WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2023– Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack designated 4 brand-new members to the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Federal Advisory Committee (Committee). The brand-new members are changing 4 members whose terms are ending and turning off the Committee. The Committee belongs to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) efforts to support city farming and ingenious production, producing a network for feedback. The Committee's public conferences provide the city and ingenious production neighborhood and others a chance to witness considerations and voting treatments.
“This Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Committee counts on a variety of know-how and viewpoints,” stated Terry Cosby, Chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which houses USDA's Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). “We are thrilled to gain from the brand-new insights these members will give the Committee and USDA is grateful for the contributions of the leaving inaugural members.”
The Committee, initially developed in January 2021, is comprised of 12 members, representing farming production, ingenious production, college or extension programs, non-profits, company and financial advancement, supply chains and funding. To date, the Committee has actually held 7 public conferences because March 2022. The next conference is Jan. 31, 2024.
About the New Members
The freshly selected Committee members who will serve a three-year term consist of:
- Ted Fang, San Francisco, Calif., Urban Producer;
- Qiana Mickie, New York, N.Y., Related Experience;
- Dr. Jeffrey Young, Shepherdsville, Ky., Higher Education; and
- Kate Greenberg, Denver, Colo. Greenberg, Business and Economic Development.
See the complete list of Committee members and discover more on the Committee's website.
Next Committee Meeting
The Committee will satisfy essentially on Jan. 31, 2024. Subjects consist of:
- Resolving public remarks;
- Talking about the Committee yearly workplan;
- Choosing a chairperson election; and
- Continuing conversations from the previous November 29, 2023 conference.
To sign up with or discover more about the conference, go to the Committee's website.
More Information
OUAIP was developed through the 2018 Farm Bill. It is led by NRCS and operates in collaboration with many USDA companies that support city farming and ingenious production. The Committee becomes part of a wider USDA financial investment in city and ingenious farming. Other efforts consist of:
- Restoring individuals's Garden Initiative, which commemorates collective gardens throughout the nation and around the world that benefit their neighborhoods by growing fresh, healthy food and supporting durable, regional food systems utilizing sustainable practices and supplying greenspace.
- Supplying grants for metropolitan farming and ingenious production that target locations of nutrition gain access to, education, organization and start-up expenses for brand-new farmers, and policy advancement associated to zoning and other city production requirements.
- Supplying cooperative contracts that establish and check methods for preparation and carrying out local garden compost strategies and food waste decrease strategies.
- Purchasing danger management education to expand reach of crop insurance coverage amongst city manufacturers.
