Agricultural practices that build ecological resilience and respond to climate change while maintaining productivity. Examples include adjusting fertilizer and other inputs, reducing tillage, adjusting crop species selections, crop rotation, and rotational livestock grazing. Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Small, relatively permanent statistical subdivision within a county. They generally average about 4,000 inhabitants, although the range can vary greatly based on population growth. Census tract boundaries are updated once per decade with collaboration from local planning agencies using the Decennial Census count. The most recent update was in 2020. Source: US Census Bureau

The Central Texas Food System Dashboard project is currently focused on the 5-county Austin/Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties, as well as McLennan County. Future expansion will include all 21 counties in Central Texas Food Bank’s service area, adding Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Coryell, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Gillespie, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, Llano, Milam, Mills, and San Saba counties.

Collaborative gardening project where participants share maintenance of and produce from the garden. Gardens can be divided into individual or shared plots. Source: USDA NAL Agricultural Thesaurus

A research approach that provides community leaders with a snapshot of local strategies currently in place and helps identify community strengths and areas for improvement. With this data, communities can map out a course for improvement by identifying strategies to make positive and sustainable changes in their communities. Central Texas Food Bank uses this mixed-methods research approach to conduct Food Access CNAs, which is designed to elevate community voice to identify gaps and opportunities related to food access and includes key informant interviews with stakeholders, neighbor surveys, and neighbor focus groups. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A direct-to-consumer food retail outlet that connects producers and consumers by allowing the consumer to purchase a share of the harvest of a certain farm or group of farms in the form of a regular (usually weekly) subscription. Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

A controlled decomposition process that converts organic materials into a product that can improve soil health by increasing organic matter, water holding capacity, and nutrient availability. Source: Environmental Protection Agency

A self-service store that offers limited lines of household goods and groceries. Grocery items sold typically include canned goods, dairy products, pre-packaged meats, and snack products. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Foods that reflect the preferences and cultural context of a specific community. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A food retail model that involves selling products or services directly to consumers without the use of intermediaries, such as retailers or wholesalers. Examples include farmers markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, and on-farm stores or farm stands. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

A program that doubles the amount of SNAP, WIC, and FMNP benefits individuals and families can spend on fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores . A federal program, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), supports SNAP matching for DUFB and other nutrition incentive programs nationwide. Source: Double Up Texas

A geographic area that begins north of downtown Austin just outside of US Highway 183 and follows the highway as it heads southeast and then south before bending to the southwest and mostly ending south of downtown. Includes neighborhoods and connecting areas in central East Austin, Creedmoor, Colony Park, Del Valle, Dove Springs, Manor, Montopolis, and Rundberg. Source: City of Austin

Any place that produces and sells at least $1,000 of agricultural products during a given year and is owned or run by a farm operator. Source: USDA Economic Research Service

A principal farm operator is a person who runs a farm and is most responsible for making day-to-day management decisions. A farm operator can be an owner, hired manager, cash tenant, share tenant, and/or partner. In the case of multiple operators, for the purposes of the Census of Agriculture, the respondent for the farm identifies the principal farm operator during the data collection process. Source: USDA Economic Research Service

A direct-to-consumer food retail outlet managed by a single farm operator that sells agricultural products directly to consumers from a location on their farm property or on property adjacent to their farm. Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

Implementation of these programs varies but includes at least one of the following elements: procurement and sampling of local food; hands-on learning activities in a school garden; or educational activities touching on agriculture, food, health, and/or nutrition. Source: National Farm to School Network

A direct-to-consumer food retail outlet in which a public and recurring assembly of farmers or their representatives sell food and other goods they have produced directly to consumers. Source: Farmers Market Coalition

Program associated with WIC in which eligible WIC participants are issued FMNP vouchers in addition to their regular WIC benefits. These vouchers can be used to buy eligible foods from farmers, farmers markets, or roadside stands that have been approved to accept FMNP vouchers. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

An establishment primarily engaged in providing food services where customers usually order or select items and pay before eating. Food and drink may be consumed on-site, taken out, or delivered to the customer. Source: USDA Economic Research Service

An operation that compiles food items from multiple farms to sell to larger buyers like grocery stores or institutions. Source: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

A concept that examines the root causes of inequity in the food system on the basis of race, class, and geography. Underscores discrepancies in the availability of fresh food as the result of decades of discriminatory planning and policy decisions. Source: Karen Washington

The USDA definition of “food desert” is the same as that of “low-income, low food access area.” While the term “food desert” has been used in recent decades to describe communities where there are few, if any, places to buy food, this term has been criticized for casting a negative light on vibrant and resilient communities and implying that this situation is a naturally occurring phenomenon instead of one that is due to economic disinvestment that exacerbates structural inequities. Source: Congressional Research Service

