Imagine walking down the street in your city neighborhood and stopping by a garden, planted in what used to be a vacant lot, to buy some vegetables or fruit for supper. For many people, this is not pie-in-the sky dreaming. It’s a welcome reality — and a pleasant change in
Continue Reading Food safety plays part in urban agriculture bill
Safely Integrating Urban Agriculture With Urban Living
I was involved in urban agriculture before I heard of “urban agriculture.” In 2009, I worked on a farm and helped a community garden in Portland, OR. At that time, growing food within the city limits was not uncommon for a food-loving city like Portland. But now you
Continue Reading Safely Integrating Urban Agriculture With Urban Living
Public Health Impact Levy, Urban Ag Zoning, and GMO Ban Among Latest Western Legislative Ideas
More evidence is in to support the old theory that legislative ideas move from west to east in the United States. This is primarily because California remains a hotbed for progressive ideas of all sorts. California Senate Bill 747 is back for 2014 in an amended form. It would allow
Continue Reading Public Health Impact Levy, Urban Ag Zoning, and GMO Ban Among Latest Western Legislative Ideas
Food Safety Scandals Fuel Urban Gardening in China
Food safety concerns and increasing incomes are sparking growth in urban gardening and farming among Chinese consumers, according to China Daily.
“More urban residents, many of whom are young people between the ages of 25 to 35 living in metropolises such as Beijing, are growing vegetables and herbs on
Continue Reading Food Safety Scandals Fuel Urban Gardening in China
Local Foods Week Underway in Michigan
The Governor of Michigan, Jennifer M. Granholm, proclaimed this week “Local Foods Week” to encourage schools, restaurants, hospitals, and other institutions to look for and use foods grown and produced in Michigan on their menu offerings, helping to create new markets for Michigan farmers and providing a fresher, healthier alternative
A Push for Sustainability in Manhattan
Last month, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer released plans for making food policy a priority for New York City government in FoodNYC: A Blueprint for a Sustainable Food System.
Stringer proposed eight ways to improve the Manhattan food system:
I. Creation of an urban agriculture program to promote community gardening,
Continue Reading A Push for Sustainability in Manhattan
Urban Agriculture Future of Sustainability
On Tuesday, the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. hosted a panel discussion on Urban Agriculture as part of the museum’s ongoing series, For The Greener Good: Conversations That Will Change the World.
Panelists included moderator Allison Arieff, Editor-at-Large, Sunset Magazine and New York Times Contributor; Steven Cohen, Food Policy