James Comer of Kentucky Announces Urban Agriculture Initiative

Jamie is married to Tamara Jo (TJ). They have three children, including one born just weeks ago, and are members of the First Baptist Church of Tompkinsville.

Member of the House of Representatives, Comer Plans to create an Office of Urban Agriculture if elected Agricultural Commissioner

FRANKFORT, Ky. (August 26, 2011) – James Comer has unveiled his plan to enhance agriculture in Kentucky’s urban communities.

The Comer administration will reorganize the entire Kentucky Department of Agriculture to streamline the agency, make it more efficient, and position the KDA to meet the needs of Kentucky Agriculture for the new agriculture economy of the future. One part of that strategy includes plans to create the Office of Urban Agriculture. The new office will place a priority on enacting the Comer Urban Agriculture Initiative.

Initially the Comer Urban Agriculture Initiative will:

•begin with a pilot project in Louisville and Lexington

•work to form a partnership with local government leaders, charitable organizations, faith-based groups, various agriculture commodity groups, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Farm Bureau, Community Farm Alliance, local school districts, and the state land-grand institutions (the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University) and the Cooperative Extension Agency. The partnership will be administered through the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

•start community gardens in impoverished neighborhoods on abandoned property, privately owned permissible property, church property, government-owned land and park areas

•construct greenhouses which will be used to produce agricultural products for personal consumption or private sale

•utilize rooftop and balcony gardening

Urban agriculture is defined as the growing of plants and the raising of animals within and around cities.

Benefits of urban agriculture:
1. It meets the food needs of the urban poor while helping economically by lowering food costs which often account for over 50 percent of living expenses.
2. It contributes to food safety/security and healthy nutrition.
3. It is integrated into the urban economic and ecological system.
4. It can contribute to poverty alleviation and social integration
5. It leads to a significant increase in agriculture literacy.

Types of products grown:
Food products – vegetables, fruits, grains, poultry, rabbits and goats
Non-food products – herbs, ornamental plants and tree products

Link here.