Nevada imports the vast majority of its food. When supply chains are disrupted, grocery prices rise or shelves thin, our communities feel it immediately. Strengthening local and regional food systems is not just an economic issue — it is a matter of food security, public health, and care for our neighbors.
At the same time:
- 1 in 7 Nevadans experiences hunger
- Rural counties like Nye, Esmeralda, Mineral, and Lincoln face some of the highest food insecurity and longest drives to full grocery stores
- In urban areas — Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks, and Carson City — entire neighborhoods are classified as food deserts
Food insecurity is shaped by housing costs, low wages, transportation access, and rising food prices, not by a lack of food alone.
Nevada’s Farmers and Ranchers
Nevada producers are innovators, but they face structural barriers:
- Extreme heat and drought
- Over-allocated and declining water resources in the Colorado River Basin
- High land and transportation costs
- Lack of in-state processing and distribution infrastructure
- Difficulty accessing large institutional buyers
And yet, from the Carson Valley and Fallon to Pahrump, Amargosa, and Moapa, Nevadans are growing:
- Specialty crops
- Dairy and beef
- Tribal and traditional foods
- Hydroponic and greenhouse produce
Consumers, schools, and restaurants are actively seeking Nevada-grown food, but farmers need the policy and infrastructure to get it to market.
Nevada Policy Opportunities
Strengthen Local Food Economies
- Invest in food hubs, cold storage, and distribution networks so small producers can sell to schools, hospitals, and grocery stores
- Expand Farm-to-School and Farm-to-Institution purchasing
- Increase support for beginning and small-scale farmers, including tribal producers
Water & Climate Resilience
- Support water-efficient irrigation and soil-health practices
- Protect agricultural water access while planning for long-term drought
- Fund climate-resilient growing systems (greenhouses, controlled-environment agriculture)
End Hunger in Nevada
- Protect and strengthen SNAP and WIC access
- advocate for universal free school meals
- Invest in senior and rural nutrition programs
Food Access in Every ZIP Code
- Incentivize grocery stores and mobile markets in underserved communities
- Support transportation solutions for rural food access
What Lutherans Are Already Doing in Nevada
Across the Sierra Pacific Synod and the Grand Canyon Synod’s Nevada congregations:
- Food pantries and weekly community meals
- Community gardens
- Partnerships with food banks in Northern Nevada and Southern Nevada
- Advocacy for hunger programs and just economic policy
Many of our members serve as:
- Agricultural workers
- Truck drivers and warehouse staff
- Grocery and food-service workers
- Nutrition program leaders
This is our shared ministry.
A Lutheran Theology of Food
In Nevada — one of the driest states in the nation — food and water are sacred.
- At the table of Holy Communion, we receive bread and wine, fruits of the earth and human labor
- Manna in the wilderness teaches us there is enough when we trust God’s daily provision
- The gleaning laws show that food systems must include the poor
- Jesus feeds people without asking their status, income, or citizenship
Food is not a commodity alone — it is a sign of God’s justice.
ELCA Social Teaching
This work lives at the intersection of:
- Caring for Creation – sustainable agriculture in a drought-stricken state
- Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All – fair markets for Nevada producers
- Hunger, Poverty, and Economic Justice – food access as a human right
A Call to Action for Nevada Lutherans
Together we can:
- Advocate for state funding for local food infrastructure
- Partner with Nevada farmers and farmers markets
- Expand congregational meal and garden ministries
- Support policies that ensure every Nevadan can afford healthy food
Because in Christ’s economy, everyone is fed, the land is healed, and the community rejoices.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 