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Cities Developing Urban Agriculture Codes

Urban agriculture has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to deal with vacant properties, revitalize neighborhoods, and provide job skills and nutrition to local residents struggling with poverty and a lack of access to fresh produce.

In Austin, Texas, a working group of the Sustainable Food Policy Board is meeting to clarify and update city code related to urban farms, livestock, size of farm, employees and dwellings, according to the Austin Chronicle.

The working group has been holding public sessions to gather input from urban farmers and community members about pending updates to the urban farm ordinance.

In April 2013, the Flint Farmers' Market reported that the Detroit City Council adopted the city's first urban agriculture zoning ordinance recognizing agriculture as a legitimate land use and setting standards for it.

Other cities working to update or create urban agriculture codes include Boston, Massachusetts;
Fort Collins, Colorado; and Portland, Oregon.

For more information, see USDA's National Ag Library webpage on Urban Agriculture.

Home » Renewable Energy » Climate Change and Agriculture » Adaptation

Newsletter Articles

The Need for Climate Prediction Information for Agriculture - Don Hofstrand - August 2011
Japanese Consumers: What is the Carbon Footprint of North Dakota Grains? - Cole Gustafson - February 2009
Climate Change - Impact of Climate Change on Global Agriculture (last in a series) - Eugene Takle & Don Hofstrand - January 2009
Climate Change - Impact on the Midwestern Agriculture (sixth in series) - Eugene Takle & Don Hofstrand - November/December 2008

Information Files

Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States – United States Global Climate Research Program
Climate Change and Agriculture – International Research Institute for Climate and Society.
Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (Food, Fiber and Forest Products) – IPCC Fourth Assessment Report.
Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change: Issues of Longrun Sustainability – USDA.
World Agriculture and Climate Change: Economic Adaptations – USDA.
Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate – U.S. Climate Change Science Program.
Global Warming and Extreme Weather – Environmental Defense Fund.
Climate Prediction Center – National Weather Service.

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