WASHINGTON, D.C. – Access and barriers to participation are some of the issues being studied by a USDA advisory committee on urban agriculture and innovative production.

The role of the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (UAIPAC) is to advise the USDA secretary on the development of policies and outreach on such matters as urban, indoor and other emerging agricultural production practices.

The committee’s latest meeting was Aug. 5; the first was in March. The 12-member panel is a part of USDA’s efforts to support urban agriculture, creating a network for feedback, the agency said. The 2018 farm bill called for the creation of the committee.

UAIPAC has three subcommittees. One focuses on policies, initiatives and outreach, while another is evaluating and reviewing research and extension activities. The third is working to identify new and existing barriers to urban, indoor and innovative agriculture.

As a part of the Aug. 5 virtual meeting, committee members discussed what they had learned from public comments during and since the first meeting.

“The goal that we’ve established in very broad terms is to address access,” explained John Lebeaux, lead of the policies subcommittee. Public comments have included such questions as “how can we increase land access for urban agriculture, particularly in low income areas? What ideas will this new advisory bring to inner city communities that want space for food growing? How will the program give specific support to historically underfunded demographics?

“(The subcommittee recognizes) the fact that urban agriculture in all its numerous forms came about organically. Urban agriculture is not a creature of government. Government, though, can assist urban ag producers by providing funding and a supportive government structure, taking a proactive approach to removing barriers to land, water and the practice of farming in an urban location.”

Lebeaux mentioned increased access to capital, land and technical assistance as specific concerns.

Tara Chadwick, lead of the subcommittee studying new and existing barriers, said based on public comments, members have been looking at how best to ensure that current and potential agricultural producers and supporters have the access they need.

She said the subcommittee is focusing on three categories – information access, resource access, and barriers to participation access and representation.

“We’ve identified that you guys have told us that there’s major gaps in comprehensive clear succinct information,” she said. “Lots of agencies working independently. We need clarity in where to access information, resources and technical assistance. We need understandable tiers and categories of types of assistance that are available, and training of agents and regulatory staff that include proper ways to evaluate farms and agricultural production according to the type of farm it is.”

Public comments have also noted a lack of transparency in the process for funding and selection, Chadwick stated. “We need to make sure that there’s clear and transparent criteria and guidelines to ensure equitable access to all USDA resources such as technical assistance, loans, special programs, access to land, access to capital, that’s available to all eligible applicants.”

Sally Brown, lead of the research and extension subcommittee, said her members have been “tasked with taking what has been done in a conventional agricultural and rural community framework and seeing how we can extend that expertise and valuable source of information to the urban and innovative agriculture sector.”

The subcommittee has been focusing on community development opportunities, along with innovative production with aquaponic, hydroponic, aeroponic and geothermal knowledge sharing, she noted.

The USDA said it is investing in urban agriculture by providing grants that target areas of food access, education, business and start-up costs for new farmers. It is also developing policies related to zoning and other needs of urban production.

The agency said it is investing $260,000 for risk management training and crop insurance education for historically underserved and urban producers.

For more information, visit www.usda.gov/partnerships/federal-advisory-committee-urban-ag.