URBAN AGRICULTURE
URBAN AGRICULTURE IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT IN SUPPORTING EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEMS IN LOS ANGELES.
We believe that urban agriculture is an essential component in supporting equitable food systems in Los Angeles. As farmers' market operators, our markets rely heavily on farmers commuting from neighboring counties like Fresno, Ventura, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and beyond to bring fresh produce, nuts, grains, meats, cheeses, and flowers to our market communities. These regional growers add tremendous value to our farmers’ markets and create unique and meaningful interdependence between rural and urban communities.
Recognizing this long-standing disparity within a multicultural city, we are interested in how urban agriculture can address this gap in food equity while also creating economic opportunities for local growers. This is a natural extension of Food Access LA’s work of supporting urban agriculture over the last decade and builds on a long legacy of Angelenos growing food to achieve food sovereignty.
Our work in Urban Agriculture has included working with individual local growers to become certified to sell at Food Access LA farmers’ markets. We currently have 12 LA County farmers in our markets, including Bolanos Sprouts, Huarache Farms, and Major Microgreens.
Over the last few years, we have continued to organize events in Los Angeles County in collaboration with California Climate & Action Network, Community Alliance of Family Farmers, the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, USDA Farm Services Agency, and others that allow local growers to connect, meet legislators and government representatives, and build broad coalitions. We are continuing this work in partnership with other food equity organizations in California through three new Urban Agriculture grants.
To inquire about the urban ag program, contact us!
Our Urban Ag program is funded by the following grants: June 2023 - December 2025
Farmers Services Agency (FSA, USDA), managed by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)
We are partnered with the Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC). This grant focuses on Southern California in the Los Angeles area where a new FSA office will open in Compton sometime in 2024, and in Northern California, in the Bay Area, where another FSA office will be opening in Oakland sometime in the same calendar year.
Each region will host two urban growers' gatherings a year, as well as create content to keep urban growers informed and engaged. Every year there will be a cohort of farmers to receive microgrants for education and farm equipment.
Occidental College Urban Environmental Policy Institute (UEPI)
The Regional Food Business Center grant will help create a framework for food distribution so that fresh food will get to community members, local retail outlets, farm stands, farmers' markets, or food swaps.
The Specialty Crop Block grant will help ensure that foods grown within urban areas make sense for the area in which they are grown