Let’s Show the County Board Our Love for Urban Ag!

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The Arlington County Board must reduce costs for it’s FY2020 budget. The county’s Urban Agriculture program could be cut. Last December we had a celebration of our accomplishments over the past 5 years. Let’s raise our voices now to show there is robust support for prioritizing a coordinated food sustainability program and our exciting, emerging urban agriculture industry. Climate change challenges bring urgency to our government addressing these priorities.

The Urban Agriculture Program’s mission is the advancement of the County-wide goal to improve access to healthy, fresh and sustainably produced foods in Arlington. Created from the 2013 Urban Agriculture Citizen Task Force recommendation, the Urban Agriculture Program synchronizes management of Arlington’s community gardens and farmers markets, conducts outreach and education, and coordinates activities with Virginia Cooperative Extension agents. Additionally, the program provides liaison between Arlington’s burgeoning agriculture start-up businesses and County officials.

Friends of Urban Agriculture believes that the time is right for the County to become a national leader in this emerging economic sector and to address climate change realities. Instead of shrinking, the County should seize this opportunity to support and expand this vital program that enhances Arlingtonians’ health and quality of life and advances environmentally-sustainable food access and food production throughout the County.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  1. CLICK HERE to send an email to your County Board members and the DPR.
  2. Or cut and paste and customize the letter template below and send to the County Board.
  3. Watch the County Board’s Work Session on March 12 on the Department of Parks and Recreation’s proposed budget.
  4. Attend the Public Hearing on the Budget April 2 at 7:00pm.
  5. Forward this email to 5 of your friends!
Sincerely,
Friends of Urban Agriculture

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SUBJECT: Urban Agriculture Program Proposed FY2020 Budget Cut

Dear County Board and Department of Parks & Recreation,

I recently learned of the proposed FY2020 budget review and am concerned the Urban Agriculture Program is at risk of elimination. As a patron of Arlington’s vibrant local food ecosystem, I am worried that budget cuts to the Urban Agriculture program will mean ongoing programs will become decentralized and reduced to minimum maintenance levels. In addition, staff and policy support for expansion and innovation in the urban agriculture business sector will be stopped.

I request you reconsider proposed budget cuts to the Urban Agriculture Program. I am a proud supporter of Urban Agriculture and believe in its ability to simultaneously advance Arlington’s progressive vision, promote public health, improve our local food system, expand food access, increase environmental stewardship, and promote economic development in the County.

Instead of shrinking, the County should seize this opportunity to support and expand this vital program and recognize the time is right for the County to become a national leader in this emerging economic sector and to address climate change realities.

Respectfully,
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