Recipient Organization
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
PO BOX 2275A
BROOKINGS,SD 57007
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
South Dakota (SD) is the 7th most rural state and while the state's overall food insecurity prevalence is close to the national average, there are pockets of profound food insecurity throughout the state, with some counties experiencing over 28% food insecurity. Rural SD households participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at a rate of 11.2% compared to 8.4% statewide. Yet, rural grocers such as Buche Foods have found that SNAP participants spend less than half as much on fruits and vegetables as non-SNAP participating shoppers. Relevant and feasible solutions are needed to address the complex issues of chronic disease, access to healthy foods, and nutrition security in these SD communities facing profound food insecurity. To help address these challenges, Double Up Dakota Bucks (DUDB) aims to increase food security and fruit and vegetable consumption among SNAP participants in rural SD communities via nutrition incentives and complementary nutrition education at brick and mortar (B&M) and farm direct (FD) firms. The goal will be achieved through three objectives: 1) implement and promote DUDB at a minimum of seven B&M and six FD firms in at least 11 counties with high food insecurity prevalence; 2) collaborate with local coalition and partners to promote DUDB and fruit and vegetable consumption to local SNAP participants, reaching at least 50% of eligible participants by year three; and 3) engage DUDB participants in firm-based nutrition education and food preparation demonstrations to increase fruit and vegetable attitudes and consumption. We expect that DUDB participants will purchase more fruits and vegetables, eat more fruits and vegetables, and have the knowledge and skills necessary to do so. Moreover, for our firms, we expect to see increased number of shoppers and fruit and vegetables purchases, as well as decreased fruit and vegetable food loss from unsold products. We anticipate that this project will improve community food security in these areas as well as bolster local food grocers and strengthen the local economy.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The overarching goal of this project is to reduce the financial barriers and improve the diet quality and health among South Dakota SNAP participants communities facing high rates of food insecurity through providing point-of-purchase incentives and nutrition education at brick and mortar (B&M) and farm direct (FD) firms.The goal will be achieved through three objectives:Implement and promote Double Up Dakota Bucks (DUDB) at a minimum of seven B&M and six FD firms in at least eleven counties.Collaborate with local coalitions and partners to promote DUDB and fruit and vegetable consumption to local SNAP participants, reaching at least 50% of eligible participants by year three.Engage DUDB participants in firm-based nutrition education and food preparation demonstrations to increase fruit and vegetable attitudes and consumption.
Project Methods
SDSU Extension will first work with firm partners to set expectations regarding DUDB redemption and firm reimbursement protocols and by completing partner agreements. The next focus will be on training. Extension will provide all training to farm direct (FD) firms and will coordinate with the Buche Foods president for B&M trainings. The first training goal will be for all firm personnel involved in DUDB to understand what DUDB is and the benefits of such programs. The second goal will be for firms to understand how to implement incentives, including reporting and evaluation tools. This training will be done on-site to include a practice run of register technology after any functional enhancements. In addition, Extension will provide FD firms with a "Marketing 101" presentation followed by an opportunity to identify desired promotional strategies and marketing material design. Extension will use input to create materials and templates to promote DUDB at firms and through a webpage. Because FD firms have fewer resources than B&M firms for promotion as well as fewer regular SNAP shoppers, Extension will assist FD firms in hosting a DUDB kick-off event to be planned in collaboration with the FD firm managers.Extension will conduct regular check-ins (on-site as needed, at least once per year) with each firm partner to provide technical assistance; ensure program fidelity; and discuss SNAP and USDA rules and regulations, DUDB redemption protocols, best practices for reaching target communities, site and participant recruitment, transaction data collection, customer survey collection protocols, and any other resources/information learned by the principal investigator (PI) and their partners from USDA or the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE). Firms will implement at least one marketing activity per month of operation and work with Extension to report participant- and firm-level metrics. Extension will evaluate the budget and ability to expand to new firms in years two and three, conducting outreach and onboarding to new firms.Extension will train community partners (such as community wellness coalition members and local state agency offices) on DUDB and its benefits and provide an opportunity to identify preferred promotional strategies and marketing material design. Extension will then develop and provide the materials. In addition, Extension will support community wellness coalition members in changing community perceptions of F/Vs by implementing at least one additional healthy eating promotional strategy per year.The PI will work with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) program managers to connect EFNEP educators with firm managers to begin monthly nutrition education and F/V samples at the firms in conjunction with sharing DUDB program information. EFNEP educators will conduct regular EFNEP evaluations for each nutrition education activity.Project staff will participate in professional development webinars and events offered by the NTAE and integrate lessons learned. Monthly project status check-ins will be held with the project team. Evaluation activities will be completed throughout DUDB led by Bastian and Leschewski; they will follow procedures outlined by the NTAE, such as regular programmatic surveys, as well as conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the program to inform optimal practices for sustainable nutrition incentive programming beyond the grant period. A project end report will be compiled, and results shared in presentations, brief reports, and academic literature.