Reflections from the Road in Pennsylvania: Charting the Path Forward with Urban Agriculture and the Next Generation

Last month I attended the Northeast Regional Equity Convening hosted by the USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on July 18, 2024. This was a unique opportunity to interact with fresh voices and discuss charged and meaningful topics like urban agriculture and nutrition sovereignty.

Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram's Garden is a 4-acre urban community farm in Southwest Philadelphia. A beautiful setting significant in many ways: both organizations are rooted in history and community and thrive on volunteers and innovative approaches. I started off the morning on Sankofa Farm with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, USDA Chief Evaluation Officer Cecilia Hernandez, Assistant to the President and White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding. Secretary Vilsack led a discussion with Sankofa Farm co-founders Chris Bolden-Newsome and Ty Holmberg, youth volunteers, and employees of the farm.

The same volunteers and employees joined others from the community, including students and teachers from local agriculture and science high schools and programs: Walter B. Saul High School for Agricultural Sciences; Lankenau Environmental Science High School; The U School; Fox Chase Farm; the Philadelphia Jr. Minorities in Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) and the Future Farmers of America (FFA) Coalition; and the Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences. The crowd was rounded out by state and local government officials, elected officials, local farmers, and, of course, USDA Equity Commission members, including Co-Chair Ambassador Ertharin Cousin.

Of course, the day was filled with insightful comments, but let me share just a few of my key takeaways.

First, there is a real desire for local food sovereignty. For areas like Philadelphia, this means employing urban agriculture in substantive ways to grow significant amounts of food for locals. Sankofa Farm alone, a 3.5 acre farm, produces and distributes over 15,000 pounds of food each year. With increased investments like we've made in the Biden-Harris Administration, urban farming is increasingly a major part of our country's and communities' food sovereignty plans.

Second, nutrition security is a building block of food security, and both are equity issues. I heard in Philadelphia, and I have heard in other urban centers over the past few years, that availability of food is part of the problem, and availability of affordable and nutritious foods is the rest of the problem. We may not see "food deserts" in communities, but we may see a lack of healthy food options and a glut of calorie-dense or packaged foods that might be unhealthy for community members.

Thirdly, urban agriculture and community farming can be an innovative way to link all types of consumers to their food. I love the idea of connecting and empowering people to grow their own food both to increase understanding and world view and to provide locally sourced nourishment. At the event I heard about several innovative programs that connect students and community members to growing their own food. For example, at Sankofa, they empower community members to garden by providing raised beds, complete with soil and seeds. At some of the schools we visited with, students are bringing seeds and growing supplies home, or using donated beds, indoor hydroponic equipment, or local community garden plots to learn about and grow their own food.

Finally, I am uplifted by the wisdom displayed by our young people and the purpose with which they pursue their goals. The high school students, youth volunteers and farm employees impressed me with their dedication and service. Most grew up and live in the immediate community, and have applied a well-developed world view to address the challenges faced by advancing urban agriculture. They realize the importance of growing food for the local community and derive personal meaning from working the land.

The Equity Commission convenings are a special effort by many people dedicated to making a difference. I am proud to have taken part in this session as a small part of the Commission's larger portfolio.