Photo credit: Rochelle Urquhart, USDA
Opportunities
- OUAIP’s Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) program is open! Funding supports local governments, schools, and tribes in developing innovative, scalable waste management plans that reduce and divert food waste from landfills and test strategies for municipal composting and food waste reduction efforts. Projects can be in communities of all sizes. Apply by Sept. 4, 2024.
- USDA and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research are seeking research proposals for the Innovation Challenge that will drive advancements at the intersection of human health, climate-smart agriculture, and social justice, equity, and opportunity to advance nutrition security. Apply by July 29, 2024. (new)
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AgriProspects's mini-grant program aims to boost the capacity of adult agricultural workforce development programming, including emerging technologies, community engagement, business acumen, and more. The opportunity is open to all Land-Grant Colleges & Universities. Apply by July 31, 2024. (new)
- Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting applications for the Emergency Relief Program for 2022 natural disaster losses. Apply by Aug. 14, 2024. (new)
- Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Apply by Sept. 30, 2024.
- FSA’s Organic Certification Cost Share Program provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program. Apply by Oct. 31, 2024.
- Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Change Grants Program supports environmental and climate justice activities. Assistance for grant preparation is available until Aug. 16, 2024. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Apply by Nov. 21, 2024.
- FSA’s Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program is now open to small and medium-sized businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. Apply by Jan. 31. 2025. (new)
Federal Advisory Committee
The Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Federal Advisory Committee had a productive meeting in July! The Committee passed three recommendations to be submitted to the USDA Secretary:
- Increase Technical Support for Urban Producers through Cooperative Extension- recommends that the USDA Secretary direct NRCS and NIFA to explore creative ways to fund additional Extension Educators in urban communities.
- Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Grant Award Process - implement a digital signature option for grant award paperwork for the grantor sub-agency as well as the grantee.
- FSA Cooperative Agreements- develop and integrate transparency and accountability measures within the FSA Urban Agriculture Outreach, Education, Technical Assistance cooperative agreement process.
The meeting recording will be available on the Committee webpage. Written comments will be accepted via email (UrbanAgricultureFederalAdvisoryCommittee@usda.gov) until July 25, 2024, and will be shared with the Committee.
USDA Highlights
Photo: Robbie and Eric McClam, City Roots Farm
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This month’s Fridays on the Farm: Planting Urban Roots highlights Eric and Robbie McClam of City Roots Organic Farm, an urban farm located in Columbia, South Carolina.
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Nominations for the 2024 FSA County Committee Election are being accepted now through Aug. 1, 2024. Elections are being held for the following County Committees for Urban Agriculture: Columbia, SC; Las Vegas, NV; Memphis, TN; Little Rock, AR; Pittsburg, PA.
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View the latest Be the Link and meet Adam Hill, director of urban agriculture and community garden programs at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and a member of the FSA urban county committee in Philadelphia.
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USDA is expanding crop insurance options for specialty and organic growers beginning with the 2025 crop year.
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Each month OUAIP will highlight one USDA agency to show changes the department is making to serve urban and innovative producers. July’s feature is the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS is building collective knowledge and a community of practice across the agency led by the National Urban Agriculture Coordinator and State Urban Agriculture points of contact. Through this engagement, the agency is identifying trainings for staff to better assist urban and innovative producers with natural resource management and agency programs. To-date, NRCS has held trainings related to Conservation Planning, Soil Health in Urban Areas, and Controlled Environment Agriculture with more to come. NRCS has 40 conservation practices with 70 small-scale scenarios that are calibrated for urban agriculture operations. Contact your local service center to see what options may be available for your farm.
People’s Garden Initiative
Photo credit: Natalie Howe, USDA
Headquarters Garden
The USDA Office of Tribal Relations and the Headquarters People’s Garden hosted a booth and live art demonstration in July. USDA shared information about the department’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative, programs in service of Native Americans, and the People’s Garden Three Sisters plot, an indigenous practice of growing squash, corns and beans together.
Photos: Pat McLamore, Southfield Parks and Garden Club
Registered Garden
This month we are highlighting the Southfield Community Garden at the Mary Thompson Farm. The community garden is in Southfield, MI, just north of Detroit, and serves elders in the community. The Southfield Parks and Garden Club, Southfield Historical Society, and the City of Southfield Parks & Rec department partnered with the Xerces Society on pollinator habitat plantings through the Detroit pollinator habitat kit program! Mary Thompson gardeners planted more than 170 Michigan native flowers, grasses, sedges, and shrubs to support pollinators. Deer, rabbits, and other small wildlife are also common visitors of this suburban community garden, so it was important for these gardeners to protect their new pollinator habitat with fencing.
People’s Garden Networking
Join the next People’s Garden networking call on Aug. 20, 2024, 2:00 pm ET and learn about the CDC’s soilSHOP toolkit and resources!
Register in advance for this meeting.
Staff Farm Visits
This summer OUAIP staff have traveled across the country to learn from urban agriculture and innovative producers and stakeholders. Here are a few highlights:
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- Leslie Glover II, Program Manager, presented at the 2024 Urban Food Systems Symposium, which brought together academic, non-profit, government, and research-oriented professionals to discuss how urban food systems can solve a variety of local and global challenges. Here is a 1-minute photo recap, the Symposium Program, and the Book of Abstracts. An interview with keynote speaker Qiana Mickie and UFSS co-chair Mike Hogan was shared through National Public Radio.
- Leslie also attended the 2024 Joint National Workshop on Sustainable Development of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), in Charleston, SC, hosted by Clemson University, USDA Agricultural Research Service, the Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The purpose was to coordinate the federal government's support for CEA research, exchange innovative ideas, and share scientific information and personal experiences. Leslie moderated a session focused on marketing, food distribution and social economic impact.
- Sean Potts, Management Analyst, met with representatives from the City of Lorain, OH to view their project supported by an Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grant and to learn how USDA can better support the city’s efforts. Sean met with the city planners, Mayor Jack Bradley, and local urban producers and community leaders to discuss urban agriculture in the city and plans to create an urban agriculture overlay district. The city remarked that the award from USDA was crucial to Lorain’s objectives, as Mayor Bradley stated, "This award has really given a lot of momentum to the City of Lorain, OH and is a big part of our short- and long-term revitalization efforts."
- Nina Bhattacharyya, Senior Technical Specialist, visited projects in Tampa, FL, supported by Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grants, Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements, and the People’s Garden Initiative. Learn more about the partners in Tampa building a resilient food system: City of Tampa Sustainability Department and Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management; Coalition of Community Gardens; Healthy 22nd Street Initiative; WellBuilt Cities and WellFed Communities; Tampa Family Health Centers and VISTA Gardens Tampa.
- Nina also presented at the American Horticultural Society’s National Children & Youth Symposium in Chicago, IL and learned about the many ways that educators are communicating their love and expertise to the next generation of gardening enthusiasts! Conference attendees had the opportunity to visit local sites, including the Edible Evanston Eggleston Park Food Forest, a registered USDA People’s Garden.
In Case You Missed It
- The National Urban Agriculture Conference is being held Aug. 4-6, 2024, in Detroit, MI. In-Person registration is currently closed, but virtual attendance is encouraged.
- Save the Date for the 2025 National Brownfields Training Conference hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency and co-sponsor International City/County Management Association. The conference will be held in Chicago, IL from Aug. 5-8, 2025.
What We’re Reading
Stay cool and help make sure kids are fueled for the summer. Share where to find SUN Meal locations!
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