REPORT: Food Insecurity Shot Up Last Year With Inflation And The End Of Pandemic-Era Aid

WASHINGTON (AP) — An estimated 17 million households reported problems finding enough food last year.

That’s a sharp jump from 2021 when boosted government aid helped ease the pandemic-induced economic shutdown.

A new Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday paints a sobering picture of post-pandemic hardship with “statistically significant” increases in food insecurity.

According to the survey, 12.8% reported occasional problems affording enough food — up from 10.2% in 2021 and 10.5% in 2020.

Analysts and food security professionals point to the dual impact last year of high inflation and the gradual expiration of multiple pandemic-era government assistance measures.