News from City Hall
City Communications Office
City of Kansas City, Mo.
www.kcmo.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 13, 2011
City receives $20,000 grant to advance urban agriculture
The Urban Sustainability Directors Network has chosen the City of Kansas City, Mo., in partnership with the cities of Columbia, Mo., and St. Louis, Mo., to receive its Innovation Opportunity Fund Grant. This $20,000 grant will fund the research of effective policies and practices that advance urban agriculture across the country. Results from this research will demonstrate how Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia and other U.S. cities can better support healthy local food production for residents, including those living in urban food deserts.
“Promoting local food production in our community is one way that the City Council and I intend to increase the availability of healthy food for all our residents and simultaneously enhance the social, economic and environmental vitality of Kansas City,” said Mayor Sly James.
The City will work with the University of Missouri Extension’s Food Circles Networking Project, a group that connects residents with farmers, to compile a report of best practices, policies and ordinances to promote urban agriculture. The report will focus on urban food systems planning; consumer communications and education; urban food systems infrastructure; production and processing; and distribution, retailing and waste.
“We’re very pleased that Kansas City’s efforts to promote urban agriculture were recognized by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network with the awarding of this innovation grant,” said Sixth District Councilman John Sharp.“It will provide an opportunity to share our positive experiences with other cities and create a guidebook of best practices and policies.”
This project will be led by Dr. Mary Hendrickson, director of the Food Circles Networking Project and a professor at the University of Missouri Extension. Grant funding for the “Guide for Local Governments & Urban Agricultural Practitioners” will run through May 31, 2012.
For more information or media inquiries,
please contact Dennis Murphey,
chief environmental officer, at 816-513-3459.
