Detroit Works Project publishes urban ag policy audit
While the planning process is far from complete, the policy audit outlines the following tentative short- and long-term “opportunities” that will most likely be addressed in the final plan:
SHORT- TERM
• For all efforts, address access to food: physical, financial, nutritional, and cultural access
• Identify local successes, and incentivize their expansion/duplication.
• Identify complementary programs modeled from initiatives/businesses elsewhere; consider how initiatives or elements of the programs may be implemented.
• Consider potential impacts of large‐scale ag efforts on neighborhood identity, infrastructure, employment, etc.; how best to mitigate impacts, what types of initiatives are appropriate to encourage?
• Facilitate, via code and incentives, the “right kind” of farming/gardening, in the “right place” while addressing potential nuisances.
• Identify partnerships for public information campaigns, while remaining sensitive to the community’s concerns of having too much public attention creating disruptions.
• Research potential opportunities for food processing, considering Eastern Market as a hub for businesses and existing expertise.
LONG- TERM
• Identify how City policy can facilitate small‐scale urban ag (such as allowing neighborhood gardens as‐of‐right, facilitating long‐term leases, etc.)
• Identify what types of support are needed for appropriate scales of urban ag; explore the ability of key organizations to expand support.
• Engage institutions, particularly schools, to create strategies for food service to incorporate nutritious local products
• Propose reform to State policies addressing: ‐Farm‐to‐School initiatives ‐ Nutritional standards for school food offerings that are stricter than current USDA requirements. ‐Nutritional standards for competitive foods sold a la carte, in vending machines, or via other sales. ‐Require regular body mass index (BMI) screenings
• Research the carbon footprint implications to shipping food and other ag products, vs. local growing and processing.
• As the food security of the City and food‐related enterprises increase, consider whether there is opportunity to become a center of culinary arts.
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