The link between food insecurity and work performance

Food insecurity – inadequate access to safe or nutritious food –  affected 18.3 million U.S. households in 2024. A new report published in the Journal of Applied Psychology explains how food insecurity decreases employee performance and productivity: 

“There is an implicit assumption that food insecurity primarily affects unemployed people, but it’s a pervasive issue that impacts a sizable portion of the workforce,” said lead researcher Jason Moy, MS, a doctoral student in organizational behavior at the University of Washington. “We hope business leaders can change their mindset and understand that supporting employees facing food insecurity extends beyond humanitarian concerns and benefits the businesses themselves.”

There are steps businesses can take to make their employees more food secure:

Based on the findings, businesses shouldn’t just rely on nonprofit organizations and governmental assistance when the businesses could provide food for their own employees facing food insecurity, Moy said. Employers could offer free or discounted food through grocery store vouchers, workplace food pantries, community gardens or free transportation to food banks. 

Last September, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it would stop tracking household food insecurity – depriving the country of critical benchmark data that helps policymakers make decisions about safety-net programs.

Louisiana ranks last for women, children health

Louisiana is the worst state for women and children’s health, according to a new report from the United Health Foundation. The report scored states across 125 measures of health and well being. The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate’s Margaret Delaney reports:

Some measures for children’s health include: childhood obesity, early childhood education, neighborhood amenities, household smoke exposure. Some measures for women’s health include: smoking during pregnancy, well-woman visits, women with a dedicated health care provider, excessive drinking and chronic conditions.

There were some bright spots for Louisiana. The state ranked in the top 10 for enrollment in early education programs and adequate and continuous health insurance coverage for children. The full report and rankings can be viewed here. 

States revisit data center tax breaks 

States have used generous tax incentives in recent years to attract AI data centers. But some states are now looking to rein in these tax giveaways, as their effectiveness is scrutinized and public backlash mounts over how data centers deplete water supplies and increase utility rates for locals. Madyson Fitzgerald of Stateline reports: 

“When we look at potential subsidies for businesses, I’m really looking at it from a frame of incentivizing new behavior rather than just giving away money for things that the companies were going to already do anyways,” [Maryland state Del. Julie] Palakovich Carr said. “I think it’s really important that once these things get put in place, we look at the data and see what’s happening on the ground.”

Data center tax breaks cause states to forgo massive amounts of revenue that could be used on other priorities, such as health care and education: 

Last year, Virginia, home to the most data centers in the country, gave up $1.6 billion in sales and use tax revenues from data centers, state data shows. That’s a 118% increase from the previous year, according to a report from Good Jobs First, a watchdog group that focuses on economic development incentives. Another report from the group said Georgia is expected to lose at least $2.5 billion to data center sales tax exemptions this year, 664% higher than the state’s previous estimate.

Landry asks state-created insurer to pay for fortified roofs

Gov. Jeff Landry is asking the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corp to help pay for homeowners to install fortified roofs. Fortified roofs are more likely to sustain hurricane-force winds and lower insurance rates. But demand is outpacing supply for the state’s program that provides homeowners with grants to harden roofs. The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate’s Sam Karlin reports: 

[Landry] said unaffordable property insurance is threatening the state’s economy, and asked LWCC to commit “a portion of its excess reserves” to help pay for fortified roofs, particularly for homeowners covered by Citizens, the insurer of last resort. … Landry didn’t specify how much in funding he wants LWCC to dedicate to fortified roofs, or where exactly the money would go. … It’s also not clear whether the LWCC board can legally send money to fortified roofs, or whether it would require a new law.

Number of the Day

16.1% – Share of children in Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District who live in poverty. (Source: Congressional District Health Dashboard)