What we eat, where it comes from and how we get it are mysteries that will soon be solved by the Missoula Community Food Assessment, a research project spearheaded by University of Montana faculty and students and guided by a 15-person community steering committee.
The need for such an assessment is not difficult to justify, said Neva Hassanein, a UM environmental studies professor and co-leader of the project.
13.2 percent of Montana families lacked the resources to fully meet their basic food needs.
By the time 2003 comes to an end, the Missoula Food Bank expects to help more than 11,000 people.
And this past summer, the Poverello Center served about 400 meals a day.
In order to better address hunger issues, Missoula must first understand the issues affecting the local food system from farms to forks, Hassanein said.
"The thing that I think is so important in our consideration is that in our global food system, people know very little about where their food comes from and the conditions in which it grows," she said.
In this day and age, the food we eat travels an average of 1,300 miles to get to our plates and changes hands 33 times between field and shelf.
The food assessment is important, Hassanein said, because it will likely show there is more going on with Missoula's food supply than a separation between what we eat and the people who grow or produce it.
"In Montana, basically what we are seeing is that we are losing our farming and ranch land to development, and we have lost a lot of our food processing and manufacturing businesses," she said. "We also have serious food insecurity issues and health-related concerns wrapped up with diet patterns, such as increasing rates of diabetes and obesity."
The project was conceived last spring when Hassanein and Maxine Jacobson, a professor in UM's social work department, decided to create a multidisciplinary research course that would have a real-world impact.
With student input, a steering committee that includes farmers, a county planner, a public health officer and a transportation advocate was pulled together and asked to develop food-related questions they wanted answered.
Since September, 21 graduate students in the environmental studies and social work programs have been busy compiling statistical data to better understand food production, distribution and consumption patterns in Missoula County, and how those patterns have changed over time.
"It's really been fascinating to be a part of this project," said Nancy McCourt. So far, she's seeing a deeper connection between fresh, locally grown produce and issues beyond hunger and health.
"As Missoula is becoming more urbanized and as Missoula's newer stores are on the outside of the city, the urban area is suffering from the competition. We already have seen several grocery stores close, limiting people to variety and access to food," McCourt said.
"I don't think most of us think about having to get our groceries on public transportation, yet a lot of people in Missoula have to," she said. "It's a wonder how they do other things - like raise children, run errands - and it makes me realize how getting food is such a basic issue that is connected to so many other parts of day-to-day living.
"We are on a cusp, we are growing quickly and it only makes sense that as a community looking at open space, housing development and public transportation issues, we look at food, as well."
Through spring semester, the students will interview agricultural producers in and around Missoula about the challenges they face in keeping farming viable along with Missoula County residents of various income levels about their concerns regarding food quality and costs, among other things.
If everything goes smoothly, student researcher Libby Hinsley said, the study will be completed by early summer.
"Hopefully we can present our findings to the public in various ways that will raise some understanding and find solutions for hunger issues and how to get more agricultural production in our region," Hinsley said
"I'm really excited about this project because it takes such a comprehensive look at what is going on with food in Missoula County," she said. "The potential to really have an impact on peoples' lives and to improve things for people who live here is what really excites me."
"Food is central to all of our lives," said Martha Buser, kitchen manager at Caffe Dolce and a member of the project's steering committee. "We need to understand the current food system to learn what's working well and where there is a need for change.
"The long-term health of our community depends on meeting everyone's food needs, regardless of income, and ensuring that farming is sustainable in the future."
Reporter Betsy Cohen can be reached at 523-5253 or at bcohen@missoulian.com
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