From the category archives:

Economic development

Emanuel plans to expand urban agriculture in Chicago

by Editor July 26, 2011 Agriculture

Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to expand community gardens and urban farms to promote economic development, job creation and increase access to healthier food options in Chicago’s food deserts. “It is unacceptable that thousands of Chicagoans live in communities that lack access to fresh foods,” Emanuel said Tuesday during a ribbon-cutting for the urban Iron Street [...]

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South African couple adds to continent’s ‘Green Revolution’

by Editor July 21, 2010 Economic development

REPORT FROM SOUTH AFRICA By Susan Richardson Grahamstown, South Africa –Zolile and Charlotte Mbali grow greens in discarded car tires.  They provide an excellent growing environment, the couple said, and help prevent soil erosion on their plot in the township of Clermont in the outer west of Durban.  And, best of all, the tires are free, said [...]

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Chicago Public Schools to buy more produce from Illinois farmers

by Cassandra West July 16, 2010 Economic development
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The food service provider for Chicago Public Schools plans to increase the produce it buys from Illinois farmers. Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality is asking farmers to contract for $500,000 of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables in addition to the $1.8 million in local farm products purchased last year, the food service company said in a July [...]

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Will Allen on the urban farm revolution

by Cassandra West June 27, 2010 Economic development
Will Allen, Growing Power founder and CEO

CHICAGO — Even if you know only a little about urban agriculture, you’ve probably heard of Will Allen, the nation’s foremost local food movement leader and advocate. Allen, who founded the Milwaukee-based urban farm and education center Growing Power Inc., was in Chicago at Fourth Presbyterian Church Thursday (June 24) evening to talk about his [...]

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Philadelphia urban farm grows roots in old industrial neighborhood

by Cassandra West June 20, 2010 Economic development
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PHILADELPHIA — Farming in the city isn’t always a viable business model, those who attempt it will admit. Sometimes, though, an urban farmer gets it right—growing not only good, fresh food but building strong community ties along the way. That’s what Greensgrow Farm has done since opening a dozen years ago in one of this [...]

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Jeremy Nowak urges food funders to learn from practice

by Editor June 16, 2010 Economic development

By Susan Richardson PHILADELPHIA — Funders and philanthropies should be willing to learn from practice in creating models for access to healthy food, said Jeremy Nowak, president and CEO of The Reinvestment Fund (TRF), speaking on the second day of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders conference in Philadelphia. “Look at creating a live [...]

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Food funders gather in Philadelphia to discuss urban agriculture

by Editor June 15, 2010 Economic development
SAFSF tour to urban farms in Philadelphia

By Susan Richardson PHILADELPHIA — The 8th Annual Forum of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders began with a reminder of how far the food movement has come since the group first met in 2003.  Thirty people attended SAFSF’s inaugural conference in San Francisco; 155 people are attending  this year’s conference in Philadelphia, said [...]

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