Local Food Production and Urban AgricultureHarris School Practicum

Emily Rhodes

What is Local Food Production and Urban Agriculture?

• Local food production is broadly defined (is it mileage or within state?)• The Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Act of 2009 stipulates

that at least 10% of food in state institutions come from IL farms by 2020

• CPS defines “local” as within 150 miles of Chicago• Urban Agriculture: Growing food and raising livestock

in urban areas, often in vacant lots (there are 70,000 vacant lots in Chicago)• Intention is to reduce fossil fuel use and increase access

to fresh foods• Can employ urban residents and provide context for the

food that we eat• Vertical farming economizes limited urban space

What CPS is Doing to Promote Urban Agriculture/Local Food

Sourcing In 2008 CPS launched the Farm-to-School initiative with

community partners FamilyFarmed.org and Seven Generations Ahead

CPS is able to provide local produce through USDA Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Grants

$2.3 million of CPS produce is procured locally Some CPS schools take students to visit local orchards so

students can see how food is produced Chartwells schools are getting more free range chicken from

Amish farms in Indiana CPS would like to get more organic and local food similar to

AGC, but can't with only $1 reimbursement per meal

Urban Agriculture at Academy for Global Citizenship

“The Academy for Global Citizenship's schoolyard garden is a powerful vehicle for teaching our students about the connection between their everyday food choices and the health of the community, the environment, and themselves. Through their direct experiences, students inculcate an awareness of the physical environment and develop in them a sense of connectedness with their land, and all that grows on it.”

AGC has three chickens on site that students care for

The school has a greenhouse, 16 raised vegetable beds, 4 rain barrels and seeding tables

Urban Agriculture in the Surrounding Community

• The largest urban farm on the south side is Growing Home’s location in Englewood (2.5 acres)

AGC is about 4.5 miles from the soon-to-open Plant Chicago vertical farm at 1400 west 46th Street

Chicago Park District Harvest Garden at 5940 S. Central Ave, 2.5 miles from AGC

There is only 3 community gardens within 5 miles of AGC. (neighbor-space.org)

IL Farm to School Survey Results: the Local Food

Landscape in IL75% of Illinois school administrators reported that

their schools DO NOT serve locally sourced food 54% reported local food sources “had not been

discussed” and 21% responded it isn’t a priority83% of schools DO NOT have a gardenOnly 24% of teachers aware of Farm to School35% of schools take students on trips to local farms14% of schools have farmers give presentations to

their students

Why Schools Would Want to Provide Locally Grown Food

Note: economic factors seem to be more important to school administrators than nutrition

Why Schools Don’t Provide More Locally Sourced Food

Some Local Research: The Center for Human Potential’s Teen Community Gardening, Food Systems, Nutrition and Cooking Program

South side teenagers participated in community gardening, visited urban farms, went to farmers markets and took cooking classes

15 students were surveyed, 9 of whom completed both pre-program and post-program surveys

8/9 said that the program changed their view of fast food

9/9 said that the frequency of home-cooked meals with their families had not changed with program Conclusion: the program impacted teens’ awareness of

local and healthy food but did not change behavior

Policy Implications for AGC

Urban agriculture can increase food security, create employment and reduce fossil fuel consumption Better nutrition and employment for AGC parents

The school garden at AGC connects children to the food that they eat positive spillover effects Children may be more likely to eat healthy foods Encourage their parents to serve healthy foods at home

and join community gardens BUT local and urban agriculture is limited

We can’t grow food year-round in IL Less efficient (i.e. economies of scale, can’t use

machinery)

Bibliography Farm to School Illinois : http://www.farmtoschool.org/state-home.php?id=35  Heifer International, "Chicago's Urban Agriculture"

http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.1526569/  Academy for Global Citizenship, "Edible Schoolyard"

http://www.agcchicago.org/globalcitizenshipsnew.php?cat=m3s2NeighborSpace, "Garden Map" : http://neighbor-space.org/gardenmap.htm 

Growing Home, "Urban and Organic Agriculture" http://www.growinghomeinc.org/learn-more/urban-agriculture/ : The Plant (a

Chicago vertical farm)  http://www.plantchicago.com/  The Harris School Center for Human Potential, "Teen Community Gardening,

Food Systems, Nutrition and Cooking Program" (non-electronic resource) Sexton, Steven. "Does Local Production Improve Environmental and Health

Outcomes?" http://ecnr.berkeley.edu/vfs/PPs/Sexton-Ste/web/locavore.pdf Report of the Illinois Farm to School Survey Results (2010).

http://www.farmtoschool.org/files/publications_400.pdf