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the state of Good food In los angeles

2025 - a decade In review

Executive Summary 

The State of Good Food in Los Angeles: A Decade in Review serves as a critical resource for evaluating progress and challenges across the regional food system, encompassing health, affordability, sustainability, fairness, and accessibility. With over 250 indicators drawn from 10 Southern California counties (Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura) - emphasizing Los Angeles County - it provides a comprehensive landscape analysis to inform decision-making, strengthen coordination, and guide collective action among stakeholders. This report integrates diverse data from national databases, local government agencies, and trusted community partners, offering a contextualized and actionable understanding of the regional food system. The report combines both quantitative data and qualitative narratives.

Since the first release of this report in 2013 (originally titled the Food System Snapshot), indicators have been tracked and updated to align with LAFPC’s core values and reflect current data. Expert commentaries from members of our Leadership Circle and case studies from our programs and partners add depth to the ongoing work. Built around six core values—Healthy, Fair, Sustainable, Affordable, Accessible, and Policy—the report is deeply rooted in equity by analyzing data that is disaggregated by race, ethnicity, nationality, age, income, and neighborhoods within Los Angeles County and cities. This approach helps identify disparities in communities with concentrated disadvantages and track whether the food system is becoming more equitable for everyone.

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The State of Good Food In Los Angeles Report

Healthy

 HEALTH DISPARITIES PERSIST

  • Low-income communities & communities of color face higher rates of diet-related health conditions

    • Chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol remain prevalent.

SHIFTING DIETARY HABITS

  • Adult fruit & veggie intake: 16.2% (2013), but recently declined to 10.8% (2024)

  • Teen fruit & veggie intake: 24.1% (2013), but recently declined to 15.6% (2024)

  • Children fruit & veggie intake: 25.8% (2013), but recently declined to 26.2% (2024)

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AFFORDABLE

Food Affordability & Safety Net Programs

  • 48% of low-income households struggle to afford enough food

    • Over 50% of families living below the poverty line report not being able to afford enough food in 2024, compared to 40% of families just above the poverty line

  • However, more people report fruits & vegetables are affordable

  • Increased from 66% in 2013 to 74% in 2024 among LA County adults

  • Programs like CalFresh (SNAP) & WIC support millions

    • These programs help families, college students, and children afford healthier foods and have been essential in bridging the food affordability gap

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Sustainable

Agricultural Land & Urbanization Trends

  • Agricultural land in the region has increased slightly from 7.96M acres (2020) → 8.34M acres (2024)

  • Certified organic farms now make up 6.1% of total farms in the LA Foodshed in 2024

Impact of SB 1383 on Food Recovery & Waste Reduction

  • SB 1383 mandates edible food diversion, reducing landfill waste & addressing food insecurity

    • Food Finders: Recovered 642,940 tons in 2024, reaching 13.46M tons redistributed to date

    • Food Forward: Recovered 23.1M lbs. in 2024 and 87.2M lbs since inception

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ACCESSIBLE

Growth in Grocery Stores in LA County

  • Grocery stores in LA County have increased over the past decade, providing greater access to food across different areas.

    • Total stores grew from 2,011 in 2013 to 2,706 in 2024

Farmers Markets Growing in Access for Low-Income Families

  • LA County farmers markets accepting EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer)

    • Up from 39% in 2013 to 81.1% in 2024, making fresh produce more affordable for families on food assistance programs

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Fair

Rapid Growth in Food System Jobs

  • The food sector remains a major employer in the region, with significant growth over the past decade

  • LA County: Jobs increased from 520K (2013) to 1.12M (2024)

  • LA Foodshed: Jobs grew from 1.31M (2013) to 1.74M (2024)

Wages Lag Behind Cost of Living

  • Despite job growth, wages for food system workers have not kept pace with rising living costs

    • Average hourly wage: Increased from $10.62 (2013) to $19.82 (2024)

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POLICY

The Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC) continues to advocate for innovative and equity-centered food policies across three pillars:

Food & Nutrition Security

  • Increase Access: Integrate nutritious foods into schools, healthcare, retail, and charitable programs

  • Make Healthy Foods Affordable: Support subsidies and incentives to reduce costs

  • Promote Healthy Eating: Implement education and awareness campaigns across key sectors

Economic Development

  • Expand Urban Agriculture: Overcome barriers to land access, water costs, and zoning

  • Reduce Food Waste: Promote recovery and composting to divert organic waste

  • Sustainable Practices: Minimize environmental impacts in the food system

Environmental Sustainability

  • Support Entrepreneurs: Create pathways for food business success

  • Promote Fair Labor: Ensure thriving jobs and fair labor standards

  • Expand Market Access: Strengthen opportunities for supply chain actors

The Los Angeles Urban-Rural Roundtable defines a foodshed as an area linked by a common local food source. A foodshed describes a geographic area bounded by its capacity to produce food for its occupants.

Imperial
Kern
Los Angeles
Orange
Riverside

San Bernardino
San Diego
San Luis Obispo
Santa Barbara
Ventura

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The Los Angeles FoodShed : 10 counties

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GOOD FOOD FOR ALL AGENDA

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL AGENDA

PROMOTE A GOOD FOOD ECONOMY FOR ALL

CREATE A CULTURE SHIFT FOR GOOD FOOD

ELIMINATE FOOD WASTE AND RECLAIM THE RESOURCE

ELIMINATE

HUNGER

STRENGTHEN ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCY AND REGENERATION

DEEPEN THE IMPACT OF THE GOOD FOOD MOVEMENT

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Get Involved

We invite individuals, organizations, and advocates to participate in this process. Whether you are a community member, a food worker, a policymaker, or someone passionate about food justice, your voice is essential in shaping policies that impact our local food system. By filling out this intake form, you can express your interest in getting involved, share your expertise, and help us build a more inclusive and representative agenda.

We reside, work, and cultivate food
on unceded Indigenous homelands.

We acknowledge and honor the descendants of the Tongva, Kizh, and Gabrieleño peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles Basin and the Southern Channel Islands). We pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.

As part of a greater foodshed, we would also like to pay respect to and honor the Chumash, Tataviam, Serrano, Kitanemuk, ʔíviĨuqaletem, Acjachemen, Payómkawichum, and any other tribal group possibly not mentioned. As a Food Policy Council for Los Angeles we recognize this land acknowledgment is limited and engagement is an ongoing process of learning and accountability. To learn more about these First Nations, visit here.

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