Uncovering Determinants of Latino Food Insecurity Prevalence: A Case Study on Siler City, North Carolina

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” In the United States, racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. This thesis focuses primarily on food insecurity amongst Latino households in Siler City, North Carolina. Siler City has one of the largest percentages of residents that identify as either Hispanic or Latino in the state of North Carolina. In this thesis, I argue that Siler City’s growing poultry industry is a driver for the town’s rising Latino population, and that the intricacies of the poultry industry, from its hiring practices to the nature of poultry processing work, exacerbates food insecurity prevalence among Siler City’s Latino population. I also argue that emergency food assistance organizations play a vital role in ensuring that Siler City’s Latino population has access to sufficient food sources.Bachelor of Art