West Sacramento, CA (MPG) - The Center for Land Based Learning has received a U.S. Department of Agriculture planning grant, to support the West Sacramento Urban Farm program. Specifically, the grant will connect urban farmers with the Bryte/Broderick community to improve food access, nutrition education & economic development. Learn more: http://wsac.city/USDAgrant

The West Sacramento Urban Farm Program runs 5 major sites, including The Riverfront Farm, 5th & C Street Farm, Cummins Way Farm, Lake Washington Farm and Fiery Ginger Farm.

The Center for Land-Based Learning was selected as one of three first ever recipients of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Competitive Grants Program. The three-year grant totaling $440,182 will produce a comprehensive urban agriculture assessment of West Sacramento, identifying opportunities that connect community needs, such as food access, nutrition education, and economic development with the benefits of Urban Agriculture.

"We extend our sincere congratulations and look forward to the Center for Land-Based Learning’s assessment and recommendations for connecting urban farmers with access to healthy food," stated Carlos Suarez, State Conservationist for USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in California. "We are excited to see the planning project to help identify opportunities for positive impact of urban agriculture in our community," he continued.

The project will directly work with low-income residents of the Broderick/Bryte community in West Sacramento, who experience high levels of food insecurity. One of the challenges facing Broderick/Bryte residents is the lack of exposure to nutrition education in the form of cooking skills and familiarity of produce to take full advantage of what is being grown locally. To bridge this gap, the project will help connect local urban farmers with residents to help them better serve and understand the needs of the community.

“This grant is another huge step forward for urban farming in West Sacramento, and the fact that the Center for Land-Based Learning is one of only three awardees in the nation is another recognition of the innovative, hard work of the Center, its team, and its supporters,” said Mayor Christopher Cabaldon. “The comprehensive urban agriculture assessment funded by this grant will allow the Center to expand our network of urban farms and continue to recycle abandoned properties, remove blight, bring affordable healthy produce to food deserts in our city and to farm stands, provide internship opportunities for local students, and help new farmers completing the Center's training programs to get a strong career start."

The local urban farm community in West Sacramento will also benefit from the project’s scope of work. Urban Farms play a critical role in educating community members about local food production and help create a robust and sustainable local food system. However, their high costs of production create barriers of entry difficult for beginning farmers to overcome. Working alongside West Sacramento urban farmers, strategies will be identified to help offset start-up costs and ongoing operating costs for beginning urban farmers.

“The Center for Land-Based Learning has a track record of innovation and a commitment to community in its programs to connect youth agriculture and foster the next generation of farmers and agricultural leaders,” said Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. “It serves as a statewide model of connecting rural and urban California, and I know this grant is an investment that will help expand urban farming opportunities and bring food production to the heart of our cities!”

The Center for Land-Based Learning’s West Sacramento Urban Farm Program will collaborate with several community partners to successfully implement this project including the International Rescue Committee, Health Education Council, members of the West Sacramento Accountable Communities for Health Initiative, and the City of West Sacramento.

Center for Land-Based Learning Established in 1993 by walnut farmers Craig and Julie McNamara, the nonprofit Center for Land-Based Learning inspires, educates, and cultivates future generations of farmers, agricultural leaders, and natural resource stewards. From new farmers and entrepreneurs who need access to land and capital, to high school students just starting to explore career paths, the Center for Land-Based Learning provides the training, direction, and resources that lead to success. The Center for Land-Based Learning is the largest organization of its kind in the state, providing education and training to more than 2,000 youth and adults in 27 counties. It’s broad spectrum of programs, services, and audiences make the Center a unique driver of California’s workforce development, conservation efforts, and agricultural economy.

About the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production was established through the 2018 Farm Bill. It includes representatives from many USDA agencies, including Farm Service Agency and Agricultural Marketing Service, and is led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. More information is available at farmers.gov/urban.