Mapping a Food System

To improve access to healthy food and, ultimately, health outcomes, many local governments are considering recommending changes to their business licensing requirements and/or their zoning ordinances to encourage development of certain types of retail food outlets and/or prevent the development of other types of outlets in various neighborhoods/areas. Expanding on measures of food deserts and food swamps, the CDC has created the Modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI) to capture both concepts in a single number and has calculated that number for the state of Montana and each of its counties.