LAREDO CENTER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE & SUSTAINABILITY LCUAS

To have a local and just food system ensuring every Laredoan, regardless of socioeconomic status, has access to food security

ADVOCATES

Adrian ZapataAdriana RodriguezAldo MolinaAmelia SolisAna Ilse MartinezAndrew L CarrancoAndy HillburnAngie SifuentesAnita StanleyBerman RiveraBetty FloresBlanca E. GonzalezBlandina Gomez-HaughtCecilia CisnerosCeleste ArmendarizChristina PerezCihtlalli PerezClarissa RangelClaudia San MiguelClaudia SierraConsuelito MartinezDaniel CastillonDavid GomezErasmo Villarreal

Erika MartinezEva DelgadoFabiola GuerraFabiola RodriguezFlavio Garza Jr.Frank RotnofskyGabriela FernandezGilbert Garcia IIIGloria C. JuarezGraciela BrionesGregorio M. LopezGuillermo WallsHenry SauvignetHilda A. MartinezHoracio de LeonIrene RosalesIvan SantoyoJacklyn OhJacqueline HernandezJaime GarciaJohn KilburnJohn PorterJordan WiseJoseph-Mendiola

Juan ArellanoJuan CarmonaJulia OrdunaKaren GaytanKarina OrozcoLes GarciaLeslie AboumradMa. De Lourdes ViloriaMarcela UribeMario PenaMaritza RomanMartha RamirezMartin AlemanMartiza BenavidesMimi PerezOda GarciaRamon ChavezRebekah AlvarezRegina PortilloReynol VelaRobert CuellarRosarlo MoralesRoxanna LaraSandra Ibarra

Sandra Rocha TaylorSantos MontoyaSara Lyssie HernandezSaul Gonzalez JrStephanie GarciaStephanie GarzaSteven SalasSylvia M FloresThelma ArambulaTracey KingVeronica Y. DominguezVictor LongoriaVictor NavarroViviana FrankWaldo LopezYvette Limon

COUNCIL MEETINGAPRIL 2018“Motion to fund a service agreement with a 501(c)(3) organization to be created at the Canseco House for the implementation of goals, services, and tasks for urban agriculture and sustainability programs as well as facilitation of the Laredo Food Policy Council.”

7 In Favor 0 Against

STATS

78.2% of Laredo men are overweight2

4.5% men nationally3

72.2% of Laredo women are overweight

5.3% women nationally

1. Census Bureau 2010 (31.2%) 2. City of Laredo Federal Legislative Agenda 20173. National Center for Health Statistics 2013-2014

One out of every three Laredoans are below the poverty line1

Type 2 Diabetes is 2.5% more prevalent among adults along the border than elsewhere in the U.S., and 2-3x higher in Mexican-Americans

LOCAL & JUST FOOD SYSTEM

ACCESS TO LOCAL FRESH FOOD FOR LOW INCOME CITIZENS AND THE COMMUNITY AT

LARGE

PROVIDE ENTREPRENEURIAL

OPPORTUNITIES FOR URBAN FARMERS

OFFER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:

URBAN AGRICULTURE, COMMUNITY GARDENS,

HOME GARDENS, FARMERS MARKETS, FARM TO SCHOOL

PROGRAMS

CULTIVATE XERISCAPE AND SUSTAINABILITY

PRACTICES

FACILITATE THE LAREDO FOOD POLICY

COUNCIL

DEVELOP POLICY AND INCENTIVES FOR THE

LOCAL FOOD INDUSTRY

APRIL 2017

JULY2018

CANSECO HOUSE

CM. ALEX PÉREZDISTRICT III

FASKEN COMMUNITY GARDEN + SR. CITIZEN PLANTING

CM. ALTGELTDISTRICT VII

FARM TO TABLE EVENT

CM. VIELMADISTRICT V

FOOD PANTRY+ CANSECO

HOUSE

CM. BALLIDISTRICT VIII

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA) PILOT15 CSA boxes at $30 each, sold out in 3 hours at the Laredo Farmers’ Market

Total Sales: $450

Total Expenses: $60.78

Volunteer-based

= Total Net Sales: $389.22

– Priscilla Iglesias, Laredo Main Street Director

CASA MISERICORDIA

WOMEN’S SHELTER+ HILLSIDE

COMMUNITY GARDEN

A LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM CAN ONLY BE SUSTAINED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT HELPING ADVOCATES ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE

LCUAS

ACADEMIC

PRIVATE SECTOR PUBLIC SECTOR

PHILANTHROPIC

CITY FUNDING WOULD SPARK PARTNERSHIPS

LAREDO FOOD POLICY COUNCIL WORKSHOPSFEBRUARY 2018

Per Mark Winne’s recommendations

17 agencies creating a 5-year plan with 1/3/5 year implementation goals. These include:

UISD Nutrition LISD Nutrition LCC Culinary Arts TAMIU Texas A&M Extension Office Laredo Main Street South Texas Food Bank USDA City of Laredo Health Department Webb County

SCOPE OF WORKLCUAS- Board of Directors- Program Director- FPC Facilitator

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & TRAINING IN COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

SOURCE OF PRODUCE FOR

FARMERS’ MARKETS

FOOD POLICY COUNCIL

CENTRAL HUB FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES & ENVIRONMENTAL

STEWARDSHIP

ENVIRONMENTALLY APPROPRIATE

LANDSCAPING

PARTNERING WITH CITY GOVERNMENT IN

POLICY DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & TRAINING

1. Business and financial planning2. Marketing and distribution3. Product development4. Land access5. Water use6. Food Safety7. Zoning and permitting8. Farm security9. Labor / Volunteer development10. Soil fertility and compost11. Urban production practices12. Environmental contamination (soil, water, and air)

