Urban Agriculture in Philadelphia - Methods, Regulations, Benefits

​Philadelphia has a vital urban farming community. It is one of Philadelphia's top-ranking industries. According to the Census of Agriculture in 2017, 25 percent of Greater Philadelphia's land is devoted to agriculture. Of this 25 percent, 64 percent is cropland, 10 percent is pastureland, 20 percent is woodland, and buildings and roads cover the other 6 percent.

The urban agriculture scene in Philadelphia consists of community gardens, vertical gardens, backyard gardens, and farmer's markets. Other urban agricultural activities include animal husbandry, grooming plants and flowers, beekeeping, and cultivating and producing nuts and seeds.

Philadelphia has laws and policies to regulate urban farming. Many of the regions in the city have different zoning, codes, and permit requirements for urban agriculture and community gardens. However, the law only recognizes four urban farming styles: community gardens, farmers' markets, greenhouses, and animal husbandry. Below are the zoning requirements and the dos and don'ts for community gardens and farmers' markets.

Community gardens are allowed in residential areas, mixed residential/ commercial areas, residential/industrial areas, institutional areas, entertainment centers, stadiums, and airports. You are not permitted to set up community gardens in open city spaces, recreational parks, and regions for marine industrial use (a dock, pier, or wharf).

Farmers' markets are allowed in residential areas, mixed residential and commercial locations, and near airports. You cannot set up a farmer's market in populated commercial and retail districts in the city's heart, industrial ports, chemical or petroleum processing factories, stadiums, entertainment facilities, or open spaces.

Apart from the requirements stated above, farm owners must follow specific rules. Urban farming settings must have adequate waste disposal methods. The law also states that farmers must sell farm products where it was grown or at an approved retail facility. In addition, irrigation canals must not trespass on other properties, and any work farmers need power equipment to carry out must be done between sunrise and sunset. Furthermore, farmers should ensure their tool sheds are far from residential areas. To sell your farm products, you must obtain a Commercial Activity License (CAL).

Urban agriculture has its benefits and drawbacks. It has varying health and economic benefits for individuals and their communities. Urban farming improves food nutrition and food security. Growing food cuts down the emissions of greenhouse gases. It increases the demand and supply of homegrown products. When you eat more fresh farm produce, it reduces exposure to preservatives in canned and processed foods. Additionally, urban farming provides job opportunities within a community.

As impressive as the advantages of urban farming are, it has a few disadvantages. To stop pests from destroying crops, urban farmers apply pesticides to their lands. Chemicals in these pesticides can pollute the soil and nearby water bodies. This environmental problem can pose a health challenge for residents and consumers.

Additionally, plants and animals need much water to grow and survive. Consequently, farmlands consume much water and may inadvertently cause water shortage. Financial-wise, urban farming is expensive to maintain. Over time, some farmers may be unable to incur the cost of business and run into debt.

In January 2022, the agricultural secretary of Philadelphia, Russell Redding, approved $520,000 to support 23 farm projects. The agricultural secretary is confident that the grant funds will solve environmental and financial issues associated with urban agriculture.

Chad Beene, ProfessionalTopics; Hobbies&Interests

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