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The Food Bank of Wyoming distributed nearly 10 million pounds of food to patrons last year. (Adobe Stock)

Grant helps WY pantries source food locally

As summer begins, people who rely on Food Bank of Wyoming will start seeing more local options, thanks to a new grant. The U.S. Department of …

Most of the USDA produce samples tested in this year's Dirty Dozen list from the Environmental Working Group were within the legal allowance for chemical pesticide residue. (Adobe Stock)

2024 Dirty Dozen lists produce packed with chemical pesticides

Nonorganic fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemical pesticides, including fungicides which can harm male reproductive systems, according to the …

The Food Bank of Wyoming operates 19 mobile food pantries and recently launched the Fresh Express Route, which distributes nutrient-rich produce to 50 hunger relief partners by semi-truck. (Adobe Stock)

WY Food Bank distributed 10.8 million pounds of food in 2023

Working with more than 150 hunger relief partners across the state, Food Bank of Wyoming was able to distribute nearly 11 million pounds of food in 20…

The Food Bank of Wyoming is asking for help from the public to meet rising food needs during the holiday season. (Food Bank of Wyoming)

Food banks, pantries address rising food insecurity during winter holidays

The number of people in Wyoming who don't know where their next meal will come from is on the rise, according to new U.S. Department of Agriculture …

Wyoming has gained some ground in food-insecurity rates over the past decade. In 2012, nearly 14% of families were food insecure, compared with 11.4% in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

One in three single-parent households experienced hunger last year

The number of families in Wyoming and across the nation struggling to put food on the table rose dramatically last year, according to a new report …

Wyoming ranks in the bottom five states alongside South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, in children's health. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Children Near Bottom Nationally for Health

Wyoming dropped from 14th to 27th nationally in this year's Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states for …

One in eight individuals in Wyoming, and one in six children, do not know where their next meal will come from. (Adobe Stock)

Food Bank Ramps Up Thanksgiving Food Assistance

Turkeys and other holiday standards are still available for struggling families through food pantries, senior centers, school districts and other …

As buffalo herds graze, they inspire new vegetative growth across vast tracts of lands in a natural process that mimics the onset of spring. (Adobe Stock)

Buffalo Restoration Key to Wildlife Economy, Tribal Health

By Jake Bullinger for Bitterroot Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Wyoming News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

Food insecurity among adults ages 65 and older living alone reached the highest rates in 20 years between 2020 and 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Millions of Older Adults Experience Food Insecurity

Some 35 million people in Wyoming and across the U.S. struggle to put food on the table, and older adults experiencing food insecurity face numerous …

in the late 1800s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture began sending

Historic Arboretum Cracked Code to Growing in Wyoming

Before the invention of refrigerated shipping, people living across the High Plains had to grow their own food. As Europeans migrated into the region…

In fiscal year 2021, the Wyoming Food Bank distributed more than 13 million pounds of food, a 12% increase over 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Food Bank to Distribute Water to Rawlins Residents

Water is a precious commodity in Wyoming and across the Mountain West, and the Wyoming Food Bank is headed to replenish supplies for Rawlins …

Hunting elk has spiritual and cultural significance for Crow Indians, yet for more than a century, the State of Wyoming refused to recognize Crow Tribe treaty hunting rights. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Defies U.S. Supreme Court Over Crow Tribal Hunting Rights

Wyoming will appeal a recent district court decision affirming Crow tribal hunting rights granted under treaties signed in the 19th century, rights …

Even though Wyoming officials have tried to prioritize mental-health care for youths, many facilities are having difficulties keeping their doors open due to budget cuts. (Adobe Stock)

Holiday Poses Challenges for Foster Youths Aging Out of System

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Young people in Wyoming who have not been adopted officially age out of the foster-care system when they turn 18, joining 24,000 …

Nearly one in three Wyoming adults with children reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless in March. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Still Far Behind on Children's Health Care

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming ranks 45th nationally for child health, and an estimated 15,000 Wyoming kids do not have health insurance, according to The …

States dependent on tourism and energy production revenues have been disproportionately impacted by economic fallout from COVID-19. (Roger Sylvia/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: COVID Stimulus Could Soften Wyoming Budget Shortfall

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyoming and other states facing steep budget shortfalls could bounce back as early as next year if the federal government invests …

Wyoming's $1.2 billion budget shortfall has triggered cuts to programs critical for children and families in the state. (Pixabay)

Report: WY Families Struggle with Food Insecurity, Mental Health

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Families in Wyoming are coping somewhat better than in other states when it comes to putting food on the table and keeping a roof …

One in six Wyoming residents currently does not know where his or her next meal will come from. (Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies)

