Media releases XML Media Releases via RSS

Inslee introduces bill to promote Community Gardens

July 15, 2009

Today, Congressman Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) introduced the Community Gardens Act of 2009 with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)  The bill creates a grant program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture to compensate community groups for up to eighty percent of the costs associated with starting and maintaining a community garden.
 
“Locally, the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods maintains almost two thousand community garden plots on 23 acres of land, which serve almost four thousand urban gardeners in the area,” said Inslee. “With this legislation, we can help programs like the ones in Seattle and at 21 Acres in Woodinville, and we can expand opportunities to all American households to share in the numerous benefits of local gardening.”
 
“I’ve introduced this bill to help local groups create new community gardens in neighborhoods around the country,” said Inslee.  “Community gardens provide local food sources, strengthen and beautify neighborhoods and let people in urban settings enjoy the benefits of local agriculture.  As a parent, I’m also happy to note that community gardens engage families and children in growing their own vegetables, which studies have shown has increased the willingness of children to eat their veggies.”  said Inslee. 
 
According to a national study, one million households participated in community gardens in 2008, but an estimated five million households expressed an interest in starting a garden plot near their home. Groups eligible to apply for funds in Inslee’s new grant program include community-development organizations, schools, and state and local governments, among others. By encouraging these groups to construct gardens in their communities, Inslee’s bill will promote nutrition, environmental awareness, and neighborhood development.
 
Also today, Congresswoman. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) introduced a complementary resolution to designate August as “National Community Gardening Awareness Month.” 
 
“I support the Community Gardens Act of 2009, as it will help Americans across the country establish new gardens and support those who want to take part in feeding their families and their communities,” said Matsui (D-CA).  “Community gardens are on the rise across the nation as Americans look to shrink their monthly grocery bills, introduce produce and more nutritious foods into their children’s diets, and as a way to create a connection between our communities and the food we feed our families,”
 
Activities eligible to receive grant assistance include acquisition of interest in real property, construction, community outreach, operations, and any other appropriate activity.  When making grants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will consider the geographic diversity among grantees and the number of individuals in a local community that are likely to participate in a community garden.