Illinois policy makers take urban agriculture tour

See the tour video above.
Nov 19. City and State policy makers had a chance to eyeball some of Chicago’s premier urban farms. From Chicago Tonight.

Illinois policy makers take urban agriculture tour

Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)
Posted: Nov 18, 2009

Chicago, IL (IDOA Release)–Policy makers will see and hear about the impact urban farms have on the communities that support them when they join the Urban Agriculture Tour from 8:30 AM to 1 PM on November 19, 2009. Approximately 50 members of the Illinois General Assembly, Chicago aldermen, Cook County Board members, metropolitan mayors, legislative staff, and funders are expected to participate in the bus tour.

The group will visit three Chicago farms: Resource Center’s City Farm on the Near North Side, Windy City Harvest in South Lawndale, and Growing Home’s Wood Street Farm in Englewood.

Urban farms represent an enormous economic opportunity for cities and towns throughout the state. The Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act signed into law in August 2009 opens the door for a greatly increased amount of Illinois-grown food ending up on Illinois tables. It represents a lucrative opportunity for Illinois farmers both rural and urban and offers the potential of a multi-billion dollar stimulus to the state economy. The Urban Agriculture Tour will be a real-life lesson for policy makers on how communities benefit from urban farms. “Every Illinois community would benefit from our farmers producing products for in-state purchase. I encourage and support all efforts that accomplish this goal,” said Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn.

According to State Representative Julie Hamos (D. Evanston), the chief sponsor of the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, “through cutting red tape, statewide coordination and education, and accentuating the need to eliminate ‘food deserts’ the Food, Farms and Jobs Act of 2009 will enable more successful urban farms to show that Illinois can provide year-round access to fresh, healthy food in communities all over the state.”

The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently created a full-time staff position in Chicago “to promote the economic and community development benefits of growing food in our urban areas,” said Tom Jennings, Director of the Department of Agriculture.

Chicago’s City Farm. (Larger image here. Then click Aerial – Bird’s eye view)

Cities across the United States are supporting the growth of urban farms and community gardens. Among other benefits, urban farms create the ultimate green-collar jobs. Growing food for sale at farmers’ markets and to restaurants is a practice common to the Chicago urban farms that will be visited. Nor is Chicago’s winter weather an obstacle to growing and selling food. New technologies allow the farms to continue producing well into the colder seasons.

“Growing a year-round supply of fresh-picked food in food desert communities will help to eliminate today’s plague of childhood diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases, while creating new hope and business opportunities where they are needed the most,” said Senator Jacqueline Collins (D. Chicago), Senate sponsor of the new legislation.

Besides turning vacant land into a community asset, urban farms improve residents’ health. Healthy eating has a direct connection with reducing obesity, one key risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Both of these conditions are steadily increasing especially in low-income communities which are generally found more often in urban areas.

Urban farms contribute to environmental sustainability, community resilience, and homeland security. The food is grown close to home, eliminating long-distance transportation, and increases green space. People are engaged in feeding themselves, relearning skills that helped other generations to be self-reliant. The urban farms also provide a degree of security against disruptions of food supply lines. “Resilient communities require vibrant economies and a dependable supply of food that supports a healthy population. A stable, uninterruptible supply of fresh, community-produced food is an insurance policy for unexpected emergency events,” said Hero Tameling, Director of the Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness of the Illinois Department of Human Services.

In addition to highlighting these benefits, the policy questions and challenges associated with urban farms will be addressed. As a result of the tour, the policy makers will have the information they need to explore opportunities in their districts to support urban agriculture and to consider the policy changes needed to bring it about. At the same time, funders will see ways in which community-based food and farm projects are leverage points useful in addressing an array of community issues.

Urban Agriculture Tour Schedule

November 19, 2009

8:30 AM Resource Center’s City Farm, 1204 N. Clybourn (at Division), Chicago, IL

9:40 AM Windy City Harvest, 2800 S. Western AV, Chicago, IL 60608

10:50 AM Growing Home Wood Street Farm, 5814 S. Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60636

11:40 AM Presentation on Chicago’s urban agricultural history, benefits of urban farms, policy issues, and funding needs

12:30 AM Return to City Farm