Project Lead: Anu Rangarajan
Are you an existing or aspiring urban farmer?
Urban farms can not only be commercially viable and economically self-sufficient small farm businesses, they also offer a multitude of quality of life benefits for community residents. These farms serve to build community cohesion, teach about food and farming, connect urban and rural producers, and generate fresh produce (and sometimes meat) for local eaters.
Building a successful commercial urban farm requires careful consideration of unique issues created by farming in the urban environment.
Learn about success stories as well as resources to build your urban farm.
The Promise of Urban Agriculture Curriculum
Understand the practices and policies that support successful urban farming endeavors.
Our Urban Ag project has partnered with USDA-AMS Marketing Services Division and Rooted, the Madison, WI-based center for urban agriculture enterprise and education, to collaborate and develop classes for commercial urban agriculturists, city planners, and policymakers.
The project is informed by our publication, The Promise of Urban Agriculture, a national study of commercial farming in urban areas released in 2019. The following year we began to create trainings and educational resources for multiple audiences engaged in urban agriculture and, specifically, commercial urban agriculture.
This curriculum development draws on the evolution of 14 urban farms, and insights from over 150 policymakers, urban planners, funders, and nonprofit and community organizers engaged in local food systems and urban farming. Through this work we uncovered the policies, resources, and future research and development needed to support the successful development of commercial urban farms.
We are excited to bring this suite of urban agriculture courses for growers, farmers, planners and policymakers, to provide critical information for building or supporting successful urban farms. Our introductory enrollment offer allows free access to these courses until January 31, 2025.
Courses for Growers & Planners
PUA 101: Deciding Where to Farm in the City
PUA 102: Urban Farm Planning and Management
News and Updates
Building a successful commercial urban farm requires careful consideration of unique issues created by farming in the urban environment. The Cornell Small Farms Program’s Urban Ag project has partnered with USDA-AMS Marketing…
Read MoreIn 2019, our director Anu Ranjarajan, and Molly Riordan, now an urban agriculture specialist with our program, published a report titled “The Promise of Urban Agriculture.” This report was drawn…
Read MoreThanks to a SARE-funded grant, a nonprofit Urban Farm in Binghamton, NY, was able to experiment with new ways of creating a vegetable production field from scratch. As we all know, a…
Read MoreAbout Urban Ag
More details about this emerging new project is coming soon...
About Anu Rangarajan
Anu was appointed director the Cornell Small Farms Program in 2004. At the same time, she opened a U-pick strawberry farm in Freeville, NY. The experience of operating a small farm changed her entire approach to research and extension, and deepened her commitment to NY farms and local food systems.
Read Articles by Anu Rangarajan
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