Market Farming

["Sally McCabe" <smccabe AT pennhort.org>]

Urban Agriculture -- Is It For Real?
A conference that looks at Entrepreneurial Urban Agriculture in North
America: what do the studies say, who's doing it, and who's actually making
money at it? Where do the opportunities lie, what are the obstacles, and
what really makes it work?

Monday, March 6th, 2000
8:30 AM to 9 PM

At the Philadelphia Flower Show
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 109
12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $125


About the Conference
This one-day conference will highlight professional research on urban
agricultural businesses, (both for-profit and non-profit,) throughout
America, and present findings about the feasibility and critical concerns of
these ventures.  The conference will also explore the potential of urban
agriculture for business leaders, city planners, government agencies,
farmers and foundations.

Presenters will include urban agricultural business managers, researchers,
planners, and buyers.  We are planning this event as a catalyst, a place
where combined energy generates enough of a spark to kindle a large-scale
conference in 2001.

We must limit attendance to 100 participants, so register early.

This event is sponsored by:
Philadelphia Green Program of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
The Urban Agriculture Network (TUAN)
The Toronto Food Policy Council
Farmers' Market Trust
American Community Gardening Association
Village Farms
Clyde's Restaurants


Who Should Attend
Individuals and institutions interested in urban agriculture: growers,
government officials, urban land trusts, planning associations, sustainable
food networks, food policy councils, academic departments, Extension agents,
chefs & chefs' coalitions, farmers' markets, innovative food retailers and
master gardeners.


The Speakers
Jac Smit, The Urban Agriculture Network, Washington DC
Michael Olsen, Metrofarm, Santa Cruz
Michael Minerva, Village Farms, Buffalo
Stewart Levy, Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation
Jim Hanson, University of Maryland, College of Agriculture
Mary Seton, GreensGrow, Philadelphia
Lauren Baker, Annex Organics, Toronto
John Guattery, Corporate Chef, Clydes, Washington, DC
Chefs' Collaborative 2000
Phil Gottwals, Agricultural Development Associates, Columbia, MD
Blaine Bonham, Executive Vice President, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Hope Wohl, Hope Wohl Associates
Martin Bailkey, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison
Pablo Torres-Lima, Mexico City
Sean Cosgrove, Toronto Food Policy Council

Keynote Speaker--Jac Smit, The Urban Agriculture Network  (TUAN)
As a city and regional planner, Jac Smit sees urban agriculture not only as
a vehicle for economic development but also as an important means of
conserving natural resources. Interested in agriculture as a youth, he tried
landscaping as a career. Then he became a city planner. In regional planning
he was able to address the broad range of social, economic and environmental
problems facing cities.  Frustrated with the lack of interest in urban
agriculture in the U.S., he took his expertise overseas and worked for the
United Nations, Ford Foundation and national governments.  He visited 30
countries and co-authored with Joe Nasr and Annu Ratta the UN Development
Program's best-selling publication Urban Agriculture: Food, Jobs and
Sustainable Cities (1996 first edition now out of print; second edition
available in September 2000).

Smit firmly believes that independent, for-profit urban agriculture ventures
are essential to community food security, improved nutrition and natural
resource conservation.  "An enterprise has to be economically viable to
deliver benefits to the maximum number of people.  Urban agriculture
businesses may not be as lucrative as fast-food restaurants, but they will
pay living wages and return a profit to investors, as well as provide more
nutritious food locally, employ people in the community, and put abandoned
land to productive use."


Schedule
7:30 - 8:30 AM  Registration & Coffee

8:30-9:30 AM            Welcome,
Blaine Bonham, Philadelphia Green program of the Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society;
        Sean Cosgrove, Toronto Food Policy Council
Keynote address
        Urban Agriculture in North America: Why Here and Why Now?
        Jac Smit, The Urban Agriculture Network, Washington DC

9:30- 10:30    Research
Does city farming really offer new opportunities for inner cities in North
America?   Current independent research, rather than the formerly used
anecdotal evidence, provides a systematic, objective look at both the
breadth of entrepreneurial urban agriculture and the obstacles that
successful ventures must overcome.  This panel represents recent studies: a
business-oriented perspective using case studies and simulated operating
models, a community development corporation's grassroots activity, and urban
agriculture in Mexico City.
        Hope Wohl, Hope Wohl Associates, Philadelphia
        Martin Bailkey, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison
Dr. Pablo Torres Lima, Mexico City
Commentary: Jim Hanson, University of Maryland, College of Agriculture

10:30-10:45   Break

10:45-1:00      Growers
Speakers will describe the challenges in establishing urban agriculture
businesses, which include a 20 acre hydroponic tomato greenhouse, a 3/4 acre
farm initially focused on hydroponic lettuce and now branched out to a range
of vegetables, herbs and flowers, and a rooftop farm growing organic
tomatoes and other vegetables. These speakers have been part of the growing
process from conceptualization to realization. They will speak to the wide
range of opportunities and struggles that urban growers and businesses face.
Financing, technology, management, staff, community interaction and
marketing will also be discussed.
        Michael Minerva, Village Farms, Buffalo
        Stewart Levy, Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation
        Mary Seton, GreensGrow, Philadelphia
        Lauren Baker, Annex Organics, Toronto
Commentary: Michael Olson, Metrofarm, Santa Cruz

1:00-2:15       Lunch

2:15 - 3:30    Buyers & Business Plans
New and alternative markets demand a break from standard food distribution
methods; restaurants change when they rely more on local suppliers; business
consultants help part-time farmers to redesign traditional agriculture, and
teach ag economics to small businesses. One restaurant uses laptop computers
to connect with their growers each morning; another designs meals around the
whole lamb, not just the rack; local growers and buyers form a collaborative
and publish a directory.
        Representative of Chefs' Collaborative 2000
John Guattery, Corporate Chef, Clydes Restaurant, Wash, DC
        Phil Gottwals, Agricultural & Community Development Associates
Commentary: Sean Cosgrove

3:30-3:45       Break

3:45 - 4:45      A Challenge to Urban Agriculture       Town Meeting, Summary,
Next steps

4:45 - 5:00     Farewell & Challenge:  Jac Smit WHO WILL ORGANIZE THE
CONFERENCE IN 2001?

5:00 - 9:30     Networking & Visiting the Philadelphia Flower Show!



Optional evening event
7:30-9:00  Lecture and booksigning at Philadelphia Flower Show
Up Against Goliath
Michael Olson, author, Metrofarm--The Guide to Growing for Big Profit on a
Small Parcel of Land
How to compete against agricultural big business and win the consumer
dollar. Includes ten strategies for increasing the productivity of a small
business by 400-1400% over that achieved by the Goliaths of the field.

This lecture is part of the Philadelphia Flower Show Lecture Series. It is
open to anyone attending the Flower Show; YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PART OF THE
CONFERENCE TO ATTEND THIS LECTURE.


For More Information
Sally McCabe, Philadelphia Green, at 215-988-8846, e-mail:
smccabe AT pennhort.org    or
        Kim Dmytro, Philadelphia Green, at 215-988-8869 e-mail 
kdmytro AT pennhort.org


Registration is limited to 100 participants.
Registrations must be postmarked by Friday, February 29th.

Attachment: reg_form.doc
Description: MS-Word document

Attachment: uagconf.doc
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