Growing an Urban Agriculture Industry

Less than 0.1% of the food consumed in Colorado is actually grown in the state. The insecurity of our food shed is staggering. While Metropolitan Denver spends $5.6 billion annually on food from outside of our economy, our unemployment levels have soared to near 8%. Urban Agriculture is not only an industry needing a kick-start but an opportunity for local economic development, poverty alleviation and social inclusion of the urban poor, especially women, youth and families.

Feed Denver: Urban Farms and Markets is dedicated to addressing some of these challenges. We are creating model farms through our urban agriculture training center in Denver. "Farm" is the key word! Farms produce food as a business. City farms are small and micro business size to fit in an urban site but they are diverse and diversified creating a sense of security and community. Feed Denver teaches and models small business, entrepreneurial farming and related food production as a catalyst to help birth an urban agriculture industry in Denver.

In this work we are partnered with MacArthur Fellow Will Allen and his organization, Growing Power, as one of their regional training centers. The Growing Power community is recognized as the leaders, the pioneers and the revolutionaries of American urban agriculture. This presentation will provide detail about these efforts and activities and provide attendees the opportunity to learn more about our approach to expanding urban farming in the Rocky Mountain Region.