Delta dirt. That’s what makes the tomatoes, peas, and squash of the Mississippi Delta so delicious. A tomato from the Delta is nothing like the tomatoes most of us are used to getting from the grocery store. It’s not perfectly smooth - it has texture. It’s not bright red - but has beautiful red strokes. It’s naturally sweet and salty. And most importantly, it’s nutrient dense because it’s free from preservatives, dyes, and waxes.

Some of the best produce in the U.S. can be found in the Delta. Yet, the region has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the country. Approximately 1 in 6 Mississippians (about 553,610 people) experience food insecurity.

To help address this issue, earlier this year Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and Rootswell partnered with the Mississippi Delta Council for Farm Workers Opportunities (MDCFO) to bring our signature Good Food at Home program to the Delta. Through the program we helped provide boxes of fresh produce sourced by local farmers to 250 families for 12 weeks.

Through Good Food at Home, participating families were able to pick up a box of fresh produce every week at a nearby community center. Volunteers from the community helped run the distributions and even made some deliveries to elderly folks.

“Participants were so excited to receive fresh, local produce - especially the peas,” said Weidner. “Everybody loved the purple hull peas!”

The eggplant, cabbage, squash and cantaloupe were also favorites. With such a variety, many participants had the chance to try new foods for the first time and swap recipes. Knowing that all the produce was locally grown also deepened their pride and appreciation for the community.

“Everything was fresh and perfect,” said Johnny Wright of Glendora Economic and Community Development Corp, who helped with the distributions and described the produce as “soul food.”

A Win-Win for the Delta

The benefits of the Good Food at Home program were two-fold. Not only was it beneficial for families, but it was also beneficial for farmers.

Clifton Lockett was one of the local farmers who participated in the program. He has been a farm worker for over 10 years and recently started growing his own crops with help from MDCFO. His business is still small and he, like many of the other small farmers in the area, relies on local programs like Good Food at Home to be able to sell his produce.

“Thanks to Good Food at Home, small farmers made more than they had in a long time,” said Donald Green, Executive Director of MDCFO. “With the extra income, they were able to fix up their trucks, freezers and buy equipment they need to keep growing their businesses. It’s the best thing that could’ve happened to them this summer.”

Though the Delta is a rich agricultural region, 90% of the food consumed locally is imported from other parts of the country. Through programs like Good Food at Home, we’re helping create stronger, local markets so that more of the produce grown in the Delta can stay in the Delta.

Our work in the Delta is supported by our partner Novo Nordisk. With their help and the help of local partners like MDCFO, we’re changing the food landscape in the Delta so that families and farmers can reap the benefits of their hard work and live better, longer, healthier lives.