Food Bank "Leans In" to Meet Growing Demand Across WY

EVANSVILLE, Wyo. -- Food banks in Wyoming and across the nation are seeing unprecedented demand in the wake of economic fallout from the coronavirus …

Wyoming residents are helping neighbors most at risk for COVID-10 by delivering groceries and shoveling springtime snow. (Oddharmonic/Flickr)

Wyoming Communities Step Up Support Efforts in Pandemic

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming residents are responding to life under the COVID-19 pandemic by stepping up to help neighbors, small businesses and …

School food service staff members in Wyoming are shifting gears as classrooms close, and finding creative ways to make sure children don't go hungry during the COVID-19 crisis. (Wyoming Department of Education)

WY School Districts Offer Healthy Meals for Kids at Home

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming joins the national effort to protect public health in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis by closing classrooms, school …

Scientists say regenerative farming practices that don't use synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides can help capture more carbon from the atmosphere and create healthier soil for crops. (Pixabay)

Farmers, Ranchers Push for "Green New Deal" Policies

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Agriculture is the fourth-largest producer of climate pollution. Now farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. have launched a …

Residents in a Casper neighborhood make a race out of mowing each other's lawns in the summer, and removing snow in winter. (Pixabay)

Casper Neighborhood a Finalist for Kindest Place in U.S.

CASPER, Wyo. – The Big Tree neighborhood on South Chestnut Street in Casper is one of 50 finalists in a national crowdsourced search for the …

Just 29 percent of parents in Wyoming read to their babies every day, compared with the national average of 38.2 percent. (Pixabay)

Wyoming Ranks Low Nationally on Support for Babies, Toddlers

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Wyoming ranks toward the bottom nationally for early-childhood health and development, according to a new report measuring 60 …

SF 144, which would require Medicaid recipients to work in order to continue coverage, needs a hearing in the Wyoming House of Representatives' Committee of the Whole by Feb. 21 in order to advance. (U.S. Navy)

Medicaid Work Requirement Bill Faces Uphill Battle in WY House

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Proponents of a bill to add work requirements for Medicaid recipients in Wyoming believe the measure will be as successful as …

In 2019, the average American is projected to eat more than 110 pounds of beef. (Pixabay)

Study: Food Choices Impact Health, Environment

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Foods produced with fewer greenhouse gas emissions are healthier than foods that create more climate pollution, according to …

A recent Johns Hopkins survey found that nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose cuts to SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps. (Pxhere)

Report: Work Requirements for SNAP Won't Expand Workforce

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As the U.S. House and Senate try to hammer out a final version of the Farm Bill, a new report shows that increasing work …

Households that spend more of their weekly food budget on beef, chicken, pork and other meats generate more greenhouse-gas emissions than households that opt for plant-based proteins. (Pixabay)

Study: Choosing Plant-Based Proteins Can Mitigate Climate Change

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Researchers say they've tapped the most comprehensive estimate of greenhouse gas emissions created by U.S. consumer food …

Casper's Tuesday summer market includes a two-bites club for children. If they take two bites of that week's fruit or vegetable, they earn money to spend with local vendors. (Pixabay)

Casper Market Doubles Food Bucks for SNAP Recipients

CASPER, Wyo. – The Food For Thought Summer Market at David Street Station in downtown Casper is starting to swell as the season's peak harvest …

Washing fruit and vegetables before eating them is one way to avoid foodborne illness. (Pixabay)

Group Offers Guidelines for Avoiding Foodborne Illnesses

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - March is the month in which many people start planning vacations, and health advocates say it's not too early to start thinking …

SNAP benefits, sometimes called food stamps, help millions of low-income Americans put food on the table each month. (David Shankbone/Wikimedia Commons)

Farm Bill Debate in Congress Could Put Food Stamps at Risk

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Congress is expected to begin work soon on the $140 billion farm bill, but there are concerns that some conservatives are …

Scientists say if people across the globe switched to a Mediterranean diet full of nuts, beans, fish and less meat, global warming could be reduced by up to 15 percent by 2050. (Pixabay)

A 2018 Diet Resolution for Health and Climate

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – As the New Year approaches, many Americans will be focusing on what resolutions they'll make to do things differently in 2018…

Food-safety advocates say faster production-line speeds would jeopardize the safety of poultry workers, as well as the safety of the finished product. (Getty Images)

Critics: Faster Poultry Line Speeds Could Hurt Workers, Consumers

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The poultry industry is proposing allowing faster production-line speeds in factories - but at what cost to workers and …

Despite growing demand, only about 5 percent of milk sold in the United States comes from organic farms. (Pixabay)

Industrial Food Tops Fossil Companies on Climate Pollution

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – If the meat and dairy industries continue as usual, the Paris Climate Accord will be moot and a climate catastrophe inevitable…

