Luyi Han, PhD, Assistant Professor of Regional and Agricultural Economics at Penn State University, will present the EEEP Seminar Series, “Local Food Prices, SNAP Purchasing Power, and Food Insecurity” on October 14, 2026.
Abstract:
This study examines how local variation in SNAP purchasing power affects food insecurity and health among U.S. adults. We link restricted-use National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) microdata from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), accessed through the Federal Statistical Research Data Center, with county-level food prices constructed from large-scale retail scanner data. Exploiting within-county changes in SNAP purchasing power over time, we assess whether benefit adequacy matters beyond program participation. Preliminary results suggest that greater SNAP purchasing power is associated with meaningful improvements in food security among low-income households. The study highlights the importance of accounting for geographic variation in food costs when evaluating SNAP benefit adequacy.
Bio:
Luyi Han is an Assistant Professor of Regional and Agricultural Economics at Penn State. His research focuses on regional and rural economic development, particularly on how technology, innovation, and broader economic changes shape opportunities for businesses, workers, and communities. He is especially interested in issues such as rural entrepreneurship, the digital economy, and labor markets. He uses applied microeconomic methods and large-scale data to study questions with real-world policy relevance.