Posted: | January 10, 2023 03:58 PM |
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From: | Representative Christopher M. Rabb |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Establishing Urban Agricultural Incentive Zones |
Getting fresh produce from rural farms to urban areas presents several obvious logistical issues. The produce must be harvested and shipped continuously or otherwise stored in a manner that will keep it fresh once it arrives on the shelves of urban grocery stores. At the same time, nearly every city has plots of unused or blighted land that could sustain small agricultural operations. To address these issues simultaneously, I will be introducing legislation that would allow plots of land within urban centers to be used for agricultural purposes. Eligibility for contracts under the legislation would be limited to small and mid-size farming operations, beginning farmers, and members of traditionally disadvantaged groups. Incentivizing urban agriculture would help to fight hunger and improve the health of those who live in our cities by providing them with better access to fresh produce, while also creating opportunities for people to become farmers who would otherwise be unable to do so. Removing the need to have produce shipped would also help cut down on emissions and costs. Please join us in support of this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB920