The Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture (MOUA) leads the City's efforts to increase access to and production of locally grown food, strengthen climate resiliency, and spur economic activity throughout the five boroughs. Through research, policy development, advocacy, and community outreach, MOUA aims to address the climate, health, and food disparities in our natural and built environments. Through collaboration with other city agencies, MOUA advances urban agriculture on several fronts: environmental justice, gardens, urban farms, food equity, workforce development, and building a green, resilient economy.

The Office of Urban Agriculture is an integral component of the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice. The Office of Urban Agriculture is responsible for developing and implementing climate-based urban agriculture and food system strategies in New York City.

Read more about the Office and its first Director, Qiana Mickie.

In 2021, New York City passed Local Law 121 and Local Law 123 mandating the establishment of a Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture and an Urban Agriculture Advisory Board. This legislation centers on the following main priorities for the office: a report, an online urban agriculture portal, education and outreach, a program to support research for advancing urban agriculture legislation and policy within the city, and recommendations to the Office of Climate and Environmental Justice and the heads of relevant city agencies with respect to protecting and expanding urban agriculture. This legislatively mandated work represents a historic step forward in addressing longstanding barriers and inequity in the NYC urban agriculture community by establishing, for the first time ever, a strategic and equitable plan for urban agriculture and policy for New York City.

To inform and carry out this work, the City will establish an independent Urban Agriculture Advisory Board comprised of nationally recognized urban agriculture leaders appointed jointly by the Mayor and the City Council Speaker. The Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture will oversee the stakeholder and inter-agency coordination, as well as the development of the urban agriculture report, portal, and plan.

Please continue to check in with us for updates and information!

The Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture Report is the City's first-ever report highlighting the priorities and activities of the Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture. Read the report.

The Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture Website will be a public facing web-based portal with eventual mapping capability based on the data and analysis from the MOUA NYCUA Report. The first iteration of this website will be launched in early 2023 and will eventually host an interactive map, resources, and information on relevant City programs relating to urban agriculture. The website will be designed to be accessible to parents, students, community gardeners, urban agriculture business owners, and other interested New Yorkers to learn more about and how to engage in urban agriculture in the city.

NYC Urban Agriculture Advisory Board

Local Law 123 established an Urban Agriculture Advisory Board (UAAB) comprised of external urban agriculture thought leaders, advocates, academics, and agriculture experts to advise the Mayor and the City Council as they implement laws, and to bring this work to New Yorkers through public hearings and other forms of engagement. The UAAB's charge is to ensure that the work is grounded in the lived experiences of New Yorkers who are engaging with the NYC urban agriculture landscape, across the board, in all capacities.

Members – To Be Announced

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