The process of gathering, storing, and transporting food to retail and wholesale buyers, such as grocery stores, schools, and hospitals. Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future

A food production method that mimics the structure of a natural forest. Source: Agroforestry Research Trust

A movement that seeks to ensure that all people have access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally relevant food while advocating for the safety and wellbeing of all people involved in producing, processing, transporting, and selling food. Source: Boston University

A type of food waste that occurs before food reaches its end consumer as a result of issues with production, storage, processing, and distribution. Source: Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

A distribution center where individuals and families experiencing hunger can receive food. Food pantries in the Central Texas Food System Dashboard include grocery distributions and meal sites, brick-and-mortar pantries, and mobile pantries. Source: Feeding America

Techniques that turn raw foods and ingredients into edible products. These include, but are not limited to, freezing, canning, grain milling, seed oil extraction, milk churning, mixing ingredients into dough or batter, baking, and various techniques involved in meat processing. Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future

A food establishment or section of an establishment where food and food products are offered to a consumer and intended for off-premise consumption. Source: Texas Department of State Health Services

Access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Source: USDA Economic Research Service

A concept that promotes the ability of communities to determine the quantity and quality of the food that they consume by controlling how their food is produced and distributed. Source: Bureau of Indian Affairs

An area with low grocery access combined with access to outlets that tend to sell foods with low nutritional value, like fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. Source: Health Canada

Food systems encompass the entire range of actors and their interlinked activities involved in the production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal of food products. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Food loss that occurs at the retail or consumption stage. Refers to food that is fit for human consumption. It can be caused by over-ordering at the retail level or over-purchasing at the household level. Source: Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

An establishment where waitstaff take customers’ orders and payment is made after eating. Source: USDA Economic Research Service

An establishment also known as a food store or food warehouse that is primarily engaged in the retail sale of a variety of groceries and other items. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Historically Underserved Producers include socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, and veteran farmers and ranchers. Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers include those who identify as Asian or Asian American, American Indian or Native American, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian, Asian-American Pacific Islander, or Hispanic or Latino/a/e. Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers have an annual income that is lower than the Federal Poverty Level for a household of four. Beginning Farmers and Ranchers have 10 years or fewer of farming or ranching experience. Source: USDA Economic Research Service

Waterways for which technology-based regulations and other required controls are not stringent enough to meet the water quality standards set by states. Impairments are due to pollutants that include industrial, municipal, or agricultural waste discharged into water. Source: US Environmental Protection Agency

A census tract in which at least 500 people or 33% of the population live more than 0.5 miles (urban census tracts) or 10 miles (rural census tracts) from the nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store, and where households are more likely to have limited vehicle access. Source: USDA Economic Research Service

A visual reminder to eat according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), including certain proportions of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy. Source: USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Provides reimbursement to states to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The Food and Nutrition Service administers the SBP at the federal level. State education agencies administer the SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities (SFAs) operate the program in schools. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

A federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

The Feeding America network uses the term “neighbors” to refer to community members. This term is used instead of “individuals,” “households,” “community members,” “residents,” and “citizens,” as it is inclusive of all people facing food insecurity and challenges the perceived dichotomy between those with lived experience and those who work at service provider organizations.

Achieved when all people have consistent and equitable access to nutritious, safe, affordable foods essential to optimal health and wellbeing. Source: USDA

A material or finished product that has served its intended use and has been diverted or recovered from waste destined for disposal. Source: US Environmental Protection Agency

An area with population density less than 500 people per square mile and a place with fewer than 5,000 people (as of the 2020 Census). Source: US Census Bureau

A program that provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, healthcare referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women; and to infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Agricultural product category that includes fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops that are cultivated or managed and used as food or medicine for people, or for aesthetic value. Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

An establishment primarily engaged in the retail sale of a variety of groceries and other items. Includes stores that are large food/drug combination stores and mass merchandisers under a single roof, and membership retail/wholesale hybrids offering a limited variety of products in a warehouse-type environment. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Federal program that provides food benefits to households with low income to supplement their grocery budgets so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and wellbeing. SNAP was previously referred to as “food stamps” and may also be referred to as the “Lone Star card” in Texas. Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

A food product that is usually created using various industrial techniques and processes. This is the most processed classification in the Nova food classification system, a classification system that originated at the University of São Paulo, which groups food progressively from: 1) unprocessed and minimally processed foods, 2) processed culinary ingredients, 3) processed foods, to 4) ultra-processed foods. Examples of ultra-processed foods include carbonated soft drinks, packaged snacks, candy, pastries, and processed meats like hot dogs. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

An area with population density greater than 500 people per square mile and a place with more than 5,000 people (as of the 2020 Census). Source: US Census Bureau