OCTOBER 2017 FOOD & AGRICULTURE QUARTERLY
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Helping urban agriculture to thrive
Local governments play a key part in aiding prospective urban farmers
EMILY TAYLOR
“ Eating with the fullest pleasure – pleasure , that is , that does not depend on ignorance – is perhaps the profoundest enactment of our connection with the world .” – Wendell Berry
While urban agriculture itself is a time-honored tradition , it has enjoyed a recent resurgence due to rising demands for local foods and an increasing popular interest in where our food comes from . Notwithstanding this surge in popularity , aspiring urban farmers face a number of obstacles before they can establish their own urban farms .
The rise of urban farms
Most urban agriculture projects are part of a broader cultural phenomenon often referred to as the “ alternative food movement .” This group includes farmers ’ markets , farm-to-fork restaurants and dining experiences , community gardens and other local-centric agricultural projects . At the heart of the success of these efforts is one unifying theme : people are paying more attention to the food they are eating and providing to their families . Consumers often are willing to pay more for food they perceive as possessing certain benefits , such as nutritional content or environmental sustainability . While the urban agriculture movement will never supplant modern industrialized agricultural production , it is on track to continue to supplement it in significant ways well into the future .
The resurgence of urban agriculture , however , has revived the traditional governance conflicts between rural and urban living . The largest obstacles facing many would-be urban farmers are the applicable zoning and nuisance ordinances , many of which may make it unlawful to practice urban farming . Many local zoning and nuisance codes were created during an era of urban planning that strived for , or even glorified , separation of uses , both as between urban and rural , and residential and commercial .
© 2017 Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP