2018 Farm Bill Primer: Support for Urban Agriculture

2018 Farm Bill Primer: Support for Urban Agriculture

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May 16, 2019
2018 Farm Bill Primer: Support for Urban Agriculture
Over the past decade, food policy in the United States has
(2) Urban Clusters of between 2,500 and 50,000 people
responded to ongoing shifts in consumer preferences and
(Figure 1). An urban area represents densely developed
producer trends that favor local and regional food systems
territory encompassing residential, commercial, and other
while also supporting traditional farm enterprises. This
non-residential urban land uses. In contrast, rural areas
support for local and regional farming has helped to
encompass all population, housing, and territory not
increase agricultural production in urban areas within and
included within an urban area. Results from the most recent
surrounding major U.S. cities. The 2018 farm bill
2010 U.S. Census indicate that the nation’s urban
(Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334)
population increased by 12% from 2000 to 2010, outpacing
provides additional support for urban, indoor, and other
the nation’s overall growth of 10% for the same period.
emerging agricultural production, creating new programs
and authorities and providing additional funding for such
Figure 1. Census Bureau Urban Designations, 2010
operations. The law also combines and expands existing
programs administered by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) to provide financial and resource
management support for local and regional food production.
Urban Farming Operations
Urban farming operations represent a diverse range of
systems and practices. They encompass large-scale
innovative systems and capital-intensive operations, vertical
and rooftop farms, hydroponic greenhouses (e.g., soilless
systems), and aquaponic facilities (e.g., growing fish and
plants together in an integrated system). Urban farming also
includes a range of operations such as vacant city lots, city
parks, churchyards, schoolyards, backyards, and
community gardens. This diversity has resulted in a lack of

consensus about what constitutes an urban farm. Urban
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, https://www.census.gov/.
agriculture is not specifically defined in statute, and the
Provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill
2018 farm bill refers to this farming demographic as urban,
The 2018 farm bill builds on previous support for urban,
indoor, and other emerging agricultural production but
indoor, and emerging production systems as provided in the
without specifically defining this term.
previous two farm bills—the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L.
113-79) and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
Given the diversity in the types of urban farming
2008 (P.L. 110-246) to support local and regional food
operations, existing data limitations, and lack of consensus
production. These farm programs are administered by
about what constitutes an urban or peri-urban farm, USDA
USDA and may be grouped into the following broad
does not report data and statistics on the number of urban
categories: marketing and promotion, business assistance
farming operations in the United States. To address such
and agricultural research, rural and community
data needs, the 2018 farm bill directs USDA to conduct a
development, nutrition and education, and farmland
“follow-up study” to its most recent Census of Agriculture
conservation. Examples include USDA farmers’ market
to examine U.S. urban farming operations in 2017 (§7212).
programs, rural cooperative grants, child nutrition
This study shall provide information about community
programs, and USDA research and cooperative extension
gardens and farms located in urban areas, suburbs, and
service. For more information, see CRS In Focus IF10232,
urban clusters; rooftop farms; outdoor vertical production;
U.S. Farm Policy: Local and Regional Food Systems.
green walls; indoor farms; greenhouses; high-tech vertical
technology farms; and hydroponic, aeroponic (e.g., growing
Many of the provisions in the 2018 farm bill that support
plants in an air or mist system without soil), and aquaponic
urban agriculture were derived from, or initially originated
facilities, among other innovations in agricultural
in, legislation introduced in the 115th Congress, including
production, as determined by USDA. The enacted law
the Urban Agriculture Act of 2018 (S. 3005) and the Urban
authorizes additional total appropriations of $14 million
Agriculture Production Act of 2017 (H.R. 3699). These
(FY2019-FY2021) for USDA’s follow-up study to the 2017
efforts follow other previously introduced legislation in the
agricultural census.
114th Congress (S. 3420, H.R. 6481) and the 113th Congress
(H.R. 5616, H.R. 1933).
The U.S. Census Bureau identifies two types of urban
areas: (1) Urbanized Areas of 50,000 or more people and
The enacted 2018 farm bill creates new authorities specific
to urban agriculture (§12302), including:
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2018 Farm Bill Primer: Support for Urban Agriculture
 an Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative
complexity and scale of the 2018 farm bill’s new and
Production at USDA to encourage and promote urban,
modified provisions supporting urban agriculture—
indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices;
requiring agency reorganization, establishing an advisory
 an Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
committee, implementing additional grant authorities and
Advisory Committee;
pilot projects, merging existing farm programs with

expanded funding and mission areas, and evaluating 2017
USDA grant authority to support the development of
Census of Agriculture data to profile urban farmers, among
urban agriculture and innovative production;
other USDA requirements—may prove challenging.
 pilot projects to operate in counties with a high
Congress may wish to track USDA’s progress in
concentration of urban or suburban farms; and
implementing these provisions as part of its farm bill

