Bringing local food education to workplaces: Assessing needs for a health and wellness program

Article via The Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
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Family and consumer sciences (FCS) Extension educators in the U.S. face challenges connecting with audiences in a changing society. Workplace wellness programs are an emerging opportunity for FCS educators to engage new audiences and be at the forefront of an innovative and rapidly expanding approach to facilitating health and wellness benefits for communities.

In a new JAFSCD article, Bringing local food education to workplaces: Assessing needs for a health and wellness program, authors Gusto, Campbell, Wallau, and Wood share their findings from surveys of prospective participants in a local food, health, and wellness education program designed to complement growing workplace community supported agriculture (CSA) initiatives. The study assessed participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and barriers regarding local food, and identified preferred educational content and delivery formats. The authors present targeted recommendations for those interested in developing or delivering a local food, health, and wellness program in workplace settings. Read the full article here

KEY FINDINGS

  • Participants had positive attitudes toward local foods, but had limited knowledge about purchasing and preparing them.
  • Educational programs should focus on ways consumers can purchase food from local farms, and provide information about local farms and ways to use local and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
  • Respondents preferred online program offerings during weekday lunchtimes.
  • Approximately half of respondents expressed a willingness to join an educational program coupled with a CSA membership, but 70% of respondents indicated that price was a significant barrier.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH

  • Develop local food health and wellness educational programs that are accessible online.
  • Focus on practical information about purchasing and preparing local foods.
  • Leverage partnerships with workplace wellness programs to increase reach and impact.
  • Discounted CSA memberships can encourage enrollment in combined CSA and educational programs.
  • Engage key partners such as human resources departments and wellness coordinators to help implement the program.
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