As health agencies trace outbreaks of foodborne illnesses across the nation, New Orleans advocates are tackling food deserts by building resilient regional food systems. For residents in historically underserved neighborhoods, the push for local urban agriculture has taken on urgent importance following widespread contamination scares and retail shortages.
When public health officials tracked a nationwide cyclospora outbreak, grocery store produce sections faced severe disruptions. Candice McFarland, co-owner of G&C Meat Market on North Galvez Street, noted that the crisis left many local shoppers wary of store-bought greens. Operating the only Black-owned corner store in the Upper Ninth Ward that offers fresh groceries, McFarland and her husband, Gordon, faced difficult choices about stocking fresh produce while neighborhood demand shifted.
Combating Produce Scarcities in Upper Ninth Ward Food Deserts
When food safety crises hit, fresh fruits and vegetables disappear fastest from food deserts. During the cyclospora outbreak, the small number of regional growers offering lettuce in the East experienced a near-instantaneous sellout, leaving numerous residents unable to obtain fresh green produce.
Efforts to strengthen regional networks involve multiple organizations across the parish. The NOLA Food Policy Council, alongside Sprout NOLA and the Greater New Orleans Growers Alliance, launched the “A Greener New Orleans” (AGNO) campaign four years ago, to support local farmers and overall food security across the parish. A coordinator recruited by these groups assisted local agriculturalists in navigating municipal regulations to secure farmland.
Historical Disparities in New Orleans East
The challenges of accessing fresh food are pronounced in New Orleans East, classified as a food desert by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The neighborhood relies on just two major supermarkets: Rouses at 9701 Chef Menteur Hwy. and Walmart at 6000 Bullard Ave.
Neighborhood demographics and commercial landscapes shifted dramatically over the decades. Megan Perry recalled that prior to its 1999 closure, Schweggmann Brothers Giant Supermarket served as a primary grocery destination alongside Winn Dixie, A&P (Atlantic and Pacific) Supermarket, and Walmart. In 1980, the East population stood at roughly 77,000 residents, with a 54% white majority. Following the 1986 Louisiana oil bust, job losses and economic shifts altered the area, and by a decade later, the population shifted to 61% Black.
The community also welcomed a vibrant Vietnamese population starting in 1975, when then-Archbishop of New Orleans Phillip Hannan sponsored 1,000 families to settle in Village de L’Est following the Fall of Saigon.
The 2005 levee failures during Hurricane Katrina permanently altered the local food landscape. After nearly all of the East flooded in 2005, many supermarkets and food stores left rather than rebuild. A 2011 assessment by NewsOne evaluated New Orleans as the worst urban food desert nationwide six years post-Katrina. While current estimates place the total citywide grocery count between 30 and 40—comparable to levels before Katrina—these retail locations are concentrated in neighborhoods with stronger post-flood recovery, leaving only a pair of supermarkets operating within New Orleans East.
Youth Agriculture and Alternative Food Networks
To bridge post-Katrina food gaps, organizations such as Grow Dat Youth Farm have established alternative distribution models. Operating across two acres in City Park, the nonprofit agricultural program harvests 20,000 pounds of fresh food annually. Grow Dat prepares weekly distribution boxes with 50% discounts for SNAP recipients.
Participants in the farm’s “Market Bill” curriculum examine how race and class intersect with food access, exploring policy solutions under farm manager Leo Gorman. Youth organizers continue addressing logistical hurdles, such as transportation barriers for residents in food-insecure zones, by planning new neighborhood drop-off locations.
