LOCAL FOOD - Strategies for Job and Health

Dana Conference Center – Medical University of Ohio

April 15, 2011

Due to my work schedule, I was not able to attend all sessions. One of the breakout sessions that I was able to hear came from Marcia Caton Campbell of the Center for Resilient Cities (http://www.resilientcities.org). Marsha serves as the Director of that organization. She spoke to an attending group of about 50 people representing various NWOhio organizations and groups. Marsha started her presentation at 10:15a.m.

Ms. Campbell started out her presentation with an understanding of the principles of health, sustainability and community center around food and agriculture. In successful urban areas around the United States, organizations have started with plans that led to actual practice and key core development projects in metropolitan areas. These urban-ag programs exist as three divisions; Non-Commercial, Commercial and Hybrid. All of these three divisions could include Rooftop, Pocket-Space and Institutional. Pocket-Space gardens have proven to be successful ways in which small parcels between buildings or other areas could be cultivated for agricultural purposes.

Urban-Ag rebuilds food systems otherwise destroyed by other factors involving neighborhood economics and social conditions. Other benefits include increase in nutrition of area people, increase of general health, social development, increased economic activity and resources and increased ecological capital. Citizens involved in Urban-Ag commonly increase their job skills and entrepreneurial expertise as well. There is evidence that those taking part in Urban-Ag do so expanding the development of the neighborhood and community at very small levels.

Urban-Ag does have its risks as well. Growing food plants on polluted soil (use of “brownfields”), need for site appropriate herbicides and pesticides may affect food quality and have negative human effects. Urban crime on projects could also be a problem for those wishing to expand into these areas. For all of the risks involved, there is technical assistance, expertise and advice available. Individuals or groups wanting to explore these agricultural applications could get guidance on urban land use, pest control, market demand, infrastructure capacity and available resource skill bank. In addition, individuals have an abundance of human labor that could also be brought in to any urban-ag project. All of these resources can be counted on for expanding community aspirations.

Any urban-ag project must start with visioning and detailed planning. It is in the planning that common visions are put into achievable and measureable goals. Once the planning is accomplished, the next phase of project development occurs. Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, ownership of project, project scope, envisioned community development, zoning issues and public land use issues are listed in detail for the development of a plan of execution. Whatever the urban-ag plan is to become, there will be a necessary urban development component and in many urban settings, this may be the start of an economic engine involving self-help.

ResilientCities.org has identified urban-ag projects as having a positive effect among individuals, communities and local governments. In many downtown areas, derelict properties have been re-purposed into productive and community building centers of activity. Case studies in 11 cities including Detroit and Cleveland have demonstrated increases in positive human activity such as self-organization, community pride and active citizenship. As these projects and activities grow, it has become apparent to the need for a non-profit organization to serve as intermediaries among governmental, individual and organizational interests. These non-profit entities could be charged with handling the challenges that normally comes with any new or expanding project; assist with making decisions where everyone’s interests are addressed and handled equitably.

Some of the websites that could assist in any urban-ag project include the United States EPA (http://www.epa.gov/ ) . Any organization considering the remediation of existing Brownfield areas can gain much advice and locate other resources that could affect upon the project. The Fondy Market located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin markets healthy foods to urban dwellers in that city. Popular Fondy activities include a young chef program, cooking schools and tested recipes. Alice’s Garden in Milwaukee is another example of community development 1 acre of community land. Alice’s provide community social and economic development on a very localized scale. Heirloom and container gardening, organic pest control skills, and cooking are just some of the featured programs covered during the growing months.

Many of the successful urban-ag programs actually rose from “food desert” areas of metropolitan areas. Until these programs, food may have been available form neighborhood carryout stores that carried more junk food than nutritious. Building human capacity happens when powerless people become responsible for the successes of these enterprises. Finally, money may not be that much of an important factor when just starting a project. Community support on various levels involving human energy and activity often leads to grants coming from government or business communities.

During the question and answer period, Campbell related that the trend is increasing for consumption of locally-grown foods. Knowing where food comes from is important to literally all members of the community. She personally knows of a vineyard being started in one of the major cities around the Great Lakes area of the United States. She commented that we must start thinking in terms of “food-sheds” that have similar concepts as those related to “water-sheds”. Planning around the food-shed idea will provide options when challenges around food productions appear. Marcia mentioned that 80% of business fail due to poor planning but if good planning were achieved, the success rate would be 80% - hence the need for thorough planning in every step. A major problem involved in some urban areas, developers may have ownership. Usually these developers will invest in land toward which the city is growing to. This adds to the complexity of creating suburban garden areas as well as adding to increased start-up costs.