Maximum Yield USA March 2018 | Page 16

fee from the editor W Governments around the world are beginning to consider or introduce legislation that would provide urban farmers with subsidies and grants similar to those traditional farmers receive.” 14 first feed hen you think about the future of food, what comes to mind? Food security might be one thing, quality and freshness another. For many people, taking control of how food is grown and knowing its source is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, governments around the world are beginning to consider or introduce legislation that would provide urban farmers with subsidies and grants similar to those traditional farmers receive. Urban farming, vertical farming, and commercial hydroponic producers are all poised to become major providers to the food supply chain in coming years. To do this, groundwork needs to be done. Urban farming practices already thrive in cities around the world­—there are small-scale grassroots organizations and restaurants that grow their own food. However, in order for isolated providers to become supply chain producers, a number of steps need to be taken. First, outreach, coordination, and new policies need to be initiated, followed by business planning and development. Finally, consideration for the health of the environment and citizens needs to be mapped out. For the environment, this includes introducing technology that mitigates water usage, conserving arable soil, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and greening urban areas. For citizens, it means improving food security, eliminating food deserts, and improving overall health of the population by improving the quality of food people have access to. As Kent Gruetzmacher explains on page 86, the US government is leading the way on this initiative. While traditional agriculture will likely never be usurped by urban or hydroponic gardening, modern gardening and hydroponics will certainly play a pivotal role in providing food for a growing global population. In this issue of Maximum Yield, we address the future of growing in other aspects. On page 42, Lee Alle