Cultivate KC

It’s ???????????? ??????????????????, and this week we’re going local. It is budget season in the City of Kansas City, Missouri and Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley has introduced a budget amendment to invest in urban agriculture and strengthen Kansas City’s local food system. These funds would support City Hall staff in addressing necessary revisions to the urban agriculture zoning ordinance and developing systems to help urban growers navigate city regulations. Contact your KCMO Councilmember today and urge them to support Councilwoman Patterson Hazley’s budget amendment for urban agriculture to invest in the future of Kansas City’s community health, climate resilience, and strong local food system. Find your Councilmember here: https://lnkd.in/gK7ziVmf

It’s ???????????? ??????????????????, and this week we’re going local. It is budget season in the City of Kansas City, Missouri and Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley has introduced a budget amendment to invest in urban agriculture and strengthen Kansas City’s local food system. These funds would support City Hall staff in addressing necessary revisions to the urban agriculture zoning ordinance and developing systems to help urban growers navigate city regulations. Contact your KCMO Councilmember today and urge them to support Councilwoman Patterson Hazley’s budget amendment for urban agriculture to invest in the future of Kansas City’s community health, climate resilience, and strong local food system. Find your Councilmember here: https://lnkd.in/gK7ziVmf

We have news. We have joined Earthjustice in a lawsuit filed yesterday to challenge the illegal federal funding freeze that is devasting many organizations and farmers in our community. Please read the article below to learn more about why we have joined this lawsuit. You can also view the Earthjustice release here: https://shorturl.at/jxmGi

It’s ???????????? ??????????????????, and here’s how you can support your local food system this week: This week, the USDA canceled $1BILLION in funding to support local food purchasing for schools and food banks. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and Local Food for Schools and Child Care program are administered by each state to help keep healthy, locally grown food in our communities and invest in local producers. Missouri farmer and President of The Kansas City Food Hub board of directors, Katie Nixon, wrote, “This is a HUGE loss for our local farmers and food hubs. Our food system is still trying to recover from the days of the USDA where farmers had to “get big or get out.” When programs like this are yanked from under our farmers’ feet, it feels like maybe we are returning to that sentiment. Our communities are more vibrant and healthier when we have many different farms, small, medium and large, to help feed us all. We have lost nearly all medium-sized farms, and our small farms struggle every season to make the business viable. This program helped with one of the more challenging parts of the business, which is market access.” Call your US Senators and Representative today and ask them to reinstate funding for Local Food for Schools and Child Care and Local Food Purchase Assistance programs. We know these programs make a tremendous impact toward building strong local food systems while feeding healthy food to students and communities – they are a win-win for farmers and communities and must be continued. Find your elected officials here: https://lnkd.in/e9R7-Dm LEARN MORE: https://lnkd.in/eWAJuACv

What are your plans for Earth Day? Come get your hands dirty helping out on some Midtown urban farms and celebrate this amazing blue marble that sustains us! There will be a happy hour after the volunteer portion of the day with a few vendors, snacks, and drinks. Sign up through the link below, so we know how many folks to expect:

And to balance the heaviness of the extra advocacy work we're asking for... ???????? ???????? ????????????! We have great news: It's been an 18 month long project, but we are so happy to announce that the Diana Eisman Community Greenhouse is officially open to farmers! This brand new greenhouse serves New Roots farmers as well as offers rental space to community growers. Read all about the project below. And JOIN US for a celebratory Grand Opening Happy Hour on April 8th: https://lnkd.in/gddn7dfe There is nowhere as full of hope or that smells as good as a greenhouse in the springtime.

We're starting something new, and we're calling it ???????????? ??????????????????: Good news! Last week, Missouri State Representative Yolanda Young announced that she has filed a budget request to help established nonprofit organizations who are advancing the local food system in food-insecure areas on Kansas City’s Eastside. Your voice can help secure this funding to support the many organizations that help feed Kansas City. If you live on the Missouri side, please reach out to thank Representative Young and to your MO State Representative and Senator to help our legislators understand how important this funding would be to our community. ___________________________ You can start with this script: Hi, my name is _________ and I’m a resident of ________ district in Missouri. I am reaching out because I have concerns about the negative impact the illegal federal funding freeze and grant terminations are having on local food systems, farmers, and food security in our region. I am grateful for Representative Yolanda Young's proposal to invest in food systems organizations to help make sure our communities are fed. This is important to me because ______. Will you join Rep. Young in advocating for the state to help fill this funding gap? Thank you, Your name Your full address ___________________________ Find your MO legislators here: https://lnkd.in/gbCycurT https://lnkd.in/gEmxDAsY

We're looking for a few folks to help out with this year's Midtown Hoedown event! Know someone perfect looking for a FUN volunteer gig?

???????????????? ??????????: The federal funding freeze is having a deep impact on local food system - we're joining with Kansas City food systems nonprofits to call on our state legislators in Missouri and Kansas to step up to support the organizations that are growing and distributing food in communities that are food insecure. ???????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???? ???????????????????? ???????? ??????????-?????????? ?????????????????????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????? Here's a sample script: Hi, my name is _________ and I’m a resident of ________ district in (MO/KS). I am reaching out because I have concerns about the negative impact of the illegal federal funding freeze and grant terminations on local food systems, farmers, and food security in our region. I am asking you to advocate on behalf of food systems organizations to help make sure our communities are fed. This is important to me because ______. Will the State help fill this funding gap? Thank you for your consideration! If leaving a message, be sure to state your full name and address so your message is recorded. And if you need help finding your State Representative and Senators, look here: https://lnkd.in/ghEhEMA

Can you believe the collective knowledge and desire to foster positive food systems change in this one picture?! A few weeks ago, we gathered at KCMO City Hall to hear from our colleagues from Detroit (Tepfirah Rushdan, Director of Sustainability and Patrice Brown, Asst. Director of Urban Agriculture) about how they are streamlining the process for urban farm ownership and coordination with local government in their city. There are almost too many departments from KCMO in this picture to name them all, but special thanks to CM Melissa Patterson Hazley, Ph.D. for hosting the exchange and for John DeBauche, ED of the KCMO Land Bank, Mario Vasquez, Director of City Planning and Development, and Andrew Savastino, Chief Environmental Officer for coming along with us on this journey!