Assessing the Proximity of Healthy Food Options and Food Deserts in a Rural Area in Maine: Local Food Systems and the Applied Geography of Food

The purpose of the project described in this paper was to assess and describe the food environment facing public assistance clients in a rural county in Maine. Using the concept of a “food desert” and an objective tool for rating participating food outlets, the research team developed a spatial model of client access to healthy foods. The final map shows that most rural residents are within acceptable distances of well-rated stores, though these may not be supermarkets