Sourcing local foods and/or growing your own continues to gain popularity in Scott County. However, while many consumers ask themselves how they can be sure their food is safe, healthy and locally grown; some are worried from where their next meal will come.  The Feeding America Organization states, “In 2016, an estimated 1 in 8 Americans were food insecure, equating to 42 million Americans including 13 million children.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life, because of lack of available financial resources for food.
    To help combat these issues, the Scott County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers plan, grow and harvest a garden  of heathy fruits and vegetables with the goal of donating them to people in need. Through their efforts in the 2017 garden season, 998 pounds of produce were donated to food insecure Scott Countians.