Estimates of food insecurity among Cooperative Extension employees at a southeastern land-grant university

Abstract

Food insecurity among public health professionals is an underexplored issue with implications for workforce well-being and program delivery. Although Cooperative Extension (CE), the applied outreach arm of land-grant universities, plays a crit­ical role in advancing food systems and community health, little is yet known about the food security status of CE employees themselves. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among CE employees at a southeastern land-grant university using data from a 2024 cross-sectional survey (N = 95; 12% response rate). Food security was assessed using the USDA Household Food Security Module. Logistic regres­sion models were used to evaluate the associations between food insecurity and sociodemographic, work-related, and financial resilience (absorptive capacity) variables. Over one in five respondents (22.1%) reported experiencing food insecurity. Higher absorptive capacity (AOR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.0006-0.16) and educational attainment (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.17-0.92) were significantly associ­ated with lower odds of food insecurity, while income and job classification were not. Food inse­curity was significantly linked to self-reported poor physical and mental health (p < 0.05), and 23% of respondents reported using at least one nutrition assistance program. These findings revealed that economic vulnerability exists within a key public health workforce, and underscore the need for institutional policies that support employee finan­cial resilience and food access. By addressing food insecurity among CE employees, both workforce wellness and the effectiveness of community-based programming may be enhanced.