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

Report outlines top concerns in California organic agriculture

UCCE Specialty Crops and Horticulture Advisor Eddie Tanner discusses findings from an organic cauliflower varietal trial at a recent Organic Agriculture Institute field day in Humboldt County. Photo by Houston Wilson

Organic Agriculture Institute needs assessment refines how it can address pressing challenges The explosive growth of organic agriculture in the U.S. – reflected in a 90% increase in organic farms from 2011 to 2021, according to U.S. Department...

Posted on Friday, June 28, 2024 at 7:50 AM

Postharvest Center: New research focus and outreach

Undergrad student Dilasha Shenaz assesses quality and mold incidence of table grapes -- the kind of work taken on by the UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center. Shenaz is in the lab of center co-director Bárbara Blanco-Ulate. Photo courtesy of Bárbara Blanco-Ulate, UC Davis

Still providing the world with top-notch information UC Davis has been a leading source of information for people handling, packaging and transporting crops since the beginnings of the Postharvest Research and Extension Center in 1979. Now, the center...

Posted on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 4:15 PM
  • Author: Trina Kleist, UC Davis

Nutsedge—Yes, We Hate It Too!

Mature yellow nutsedge plant. Photo by Jack Kelly Clark.

Nutsedges are aggressive and persistent weeds that commonly infest lawns, vegetable and flower gardens, and landscapes. These perennial sedges are a problem in lawns because they grow faster than turfgrasses and result in non-uniform turf. In landscape...

Posted on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 10:04 AM

Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite This Summer!

Learn how to prevent bed bugs from ruining your summer fun!

As vacation season begins, people will be traveling much more in the coming months. Whether you'll be staying at a hotel, hostel, motel, rental home, or summer camp, you should always be on the lookout for bed bugs. A bed bug check takes only a few...

Posted on Monday, June 24, 2024 at 10:22 AM

Updated Rat Management Resources

An urban rat foraging on the ground. Photo by Pexels.com

Rats can contaminate our food, damage structures, and spread diseases. To help residents and urban pest professionals safely and effectively manage rats, UC IPM has updated the Pest Notes: Rats publication. This revised fact sheet is authored by UC...

Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 8:04 AM
Webmaster Email: vtborel@ucanr.edu