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urban farming

urban farming

Urban Agriculture Symposium 2012 - Richard Harlow (o.b.o. Brad Deacon)

11mo ago
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Richard Harlow is program manager in the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program Office within the State of Michigan's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). He delivered this presentation on urban agriculture on behalf of Brad Deacon, the MDARD coordinator of Emergency Management and Administrative Law (who was unable to attend), during the 2012 Urban Farming Symposium, sponsored by and held at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, May 18. Harlow has worked with the City of Detroit's urban agricultural workgroup to develop zoning ordinances to permit and regulate agricultural activity within the city. In this presentation, he discusses the various roles that MDARD has in regulating and promoting agriculture, and how those roles affect the development of agriculture for cities like Detroit. Issues include pesticide and fertilizer use, soil contamination, animal/livestock health, food safety, consumer protection, and economic development. Also, the opportunities in small-scale "cottage food" activities are discussed.