintain momentum of promising programs – or stopping them entirely. Without sustained investments, Colorado risks losing much of the progress made toward building a resilient food system. 

Challenges in Rural Agricultural Communities

In rural areas like Weld and Pueblo counties, where food insecurity rates exceed 20%, farmers themselves are facing food insecurity. These regions are paradoxical—home to both agricultural production and the highest rates of food insecurity. The financial strain on small farmers has reached critical levels, with many considering whether they can continue operating. 

The burden is worsened by issues like high labor costs, lack of affordable housing for workers, and difficulty accessing affordable capital for equipment and infrastructure improvements. Due to financial and other pressures, farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. The average age of farmers in Colorado has risen to 58.3, highlighting the challenge of recruiting and retaining younger farmers to carry the industry forward. Small farms are the backbone of our local food system; they cannot survive on hope alone. 

So what do we do now? 

2026 is not far, in terms of legislative runway. Colorado needs to act — and do so fast. 

We must prioritize food and health as more than a charitable cause. The first step is ensuring robust, coordinated, decade-long effort that aligns government offices at the local and state level, philanthropic partners, and community organizations to fund catalytic work for a resilient, diverse, and regenerative food system. 

One bold approach includes tackling the subsidies that unfairly benefit Big Ag, which keeps highly processed food items cheap compared to nutrient-dense produce and proteins. Over time, these highly processed foods increase the likelihood that people will develop preventable disease and be prescribed pharmaceutical interventions. While this battle is larger than Colorado, this state can be a leader with strong policy.

Other solutions include subsidized apprenticeship programs to drive a new generation into local food system professions; access to affordable housing for farm and agricultural workers; right-sized loan programs to invest in shared hub-and-spoke infrastructure like warehouses, trucking, or minimal-processing equipment (including unsexy, but critical repairs and maintenance); and streamlined regulations that reduce bureaucratic barriers to local sales to institutions and beyond. 

The road ahead will not be easy, but we have the tools and knowledge to build a better food system. Hardships and crises, although painful or frustrating, can be a blessing of wisdom and momentum. 

But – there are consequences to passivity and non-action. If we fail to get our act together – to demand change with vigor and speed – more families and children will continue to be squeezed by these pressures and the health of future generations will continue toward dire straits. 

We cannot waste this opportunity – the future needs us to be good ancestors.