Title
Authorizing the Committee on the Environment to hold public hearings on Urban Agriculture in Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, Philadelphia intends to grow its sustainable, local food system through the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food locally; and
WHEREAS, Through Greenworks Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Food Charter, the City of Philadelphia has set targets to create more equitable access to healthy food in neighborhoods, improve the environment and public health, and stimulate the economy by increasing access to local, fresh, and healthy food; and
WHEREAS, Urban Agriculture provides an excellent opportunity for a greener, more efficient way to supply diverse Philadelphia neighborhoods with local, fresh, healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food; and
WHEREAS, Intensive Farm Systems, including intensive food production, animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforestry, beekeeping and horticulture, are growing in cities across the nation; and
WHEREAS, The history of Urban Agriculture in Philadelphia dates back at least as far as the Vacant Lot Cultivation Association of the late nineteenth century, and many of the City's existing gardens have thrived for decades; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia is currently home to hundreds of community gardens, supported by a network of urban farmers, gardeners and social justice organizations for whom the opportunity to expand urban agriculture is a priority; and
WHEREAS, Urban Agriculture has been shown to increase sustainable sources of fresh local food supporting underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Urban Agriculture also provides significant co-benefits to Philadelphia's neighborhoods, including playing a role in managing stormwater runoff, mitigating rising urban temperatures, developing youth leadership, and building social cohesion; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia's 2012 zoning code created a framework for urban agriculture uses, making gardening a...
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