More than 24 percent of households in Arkansas reported in 2009 not having enough money to buy food that they needed during the prior twelve months for themselves or their family, according to a new report released by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) in partnership with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.  These results rank Arkansas second in the nation for the highest rate of food hardship.  This is an increase from the 21.6 percent and 6^th place ranking in 2008.

For the first time, data on food hardship – the inability to afford enough food – is available for every state, every Congressional District and for 100 of the country’s largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), including Little Rock and Memphis. The Memphis MSA ranks first in the nation with 26 percent reporting hardship and the Little Rock MSA ranks 18^th in the nation with 20.5 percent reporting hardship.

The food hardship rate is even worse for households with children. Respondents in such households reported food hardship at a rate 1.62 times that of other households – 24.1 percent versus 14.9 percent in 2009. This data is unique as official government data on food insecurity have a nearly one-year time lag and do not go below the state level. The report shows that more than 24 percent of households in Arkansas reported in 2009 not having enough money to buy food that they needed during the prior twelve months for themselves or their family.  These results rank Arkansas second in the nation for the highest rate of food hardship.  This is an increase from the 21.6 percent and 6^th place ranking in 2008.