GRANTS LCUAS WOULD QUALIFY FORUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Grants $25,000

USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) $1,000 to $350,000

Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFP) $10,000 to $300,000 for 1-3 yrs

Federal State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) $50,000 avg

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) $100,000 to $16 million

Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program $3,000 to $500,000

APPENDIX

LCUAS MISSION

The mission of LCUAS is dedicated to the creation of an urban food system by increasing access to local fresh food for low income citizens and the community at large; offering educational programs that surround urban agriculture, community gardens, home gardens, farmers markets, and farm to school programs; providing entrepreneurial opportunities for urban farmers; cultivating xeriscaping and sustainability practices; facilitating the Laredo Food Policy Council; and developing policy and incentives for the local food industry.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Four years ago, the USDA’s Census of Agriculture data revealed:

Historical growth in small acreage farming operations

A maturing $3.16 billion organics industry that was poised to grow

- Texas A&M University

ECONOMIC IMPACT

- A Global Geospatial Ecosystem Services Estimate of Urban Agriculture. January 2018

Research study looks at “ecosystem services” associated with urban agriculture, including reduction of the urban heat-island effect, avoided stormwater runoff, nitrogen fixation, pest control, and energy savings. Taken together, these additional benefits make urban agriculture worth as much as $160 billion annually around the globe.

501(C)(3) DESIGNATIONSUMMER 2018

✓ Developed Bylaws

✓ Appointed 13 board of directors members

✓ Working with city attorney (Connie Martinez), also a proposed board member

✓ Submitted articles of incorporation to State of Texas

…Waiting for federal approval

PROPOSED BOARD CATEGORIES & MEMBERS

City of Laredo Health Department – Guillermo Walls

City of Laredo Urban Horticulture & Forestry Division – Berman Rivera

City of Laredo City Manager’s Office –

City of Laredo Environmental Department –

Sustainable Chef/Restaurateur – Bobby Gonzalez & Gabriela Fernandez

Livestock Advocate – Martha Ramirez

Farmers’ Market Director – Priscilla Iglesias

Apiculturist – Cecilia Cisneros

Academic – Marcela Uribe

Sustainable Landscape Practitioner –

Economic Development and Incentives Advisor – Roger Garcia

Urban Agriculture Advocate – Consuelito Martinez

LCUAS ROLES

PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOOD POLICY COUNCIL FACILITATOR

Works with board to develop programs that address mission

Leads in grant writing and manages funding

Collaborates with local, state, and federal government officials

Manages resources and requirements

Work with experts and community on creation of education curriculum

Research, develop and implement policies

Measure training impact

Manage outreach and public relations

Facilitate efforts of 17 agencies that form the Food Policy Council

Lead organizer of Laredo’s food plan

Communicate with academic, private, public, and philanthropic sectors

Enforces implementation goals

Research policies and data-based initiatives

Assess community needs

Assist in grant writing

Develop measurement efforts

COST OF GROCERY STORE VS. GARDENING

1 run to grocery store for 20 limes$3.35 for 2 lbs. = 0.19¢/lime

Del Mar

Plant one tree for ~182 limes every yearYear 1: $12 tree + $10 soil + compost (free) = 0.12¢ lime

Year 2+: $10 soil + compost (free) = 0.05¢/lime

HOME-GROWNUrban Agriculture

Education

SUPPORTING STATEMENTS

– Berman Rivera, Construction Superintendent of Horticulture & Forestry Division

“This endeavor is not focused solely on production but also education. Therefore, the economic impact will be invaluable as citizens apply the

lessons learned in their own homes and environment.

The Hillside Community Garden is one of the primary community gardens [in Laredo], which came to fruition with help from the City of Laredo

Health Department.”

SUPPORTING STATEMENTS

“The consumer can use that information to develop their own production on their own land for a result

of up to $50,000 per year.”

– Martha Ramirez,Texas A&M Extension Director

In addition to boosting food security, urban farms and gardens can:

Make neighborhoods more tight-knit Give youth the opportunity to spend time in nature Improves cross-cultural and cross-generational

interactions Competitive advantage for millennial homebuyers

Beckie, M. & Bogdan, E. J. Agriculture Food Syst. Community Dev. 1, 2152–0801 (2010)

SOCIAL HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL

In addition to boosting food security, urban farms and gardens can:

Ease depression and boost mental health, particularly for low-income residents

o The impact [of green spaces] was strongest for residents of poorer neighborhoods — they showed at least a 27.5 percent reduction in the prevalence of depression

Eugenia C. South, MD, MS; Bernadette C. Hohl, PhD; Michelle C. Kondo, PhD. Effect of Greening Vacant Land on Mental Health of Community-Dwelling Adults: A Cluster Randomized Trial (2018)

Encourage healthier dietso Adults with a household member who participated in a

community garden consumed fruits and vegetables 1.4 more times per day than those who did not participate

o The use of SNAP/WIC cards to pay for CSA shares has been approved by the USDA

National Institute of Health

SOCIAL HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL

In addition to boosting food security, urban farms and gardens can:

Enhance the environmento Attract native plants, pollinators, and a variety of

small animals. For instance, gardens set in urban areas have higher ladybird abundance and richness

o Facilitate drainage of water and reduce the urban heat island effect

ScienceDirect: The future of urban agriculture and biodiversity-ecosystem services: Challenges and next steps. Brenda B.Lina, Stacy M.Philpott, ShaleneJha (2015)

SOCIAL HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL