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Farm Service Agency

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# USDA Appoints New Members to the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed four new members to the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Federal Advisory Committee (Committee). The new members are replacing four members whose terms are expiring and rotating off the Committee. The Committee is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to support urban agriculture and innovative production, creating a network for feedback. The Committee’s public meetings give the urban and innovative production community and others an opportunity to witness deliberations and voting procedures.  

“This Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Committee relies on a diversity of expertise and perspectives,” said Terry Cosby, Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which houses USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). “We are excited to learn from the new insights these members will bring to the Committee and USDA is grateful for the contributions of the departing inaugural members.”   

The Committee, originally established in January 2021, is made up of 12 members, representing agricultural production, innovative production, higher education or extension programs, non-profits, business and economic development, supply chains and financing. To date, the Committee has held seven public meetings since March 2022. The next meeting is Jan. 31, 2024.

**About the New Members**    

The newly appointed Committee members who will serve a three-year term include: 
                            - Ted Fang, San Francisco, Calif., Urban Producer;   
                            - Qiana Mickie, New York, N.Y., Related Experience;  
                            - Dr. Jeffrey Young, Shepherdsville, Ky., Higher Education; and 
                            - Kate Greenberg, Denver, Colo. Greenberg, Business and Economic Development. 

See the full list of Committee members and learn more on the Committee’s webpage. 

**Next Committee Meeting**   

The Committee will meet virtually on Jan. 31, 2024. Topics include:
                            - Addressing public comments;
                            - Discussing the Committee annual workplan;
                            - Electing a chairperson election; and
                            - Continuing discussions from the previous Nov. 29, 2023 meeting.

To join or learn more about the meeting, visit the Committee’s webpage. 

**More Information**    

OUAIP was established through the 2018 Farm Bill. It is led by NRCS and works in partnership with numerous USDA agencies that support urban agriculture and innovative production. The Committee is part of a broader USDA investment in urban and innovative agriculture. Other efforts include:     
                            - Renewing the  People’s Garden Initiative,  which celebrates collaborative gardens across the country and worldwide that benefit their communities by growing fresh, healthy food and supporting resilient, local food systems using sustainable practices and providing greenspace.   
                            - Providing  grants for urban agriculture and innovative production  that target areas of nutrition access, education, business and start-up costs for new farmers, and policy development related to zoning and other urban production needs.   
                            - Providing  cooperative agreements  that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans.  
                            - Investing in  risk management education  to broaden reach of crop insurance among urban producers.  
                            - Organizing 17 FSA urban county committees to make important decisions about how FSA farm programs are administered locally. Urban farmers who participate in USDA programs in the areas selected are encouraged to participate by nominating and voting for county committee members.   

Learn more at usda.gov/urban. For additional resources available to producers, download the Urban Agriculture at a Glance brochure or visit farmers.gov/urban. 
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## Recent News

                        - USDA Announces 2024 Wool and Mohair Marketing Assistance Loan Rates  
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation today announced Marketing Assistance Loan rates for 2024-crop graded wool by micron class. Loan rates for ungraded wool and mohair are unchanged and remained the same from the prior crop year.
 
                        - USDA Appoints New Members to the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production   WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed four new members to the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Federal Advisory Committee (Committee). The new members are replacing four members whose terms are expiring and rotating off the Committee. The Committee is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to support urban agriculture and innovative production, creating a network for feedback. 
                        - Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs Receive 2018 Farm Bill One Year Extension, Farmers Can Now Enroll for the 2024 Crop Year   WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that agricultural producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year. Producers can enroll and make election changes for the 2024 crop year starting Dec. 18, 2023. The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15, 2024. 

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