Office | Environment.org

This story was produced by Grist and was co-published with Fast Company.

When office workers stopped working in offices in 2020, trading their cubicles for living room couches during COVID-19 lockdowns, many began questioning those hours they had spent commuting to work. All those rushed mornings stuck in traffic could have been spent getting things done? Life was often lonely for those stuck in their homes, but people found something to appreciate when birdsong rang through the quiet streets. And the temporary dip in travel had the side effect of cutting global carbon emissions by 7 percent in 2020 — a blip of good news in an otherwise miserable year.

Emissions bounced back in 2021, when people started resuming some of their normal activities, but offices have never been the same. While remote work was rare before the …

New but Mighty Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

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Farmer Ibrahim at the Juniper Gardens Training Farm in Kansas City, KS. Photo by Alicia Alferman

Earlier this summer the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUIAP) announced a series of new investments that build on their short but impactful history since their inaugural awards in 2020

OUAIP was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and tasked with a wide variety of responsibilities to support the development and success of urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices. These practices are diverse and can include growing efficiently in microlots or inside warehouses, food waste reduction strategies, and community composting. OUAIP implements strategies to ensure their success while fostering community food security through networks of growers, partners, and community members.

While OUAIP is housed within the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), it works across United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies. …

Comment: NSAC Welcomes Senate Amendment to Restore Funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Comment: NSAC Welcomes Senate Amendment to Restore Funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

Washington, DC, September 13, 2023 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Hannah Quigley, NSAC Policy Specialist, in response to Senator Stabenow (D-MI) filing an amendment to restore $ 8.5 million in funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production to the Senate’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill, which is cosponsored by Senators Brown (D-OH), Blumenthal (D-CT), Booker (D-NJ), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Fetterman (D-PA), Gillibrand (D-NY), and Rosen (D-NV).

“NSAC applauds Senator Stabenow, Senator Heinrich and other champions as they work to restore funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture

…

A Look at the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

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The 2018 Farm Bill offered a variety of victories for NSAC’s priorities. It also elevated attention and support for the growing number of urban agriculture and small-scale innovative producers across the nation by directing USDA to create an Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) and programs to support related activities.

This blog post offers a look at the status of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production’s program activities since the 2018 Farm Bill. While full implementation has yet to be fulfilled, there has been immense progress. We are optimistic that the 2023 Farm Bill will continue to build upon its successes to date.

Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

The 2018 Farm Bill authorized a new Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production whose mission is to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other innovative …