Local Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff joined the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) for a visit to Root 64 Sacramento, an urban farm in Sacramento, CA.
Are you farming or gardening in a city, suburb, tribal community or small town? From community gardens to indoor vertical farms, urban agriculture provides critical access to healthy food for local communities, as well as jobs, climate resilience, increased green spaces, and closer community ties. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers resources to start, expand, and operate your farm or garden, and help you recover in the event of a natural disaster.
As the FSA evolves to address the changing needs of our farmers and ranchers, the agency has taken strides to better serve urban producers. As of today, 17 Urban Service Centers have opened in major metropolitan centers across the US, with an additional 10 offices being planned. In California, we have two new Urban Service Centers.
- Oakland Urban Service Center Contacts:
- Compton Urban Service Center Contacts:
The FSA has a variety of programs and services to assist you with registering your farm with the USDA, financing your urban farm or garden, managing risk, and reimbursing organic and food safety certification expenses.
Financing Your Urban Farm or Garden
FSA loan programs provide access to capital, either directly from FSA or through a third-party, commercial lender. You may be interested in using the Farm Loan Assistance Tool to determine which loan option works best for you.
Managing Risk
Spring 2024 Farm Service Agency (FSA) outreach event at Veggielution, an urban farm in San Jose.
FSA offers a suite of programs to help you recover from recent or prepare for future disasters and market fluctuations including:
- Risk management coverage options through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) that covers crops that are not insurable through USDA’s federal crop insurance products.
- A strong production safety net through the administration of farm commodity price support as well as crop, livestock, and infrastructure disaster recovery assistance programs.
- Conservation programs to support land stewardship, rehabilitate agricultural operations and provide emergency haying and grazing following a qualifying natural disaster event.
- Use the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool to learn about available disaster recovery programs
Reimbursing Expenses
FSA helps cover expenses related to obtaining or renewing organic and/or food safety certifications:
Leadership Opportunities
Allison Bunyan, FSA Urban County Program Analyst, joined the San Francisco Farm Bureau on a farm tour of Florence Fang Community Farm, an urban farm in San Francisco, CA. Guests had the opportunity to suit up and meet the bees!
There are also many opportunities for urban producers to contribute their voices and experience:
How to Get Started
You can meet face-to-face with our staff at your closest USDA Service Center to discuss your vision, goals, and ways we can help. Before reaching out, review USDA’s getting started guide, or this guide for new farmers. If you need information in a language other than English, we offer translated materials and free interpretation service.
When you reach out to FSA staff, be sure to ask about getting a Farm Number, the first step toward receiving USDA assistance. Even if you are farming on .01 acres, you can get a farm number, regardless of whether your farm or garden generates income.
USDA is committed to working with farms of all sizes and in all locations, including those in urban areas.