USDA's investment of $7.4 million in grants aims to support urban agriculture and innovative production efforts across the United States. Through these grants, various recipients, including community gardens and nonprofit farms, will receive financial assistance to enhance food production and access in economically distressed areas.
The grants also focus on job training, education, and the development of business plans and zoning proposals. This substantial funding builds upon the success of previous projects funded since 2020, totaling $40 million. The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) oversees these initiatives, reflecting USDA's commitment to supporting urban agriculture.
The grants encompass two categories: planning projects and implementation projects. Planning projects provide resources to urban and suburban farmers, citizens, schools, and government officials, enabling them to address food access, education, business start-up costs, urban forestry, and zoning policies.
By offering early-stage investments, planning projects support the development of new and start-up initiatives, including surveys, assessments, design and planning, business plan creation, feasibility studies, and the implementation of municipal policies and zoning practices.
Implementation projects focus on accelerating urban, indoor, and other agricultural practices that benefit multiple farmers and improve local food access. These projects support infrastructure needs, emerging technologies, education, and the implementation of urban farming policies.
They aim to expand existing urban agriculture initiatives by providing on-the-job training, mentoring, business development assistance, agricultural career training in schools, and the growth of community gardens and nonprofit farms.
The selection process resulted in 25 projects being chosen across 16 states and territories. These grants signify USDA's commitment to investing in urban agriculture and supporting local and regional food systems.
USDA efforts include funding composting and food waste reduction programs, establishing a Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, promoting the People's Garden movement, investing in urban food systems through the Agricultural Marketing Service's Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), and facilitating the incorporation of local foods in child nutrition programs through the Farm to School Program. USDA's commitment extends to supporting agriculture at all scales and in diverse locations, ensuring equitable opportunities and resilient local food production.