Urban Agriculture: Policy, Law, Strategy, and Implementation

Interest in urban agriculture continues to flourish, and as a result more communities are faced with the demand for a variety of agricultural activities within the urban environment. Urban Agriculture is a current and practical resource examining all aspects of agricultural activities within non-rural settings, from neighborhood gardens and backyard livestock to commercial farming operations. It addresses the many land use, environmental, and regulatory legal issues that confront local governments, property owners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and neighborhood groups when addressing urban gardening or farming. In addition, the authors describe and analyze the experiences of specific urban areas, providing perspectives on their different approaches, including those that have been successful, those that have not, and those not yet fully evaluated.Written by attorneys and planners with extensive experience in this evolving area, the book follows a logical organization for understanding the challenges and opportunities involved in urban agriculture: Part 1: The Context for Urban Agriculture ¿ discusses the historical, cultural, and policy contexts within which urban agriculture is developing in the USPart 2: Government Regulation of Urban Agriculture ¿ explores the legal and regulatory framework in which urban agriculture operates, analyzing typical regulatory issues faced by local governments in this contextmicro-livestock. Part 3: Legal Rights and Responsibilities ¿ analyzes relevant laws in the urban agriculture context as well as the implications of applying laws intended for rural agricultural practices within an urban environmentPart 4: Urban Agriculture as a Tool to Address Economic, Social, & Natural Resource Issues ¿ focuses on how urban agriculture addresses problems faced by many urban areas, including lack of access to healthy foods and an abundance of vacant properties. Part 5: Case Studies: Urban Agriculture in Action ¿ analyzes the experiences of specific urban areas with urban agriculture, providing perspectives on various approaches, including those that have been successful, those that have not, and those not yet fully evaluated