Just a few years ago, Detroit, Michigan, appeared to be at the forefront of the urban farming movement. Political infighting and financial crises, however, appear to have derailed the city’s efforts to become the mecca of the urban farming revolution.
Urban farming, long an important part of American agricultural production, has recently taken off in cities across the country. Over the last several decades, urban farming was typically a family affair, with urban residents maintaining private gardens. Large-scale governmental planning tended to be done only in times of emergencies (such as the rise of Victory Gardens in World War 2).
With the economy still struggling and with jobs scarce, however, urban farming is offering many cities a chance to make use of vacant lots while simultaneously creating new jobs and revitalizing local economies.
Just recently, Detroit seemed poised to take advantage of the benefits of urban farming. With ample abandoned and neglected urban space, a sustainable farming movement could have offered the struggling city a major employment boost.
Local politics, however, got in the way. While the Detroit city council tentatively approved several minor farming ordinances, nonprofit activists balked at the idea of transforming abandoned property into for-profit farms.
While other cities are harvesting the benefits of urban farming, Detroit continues to languish in one of the worst economic declines in the nation. While some farm proponents are optimistic about the city’s future, others are convinced that only strong leadership, or another financial crisis, will finally push local politicians to embrace agriculture.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer