Findings of the first comprehensive government study of the Emergency Food Assistance System (EFAS) suggest that public and private food assistance systems work in tandem to provide more comprehensive assistance than either system provides by itself.

Although the Food Stamp Program serves a predominantly urban population, nearly 1/4 of food stamp participants live in rural areas. The authors note that the number of food stamp recipients fell 25 percent in urban areas between 1996 and 1998, compared with 17 percent in rural areas. The...

This study used a microsimulation model to assess the effect of changes to state-level Food Stamp Program asset rules on household eligibility and benefits. Seven percent of households eligible in 2006 were eligible only through expanded categorical eligibility rules that exempted them from...

Summarizes recent work in the food security area and methods used to measure food security; also describes analytic and empirical issues related to analyzing food security data.

Historically, low-income seniors age 60 and older who qualify for benefits in the Food Stamp Program (FSP) participate at extremely low rates. To identify effective strategies for increasing participation among this population, the U.S. Department of Agriculture funded the Elderly Nutrition...

Examines how well the Food Stamp Program serves nonmetropolitan households. Argues that the program is at least as successful in serving low-income rural households as urban households, that participation rates are higher in rural areas, and that recent declines in participation rates have...

Although concern about the quality of children's diets has mounted along with increases in obesity, little is known about the food they purchase in school from a la carte cafeteria sales, vending machines, snack bars, school stores, and other sources. This report describes methods that could be...