oversight.
USDA reporting requirements.
The 2018 farm bill authorizes annual appropriations of $25
Provisions Related to Urban Agriculture in the
million (FY2019-FY2023) to support these efforts.
2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334)
 Urban Agriculture (§12302). Establishes an Office of Urban
The 2018 farm bill also creates the Urban, Indoor, and
Agriculture and Innovative Production at USDA, an Urban
Other Emerging Agricultural Production, Research,
Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee, a
Education, and Extension Initiative (§7212). The initiative
new grant authority for USDA, new USDA pilot projects, and
new USDA reporting requirements. Authorizes annual
authorizes new competitive grants—in consultation with the
appropriations of $25 mil ion (FY2019-FY2023).
Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory
Committee—to support research and extension activities to
 Urban, Indoor, and Other Emerging Agricultural
Production Research, Education, and Extension
enhance urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural
Initiative (§7212). Authorizes competitive grants to facilitate
production. These include facilitating urban agricultural
urban agricultural production, harvesting, transportation, and
production, harvesting, transportation, packaging, and
marketing, among other activities. Provides $10 mil ion in
marketing; assessing and developing strategies to remediate
mandatory funding (FY2019) and authorizes $10 mil ion in
contaminated sites; identifying and promoting the
annual appropriations through FY2023. Directs USDA to study
horticultural, social, and economic factors that contribute to
urban agriculture as part of the 2017 Census of Agriculture.
successful urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural
 Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) (§10102).
production; and exploring new technologies that minimize
Combines and expands the existing Farmers’ Market and Local
energy, lighting systems, water, and other inputs. USDA
Food Promotion Program and the Value-Added Agricultural
may prioritize proposals involving cooperation with
Product Market Development Grants to create LAMP with
multiple entities and states and regions with significant
expanded funding and administrative functions. Provides $50
interest in urban farms and indoor production. The 2018
mil ion annually in mandatory funds.
farm bill authorizes mandatory funding of $10 million
 Conservation Innovation Grants and Payments (§2307).
through the Commodity Credit Corporation for FY2019 to
Expands existing competitive grants to cover partnering with
remain available until expended, along with $10 million in
farmers to develop innovative practices for “urban, indoor, or
annual authorized appropriations (FY2019-FY2023).
other emerging agricultural operations,” including initiatives for
“testing new or innovative conservation approaches.” Provides
In addition to provisions specifically supporting urban
$25 mil ion annually through FY2023 from mandatory funds for
agriculture, the 2018 farm bill expands certain existing farm
the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
bill provisions supporting local and regional farming that
 Research and Development Authority (§11122). Amends
may also support urban farming. For example, the enacted
the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require a feasibility study to
law creates the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP),
evaluate the effectiveness of policies for agricultural production
which combines and expands the existing Farmers’ Market
systems including urban and small-scale production.
and Local Food Promotion Program and the Value-Added
 Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) (§1601).
Agricultural Product Market Development Grants Program
Amends NAP to establish a streamlined process for the
(§10102). LAMP authorizes USDA to provide competitive
submission of records and acreage reports for agricultural
grants to support a range of local production initiatives.
production systems including urban and small-scale production.
Other support for urban agriculture may also be available
 Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (§4205).
through the 2018 farm bill’s expanded support for new and
Increases federal funding for bonus incentives for Supplemental
beginning farmers and ranchers as part of the new Farming
Nutrition Assistance Program fruit and vegetable purchases,
Opportunities Training and Outreach (FOTO) program
with a portion of the funds for a produce prescription program.
(§12301). FOTO similarly combines and expands certain
 Micro-Grants for Food Security (§4206). Authorizes
existing USDA programs and authorizes USDA to make
appropriations for Micro-Grants for Food Security for specified
competitive grants supporting training, education, outreach,
agricultural activities in certain states and territories.
and technical assistance initiatives. Finally, the enacted law
 Other Nutrition (Title IV) Provisions. Reauthorizes
includes other provisions in other titles of the 2018 farm bill
through FY2023 (1) the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition
that may broadly support urban agriculture (see text box).
Program, without change (§4201), and (2) the Community Food
Considerations for Congress
Projects grant program but reduces its funding (§4017).

USDA has not yet implemented many of the provisions in
the 2018 farm bill. In addition, for urban agriculture, a
Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
determination of where within USDA the authorities and
Tadlock Cowan, Analyst in Natural Resources and Rural
the new Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative
Development
Production will be housed has not been announced. The
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2018 Farm Bill Primer: Support for Urban Agriculture

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