On a 47-0 vote, New York’s city council passed legislation to create a digital hub meant specifically for urban agriculture, said Metro Media. The website would be run by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with educators and representatives of community gardens.
The website is slated to begin operation on July 1 and “act as a one-stop-shop database for those looking to get involved with local urban gardens and farms and to help aid those who are looking to start their own,” said Metro Media. It quoted Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams as saying the initiative was a first step in supporting the broad-based growth of urban agriculture in the city.
Council member Rafael Espinal said the digital hub would be “a resource for urban farmers and community gardeners to start up and grow an urban farm. Smart, innovative urban-farming techniques are leading the food revolution and supplying healthy locally grown food to our communities. It is time NYC steps up and supports this movement with our own digital tools to make it easier for these entrepreneurs and acknowledge our commitment to this industry.”