Pollinators such as butterflies, certain birds and bats are an integral part of the health of natural ecosystems and agriculture. (Pixabay)

Conservationists Invite Volunteers to Help Protect Butterflies

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – If you've ever watched the process of a caterpillar becoming a vividly colorful monarch butterfly, you probably have an …

Casper residents are making food donations this week to help kids at risk of hunger as a part of the Campaign Nonviolence week of action. (Pixabay)

Wyoming Joins International Peace Campaign

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Thursday is the United Nations International Day of Peace, and Casper is making a week-long affair of it. Last weekend…

Seniors, children and people with disabilities receive almost 70 percent of food stamp benefits. (Getty Images)

Study: Gap Between Rich, Poor to Widen Under Trump’s Proposals

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Trump administration's tax proposals would not benefit all taxpayers or states equally, according to new analysis from the …

New analysis finds Trump�s budget for safety-net programs, including food stamps, at a historic low. (Getty Images)<br />

Experts Cite "Fake Math” in Trump Budget

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Even a 25-percent cut to SNAP - enough to leave a thousand more people in Wyoming hungry - can't make the White House budget …

Five demonstrations in Wyoming, and more than 500 across the globe, celebrate the importance of science and innovation on Saturday. (Pixabay)

Wyomingites to March for Science

LARAMIE, Wyo. – Saturday is Earth Day, and thousands are expected to take to the streets in Washington, D.C., and more than 500 other cities …

Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies delivered over 28,000 meals in 2016 to help seniors stretch limited budgets. (Pixabay)

Wyoming Spotlights Food Insecurity for Seniors

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - April is National Senior Hunger Awareness Month, and Wyomingites are rising to the challenge. More than 10 million Americans age 60 …

Three proposed mega-mergers would create companies that would control nearly 70 percent of the world's pesticide market. (Pixabay)

More Than 300 Food, Farm Groups Urge Sessions to Oppose Mega-Mergers

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Nearly 325 organizations have signed a letter pressing new U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make sure the Justice Department …

According to new data, the childhood poverty rate in Wyoming has decreased since 2011. (Pixabay)

Wyoming Making Gains in Reducing Child Poverty

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Childhood poverty has decreased significantly in Wyoming since its peak in 2011, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey …

A new study of plants purchased at national retail outlets shows a drop in pesticides harmful to bees. (Pixabay)

Campaign to Save Bees Turns Corner with Retail Outlets

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - A campaign to protect declining bee populations is making progress. A new study conducted at garden centers across the U.S. found …

The Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless has taken up the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens' challenge to help feed hungry families. (Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless)

Homeless Group Joins Campaign to Grow Food for Needy Families

CHEYENNE, Wy. - The Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless has joined the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens' "Plant a Row for the Hungry" campaign. Volunteers …

A new report calls for restricting the use of antibiotics in factory-farmed animals to curb the global spread of infections. (MercyforAnimals/Wikimedia Commons)

Report Makes Strong Case for Less Antibiotic Use in Agriculture

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – A new report calls for banning or restricting the use of antibiotics in farm animals to curb the global spread of infections…

Two new reports show what it takes for Wyoming families to get by without public or private assistance. (Wyoming Women's Foundation)

A Livable Income in Wyoming Varies by County

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Two new reports released today by the Wyoming Women's Foundation show what it takes for families to get by without public or …

Honeybee populations in the United States dropped by 44 percent last year. (DrScythe/Pixabay)

Bee Losses Raise Stakes for Action on Pesticides

CHEYENNE, Wy. - Honeybee populations in the U.S. dropped by 44 percent last year according to a new national survey. Tiffany Finck-Haynes, food …

People are encouraged to leave nonperishable foods next to their mailbox this coming Saturday. (USPS)

Wyoming Prepares to Stamp Out Hunger

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Mark your calendar and start putting aside nonperishable food items. This Saturday, U.S. postal workers will be making the rounds…

Pollinator species worldwide are under threat of extinction due to human activity, according to a new report. (Andrea Westmoreland/Wikimedia Commons)

Food Supplies Threatened by Bee Declines

CHEYENNE, Wy. - A growing number of pollinator species, including bees, are being driven toward extinction. That's according to an independent …

Raising wages to $12 by 2020 would save taxpayers $17 billion in public assistance costs, according to a new report. (Zerbor/iStockphoto)

Report: Raising Minimum Wage Cuts Public Assistance Costs

CHEYENNE, Wy. - In his State of the State address yesterday, Gov. Matt Mead told legislators, "I see you have well over 100 proposed bills." One …

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WY: Hunger/Food/Nutrition