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For New York City to secure access to fresh, local food, it must invest in conserving our region's farms. Demand alone won't save the region's farmland. Real estate market dynamics always favor development over agriculture.
Securing the region's farmland is fundamental to creating a sustainable and resilient regional food system. This will expand access to healthy food; grow the City's "good food economy"; secure the supply to NYC Greenmarkets and other farmers markets, schools, and institutions; and reduce the City's environmental "foodprint." It also will help insure the City's investments in regional food-distribution infrastructure.
Scenic Hudson's NYC/Hudson Valley Foodshed Conservation Plan offers a tested, strategic framework to get the job done. The region's land trusts are positioned to protect working farms, the cost remains reasonable, and the farming community is ready to participate.
Mayor de Blasio's #OneNYC Plan calls for the City to partner with the state to protect regional farms. The City already has the mechanism to do this. In the same way the City contracts with a not-for-profit to protect natural lands that filter the City's water supply, it can fund transactions with farm families to make sure the region's farmland remains available for productive farming.
Right now City Council members are urging Mayor de Blasio to include a 10-year commitment of $5 million per year in the city's budget to save farms in our historic foodshed. The City's investments will leverage substantial support from other sources, including the federal Agricultural Land Easement program, the state Farmland Protection Program, county and local governments, Scenic Hudson and other conservation groups, as well as philanthropic support. As the largest single stakeholder, the City's participation is crucial to achieve a meaningful outcome.
Tell your City Council Member and Mayor de Blasio to support our regional foodshed and local good food economy.
Send this message:
I am a constituent and one of more than 20,000 supporters of Slow Food NYC, the NYC chapter of the national not-for-profit organization dedicated to Good, Clean, and Fair Food for All. I urge you to support the proposed City ten year commitment of $5 million per year to save family farms in our historic food shed to ensure a regional supply of fresh, healthful produce.
Find Mayor de Blasio's contact information here:
www.nyc.gov/html/static/pages/officeofthemayor/contact.shtml
Find your City Council Member's contact information here:
council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml
