As the world came out of the COVID era in 2021, Knowledge Exchange (KX) wanted to identify what work happens around the food system in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and help people better understand the supply chain issues of that time.
“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh, we do everything. All our work is related to the food system. So how can we add to that? How can we amplify our work?’” said Kimberly Winslow, assistant director of KX.
That conversation sparked the creation of the Ohio Food System Map: an online tool that makes Ohio food system data more accessible.
“We asked ourselves: ‘What are the benefits? Is this worth our time?’ And time after time, it was like yes, telling this story of production to processing to transportation and access is really helpful for communities to see as a whole picture,” Winslow said.
The map serves as a centralized location for food system-related data. In collaboration with CFAES researchers, The Ohio State University faculty, and external partners, KX integrated economic, environmental, and health data into one map.
“Rarely do we get to look at the entirety of the food system in one location. We have everything from production all the way to access,” Winslow said. “Seeing those different levels together is a really powerful way of understanding possible next steps, research questions, or conversations you should be having with your community.”
The multifaceted tool helps users visualize all aspects of the food system and other demographic data.
“You can see the number on a page, but it may not actually mean anything to you until you have more of a visual representation,” said Katie Phillips, KX technologies program manager.
Now, two years after the official launch, the KX team added 53 new or updated data sets in October to the Ohio Food System Map, including Farm to School Census data and community data. All the data in the map is already publicly available and comes from vetted sources like government agencies, non-profits, or Ohio State researchers.
“The issue is a person would have to go to each of these websites individually to find that data,” Phillips said. “In the food system map, it's kind of all curated into one location where they can look at it across different categories, different fields of interest, and really take a deeper dive into it.”
However, even though the map gives users a starting point to answer questions about Ohio’s food system, they shouldn’t rely only on data displayed on the map.
Winslow said, “Those zeros aren't necessarily zeros. You know, it could be that data wasn't collected there. And so that is an example of where the map gives you a start, but you certainly have to continue in your own path, past the map.”
All data within the map also links back to their sources so users can take a closer look at the original research.
The Ohio Food System Map serves as a valuable resource for many groups—professionals from the Ohio Department of Education, CFAES Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, Produce Perks Midwest, Ohio State University Extension, and even Ohio State students use the tool to answer questions they have about Ohio’s food system.
“It is a great tool for new [Extension] educators to learn about their county,” said David Civittolo, interim associate dean and director of OSU Extension and interim chair of the Department of Extension.
Winslow said many local groups also use the tool to find a better approach to food policy for their communities.
“I really loved the impact that it's had on local food policy councils. I think they are an undervalued resource for communities. So being able to support their work is rewarding,” Winslow said.
The tool shows data through multiple categories: administrative, political boundaries, community, economics, environment, production, processing, distribution, and retail.
“The detailed breakdown from processing to production [draws me to the tool],” said Civittolo. “You can search for exactly what you need in a specific county.”
Users can even turn chosen layers on and off to see how different data sets compare.
“Users can start with a piece that may be recognizable to them, or maybe something that they're familiar with, then they can use that as an anchor point to move to other data to explore whatever question they have,” Winslow said.
The tool also stores past data as it’s updated, so users can also see how data sets changed over time.
In the future, Winslow said she hopes the map’s data goes deeper than the county level. She also hopes the map will become a resource decision-makers at the state level can rely on.
“I love how the Food System Map provides a visual, one-stop-shop for everything from production to access, and I am excited to see the food system map continue to grow and support researchers, educators, and communities throughout Ohio,” said Winslow.
