Urban Agriculture
University of California
Urban Agriculture

Welcome!

What is urban agriculture?
It means different things to different people (See our working definition here). From backyard chicken-raising and beekeeping, to small-scale commercial farming on the edge of cities, urban agriculture is increasingly popular and is often in the news.

WOW Farm, Richmond, CA below BART commuter line

Benefits of urban agriculture
Urban agriculture can positively impact communities in many ways. It can improve access to healthy food, promote community development, and create jobs. A number of cities in California, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego have recently updated municipal policies to facilitate urban agriculture, due to strong community interest. If you’d like to learn more about some documented impacts of urban agriculture, see Research.
 
Challenges of urban agriculture
Despite the benefits associated with urban agriculture, there are many challenges. Urban farmers routinely face issues related to zoning, soil, water access, and profitability, as a few examples. At the community level, noise and nuisance issues can come into play. This site is intended to share the research on both benefits and challenges, and best practices on how to address those as a farmer or local decision maker. 
 
Who we are
UC ANR is part of the nation’s land grant university system, with more than a century of experience providing research-based knowledge to California farmers. This site offers resources that we’ve identified as most useful for urban farmers and local decision makers and stakeholders. Additionally, we are identifying gaps where resources need to be developed. Our team includes more than 15 experts, ranging from UC farm advisors, to agricultural economists, to urban planners and policy makers.

Are you interested in starting an urban farm?  Seeking details on how to raise backyard chickens and bees? Looking for information on laws, zoning and regulations that relate to urban agriculture? We offer resources on small-scale production, including soil, planting, irrigation, pest management, and harvesting, as well as information on the business of farming, such as how to market urban farm products. 

After you explore the site, please complete our survey! We’d like to know if you found what you were looking for and hear your suggestions.

UPCOMING EVENTS

UC ANR Urban Agriculture Blog

Grow Your Urban Agriculture Dreams with the CDFA Urban Agriculture Grant Program - Applications Open Until October 23, 2023!

The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) Urban Agriculture Grant Program, 2023  is an exclusive and competitive funding opportunity designed to support and elevate agriculture in urban areas across California. This one-time grant...

Posted on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 2:39 PM

Growing Food & Land Access/Security with Urban and Peri-Urban Farms on Faithlands

Interfaith Food and Farms Conference

On August 25th, UCCE's Urban Ag & Food Systems Program tabled, paneled and supported the 8th Annual Food, Faith and Farms Conference in San Rafael, CA, hosted by Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative. The national Faithlands Conference,...

Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 2:54 PM

Upcoming Agroecological City Conference to Focus on Food Sovereignty, Food Justice

FFAR 2021 Instagram

What does it mean to build a just and sustainable Agroecological City? Over this past year, the pandemic, climate disruptions and ongoing harm caused by racial violence have challenged our urban communities and food systems in unprecedented ways....

Posted on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 2:35 PM

UC Food and Agriculture Blogs

New UC study estimates costs for growing strawberries on the Central Coast

The strawberry cost study provides growers with a baseline to estimate their own costs,

A new study that can help growers and other readers estimate costs and potential returns for growing strawberries on California's Central Coast was recently released by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Cooperative Extension and the UC Davis...

Posted on Friday, April 5, 2024 at 2:10 PM

Homeless people cultivate food, better health while gardening in Alameda County

CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Alameda gets residents of South County Homeless Project involved in growing their own food.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthful diet, but it's hard to keep perishable foods on hand if one doesn't have a refrigerator or a home. To enhance the health of homeless people, the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC Cooperative Extension...

Posted on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 3:16 PM

April Pest Prevention Tips

Visit the UC IPM Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist for a list of pest prevention activities for each month.

Spring is here and if you are like us, you can't wait to get outside and see how your plants and garden are doing! As usual, UC IPM has useful tips for the month of April to prevent pests in the garden and landscape. To see more tips specific to your...

Posted on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 2:31 PM

Easter Egg Hunt Answers!

Leaffooted bug eggs. Photo by David R. Haviland, UCCE.

Below are answers to UC IPM's 2024 insect Easter egg hunt! Click on the name of each insect to learn more.  A. Brown marmorated stink bug These eggs belong to the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) a pest of many types of plants and occasional...

Posted on Monday, April 1, 2024 at 8:51 AM

Understanding cattle grazing personalities may foster sustainable rangelands

To better understand individual grazing patterns, researchers went to the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center in Browns Valley and tracked 50 beef cows fitted with GPS collars. File photo by Ray Lucas

Matching herds to landscape can support animal growth and ecological needs Not all cattle are the same when it comes to grazing. Some like to wander while others prefer to stay close to water and rest areas. Recognizing those personality differences...

Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 1:45 PM
  • Author: Emily C. Dooley, UC Davis
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