Farm-to-Fork Programs Build Neighbrohood Links

By Gabrielle Myers | January 2023 | Inside Sacramento | Photo by Aniko Kiezel

Check out this article about the community garden Oak Park Sol, and the involvement of longtime ECOS Board Member and Volunteer, Earl Withycombe!

Relationships distinguish the farm-to-fork movement. While farmer-to-chef seems like the obvious partnership, one joy I get from this column is digging beneath the surface to see a myriad other relationships that bring food to our tables and connections to our neighborhoods.

Researching last month’s column on the city’s Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone Program, I met Earl Withycombe, a landowner, community activist and incentive zone pioneer.

He told me how as a landowner he collaborated with city officials to help develop the zone program and work out details so other landowners might benefit.

From https://insidesacramento.com/making-connections/

Click here to read the full article.

Sacramento County OKs birds, bees and farm stands with urban ag ordinance

January 24th, 2017

By Robin Opsahl

The Sacramento Bee

Residents of urban and suburban Sacramento County will be able to legally grow and sell crops, keep bees, and raise chickens and ducks at home under an urban agriculture ordinance that county supervisors unanimously passed Tuesday.

Proponents say the new legal framework will make life easier for small-scale farmers and provide fresh food in areas that lack full-service grocery stores.

Read more here.

Sacramento City Council passes urban farm tax break ordinance

August 7, 2015

KCRA Channel 3

Now, there is another way people can make a little money — or at least, save a little money — by growing their own food. It comes in the form of a tax break being offered by the Sacramento City Council.

The council passed an ordinance Thursday that will give tax breaks of hundreds of dollars to people who turn vacant lots into urban farms.

The idea is to reduce blight and increase access to fresh produce in underserved communities.

Read more here.

Law Bites: Legal Clinic & Workshop for Urban Ag in Sac 6/23

Are you currently practicing urban agriculture in the city of Sacramento, or would like more information about how to do it?

In an effort to help implement the recently passed Sacramento City Urban Agriculture ordinance, the Sacramento Urban Agriculture Coalition is hosting a legal clinic for people currently practicing urban agriculture or would like more information about how to do it!

Law Bites: Legal Clinic and Workshop for Urban Agriculture in Sacramento

When: Tuesday, June 23, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Colonial Heights Branch Library, 4799 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95820 
 
There will be lawyers on hand to answer questions people have on the following areas related to urban agriculture:
Employment law: How do I hire someone to help? Do I have to pay interns? What’s an I-9?
Tax and Government Benefit Impact: Do I need to pay charge sales tax to sell produce? Am I going to lose my SSI if I make money selling food?
Choosing how you form: Do I have to form a business? What are the advantages? How can I be a nonprofit?
● A workshop to talk about the urban agriculture ordinance passed by the City. What did it change? What do you need to do to take advantage of it?

Registration is required as space is limited. Please click here register here while there are still seats available.

Guests are encouraged to bring dinner for themselves, or something to share, potluck-style.

Childcare is available, courtesy of Building Healthy Communities (BHC).

Sponsors: California Endowment BHC, Sacramento Urban Agriculture Coalition, Oak Park Sol, The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS), Legal Services of Northern California, the Law Office of Cameron Rhudy, and Alchemist CDC