If you've been curious about the Population & Steets in FarmLand City, you're not alone. Most of the rural population lives within daily commuting distance of a large metropolis. And many farm residents still operate their farms while working part-time in a city job. While this keeps the rural population from drastically decreasing, many small towns within the shadow of the metropolis have become dormitory satellites.
The Department of Neighborhoods will inventory vacant city-owned land for community gardens, food-bank gardens, and community kitchens, and will propose a process for creating such programs. The city will also establish a strategic plan for urban agriculture. For instance, a city-funded organization called NeighborSpace will purchase vacant or blighted property to use for farming, community gardens, or public spaces.
To create this new initiative, PolicyLink surveyed a number of organizations and individuals in the agricultural field. We interviewed community members, government officials, and urban farmers to better understand their unique needs. We also worked with the Kresge Foundation and Paulette Jones Robinson, editor of Growing Urban Agriculture, to produce this report. The results were overwhelmingly positive. The policy will help communities increase their access to fresh produce while simultaneously regenerating neighborhoods.