Building sustainable local food systems that reflect the priorities of residents is critical as our region continues to develop. Cities can achieve this when they work with their communities to ensure access to nutritious food, preserve green spaces, and create opportunities to gather, learn, and grow together.
Reflecting local food policy in action, a City Agriculture Plan is a roadmap for a city to support a vibrant and sustainable local food system over the next 5-10 years. A Plan is developed through a collaborative process that builds community around local food and agriculture, formalizes a local government's commitment to prioritizing health and sustainability, and brings innovative ideas and valuable resources to cities.
Below are potential Plan recommendations that are focused around three priority areas:
Support Healthy Communities
Strengthen Resilient Local Economies
Cultivate Sustainable Practices
Click through the drop down arrows to learn more about each priority and explore examples of how related strategies have been implemented in cities across the county.
Reimagine How Cities Grow
Learn more about City Agriculture Planning and how strong local food systems support healthy communities, strengthen resilient local economies, and cultivate sustainable practices. We recommend reading through this value proposition booklet before exploring the example programs and policies.
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Increase points of sale for local food including zoning for on-site sales, expanding farmers markets and recommending standards for local procurement.
Expand amount of food grown locally including equipping home growers with tools and skills, expanding community gardens and farms and promoting edible landscaping.
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Expand accessible education on growing, preserving and preparing food.
Promote learning opportunities for all generations and the expansion or development of school and youth programs.
Build on existing community assets.
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Encourage educational opportunities based around diverse growing practices and food preparation.
Promote and maintain local crop varieties and underutilized crops by increasing exposure and market opportunities.
Ensure diversity and power sharing in all decision making processes.
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Work with economic development on incentive programs to attract local food businesses.
Conduct feasibility studies for new and expanded local food businesses.
Promote agritourism activities. Create a fund for small business loans for growers and local food businesses.
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Connect food businesses and growers to consumers in innovative ways like online shopping opportunities.
Create food Policy councils or commissions of knowledgeable stakeholders.
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Propose special use and conditional use permits that allow for unique food system enterprises.
Leverage resources for long term projects such as community kitchens and processing facilities.
Establish a city representative as a resource guide for new food and agriculture enterprises.
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Amend Zoning regulations to specify and expand zones where various types of agriculture and associated uses/structures are allowed.
Encourage use of city-owned land for growing spaces like community gardens.
Propose partnerships centered around community growing spaces with HOAs, mixed used developments, etc.
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Propose steps for scaled composting options like municipal partnerships, community drop off networks, and home composting resources.
Encourage regenerative growing practices through educational opportunities.
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Revise landscaping and nuisance ordinances to allow for non-ornamental, native, and edible home and city growing.
Pursue broader certifications such as Bee City USA and Community Wildlife Habitat Certified.
Boston Food Forest Coalition