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Measuring Food Insecurity during the COVID‐19 Pandemic of Spring 2020

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  • Sunjin Ahn
  • F. Bailey Norwood

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 resulted high levels of unemployment, higher food prices, and loss of business sales. This deterioration in households' financial status likely increased food insecurity in the US, but by how much? While the US government will not measure food insecurity until December of 2020, previous research has developed a methodology whereby internet surveys that can be rapidly deployed using opt‐in panels can approximate government numbers. We employ this methodology to measure food insecurity in May of 2020. Results suggest that while there is little to no detectable rise in food insecurity for all households, the percent of households with children classified as food insecure is about three percentage points higher than it was in 2016 and 2017.

Suggested Citation

  • Sunjin Ahn & F. Bailey Norwood, 2021. "Measuring Food Insecurity during the COVID‐19 Pandemic of Spring 2020," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 162-168, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:43:y:2021:i:1:p:162-168
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13069
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Craig Gundersen & Brent Kreider & John Pepper, 2011. "The Economics of Food Insecurity in the United States," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 33(3), pages 281-303.
    2. Craig Gundersen & James P Ziliak, 2018. "Food Insecurity Research in the United States: Where We Have Been and Where We Need to Go," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 40(1), pages 119-135.
    3. Sunjin Ahn & Travis A. Smith & F. Bailey Norwood, 2020. "Can Internet Surveys Mimic Food Insecurity Rates Published by the US Government?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(2), pages 187-204, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ahmad Zia Wahdat, 2022. "Economic Impact Payments and Household Food Insufficiency during COVID-19: The Case of Late Recipients," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 451-469, November.
    2. David R Just, 2023. "On the policy relevance of agricultural economics," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(4), pages 1256-1276.
    3. Dalal, Jyotirmoy, 2022. "Food donation management under supply and demand uncertainties in COVID-19: A robust optimization approach," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).

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