Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for State Governments
February 25, 2026 | Heather Tomlinson, Shihui Yang
Environmental and human-made disasters and even seasonal changes affect people and the functioning of food systems. These shocks and stressors to food systems can be acute events such as extreme weather phenomena (hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) or long-term political, economic, and/or environmental disruptions, during which food is not accessible, available, or acceptable. While these factors can impact everyone, those with the most vulnerabilities and who are the most marginalized are at the greatest risk. State governments around the United States are taking action to prepare for and prevent the consequences of these disruptions on their food systems, but there is limited guidance available to support states in this work. This planning guide provides actionable tools for developing strategies to create and support resilient food systems.
This guide is an abridged adaption of the Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for Local Governments, developed by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence with a local government community of practice. ASTHO has tailored this version to state governments. For more information on a specific topic, please refer to the local guide for additional context.