[MCN] USDA announces support for urban agriculture

[Lance Olsen]

USDA Unveils New 'Urban Agriculture Toolkit' for Urban Farmers and 
Agri-business Entrepreneurs
USDA Office of Communications sent this bulletin at 04/29/2016 12:30 PM EDT

USDA Office of Communications
Release No. 0099.16
Contact:
Office of Communications (202)720-4623

USDA Unveils New 'Urban Agriculture Toolkit' for Urban Farmers and 
Agri-business Entrepreneurs
Online Resource Draws on USDA's and Partners' Experience with 
Launching and Sustaining Urban Agriculture Operations Points 
Producers to Helpful Financial and Technical Resources

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today 
unveiled the USDA Urban Agriculture Toolkit, a new resource created 
by USDA's Know Your Farmer team to help entrepreneurs and community 
leaders successfully create jobs and increase access to healthy food 
through urban agriculture. From neighborhood gardens grown on 
repurposed lots, to innovative mobile markets and intensive 
hydroponic and aquaculture operations, urban food production is 
rapidly growing into a mature business sector in cities across the 
country.

"Urban agriculture helps strengthen the health and social fabric of 
communities while creating economic opportunities for farmers and 
neighborhoods," Vilsack said. "USDA's Urban Agriculture Toolkit 
compiles guidance from our Know Your Farmer team and many private 
partners into one comprehensive resource to help small-scale 
producers manage all aspects of their business. From protecting soil 
health to marketing to schools and grocery store chains, USDA has 
tools to meet the needs of this new breed of innovative urban farmer 
and small business owner."

Industry estimates show U.S. local food sales totaled at least $12 
billion in 2014, up from $5 billion in 2008, and experts anticipate 
that value to hit $20 billion by 2019. The numbers also show that 
these opportunities are helping to drive job growth in agriculture, 
increase entrepreneurship and expand food access and choice.

USDA's Toolkit is an electronic document that helps urban and small 
farms navigate more than 70 helpful resources, including technical 
assistance and financing opportunities. It focuses on some of the 
most pressing challenges confronting urban producers such as land 
access, soil quality, water resources, capital and financing, 
infrastructure, market development, production strategies, and 
applying for federal, state or private foundation grants. University 
extension service partners in Chicago and Indianapolis helped develop 
cost estimates for starting urban farms and the toolkit includes 
information on best practices and check lists for start-ups and 
early-stage producers planning outdoor or indoor operations.

Some of the USDA resources featured in the Toolkit include:
	*Natural Resources Conservation Service technical and 
financial assistance for drip irrigation and seasonal high tunnels to 
extend the growing season.
	*Farm Services Agency microloans that provide up to $50,000 
in financing for equipment, working capital or other expenses.
	*Food and Nutrition Service assistance to help urban farmers 
become authorized to accept SNAP, WIC and Senior Farmers Market 
Nutrition Program benefit cards.
	*Agricultural Marketing Service Farmers Market Promotion 
Program grants that support direct-to-consumer marketing activities 
in cities, and Local Food Promotion Program grants that support food 
hubs, farm-to-retail, and related projects.
	*National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Sustainable 
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program support for field 
trials in urban settings and urban farm planning and marketing guides.

Vilsack made the announcement today during an event opening a new 
school community garden at Frederick Douglass High School in 
Baltimore. The idea for the Toolkit was originally conceived at a 
USDA Urban Agriculture roundtable held nearby in Baltimore last 
spring. A key result of that meeting was the creation of USDA's Urban 
Agriculture Working Group (UAWG) that has assembled an inventory of 
existing department resources and worked to make them more readily 
accessible. The UAWG continues to actively engage urban producers 
around the country to identify evolving needs and support their 
success as a positive socioeconomic force in their communities.

Several Baltimore organizations in the vanguard of urban agriculture 
have developed resources that are included in the Toolkit as models 
for other communities like the City Farm Alliance's Urban Agriculture 
How-To Guide, the Community Law Center's Urban Agriculture Law 
Project Manual and the Green Pattern Book that helps local leaders 
map and identify productive new uses for vacant land.

During the event, Vilsack also highlighted expansion of a partnership 
between USDA and the Corporation for National and Community Service, 
the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps, increasing the number 
of opportunities for young people in Baltimore to serve as AmeriCorps 
VISTA Summer Associates, earning valuable professional and life 
experience while serving their community. These AmeriCorps members 
will serve with the Maryland Out of School Time (MOST) Network to 
provide summer opportunities for Baltimore City residents. They will 
join the more than 1,400 AmeriCorps members currently serving 
institutions and organizations throughout the city, including 
Frederick Douglass High School.

The Urban Agriculture Toolkit and the UAWG are part of USDA's Know 
Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative (KYF2) supporting the Obama 
Administration's work to strengthen economic bonds between rural and 
urban areas. Launched in 2009, KYF2 breaks down silos and takes stock 
of USDA programs that support the growing demand for local and 
regional food systems. Visit the KYF2 website at
www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer to find local and regional food system 
resources in your community. Learn more about the $1 billion USDA has 
invested in 40,000 projects to develop local market opportunities at 
https://medium.com/usda-results as USDA celebrates Know your Farmer 
Month in April.
#

-- 
*********************************************************************************************************
"We can reduce our risks by disincentivizing housing development in 
fire-prone areas, better managing public land and rethinking the 
effectiveness of our current firefighting approach."

Incorporating Anthropogenic Influences into Fire Probability Models: 
Effects of Human Activity and Climate Change on Fire Activity in 
California
Michael L. Mann, Enric Batllori, Max A. Moritz, Eric K. Waller, Peter 
Berck, Alan L. Flint, Lorraine E. Flint, Emmalee Dolfi

Research Article | published 28 Apr 2016 | PLOS ONE (open access)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153589
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://bigskynet.org/pipermail/missoula-community-news_bigskynet.org/attachments/20160429/64899050/attachment-0002.html>