Urban Agriculture Act of 2016

Urban Agriculture Act of 2016

This bill amends several agricultural laws to establish an Office of Urban Agriculture within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and make urban agricultural activities eligible to receive funding from various USDA programs.

The Office of Urban Agriculture must:

• manage programs, coordinate agencies, and advise USDA on urban agriculture and urban food systems;
• continue a community garden program; and
• establish a rooftop agriculture and outdoor vertical production program.

The bill includes urban agricultural activities in several existing and new grant, loan, risk management, and research programs. It also authorizes and provides funding for several of the programs.

USDA must conduct various studies and collect specified data related to urban agriculture. USDA must also establish a voluntary farmer-to-farmer assistance and mentorship program.

USDA must take several actions related to soil assessment and remediation, including:

• establishing a coordinated soil testing protocol,
• coordinating and conducting research to inform the protocol and soil remediation practices with respect to soil contaminated with high levels of heavy metals or other contaminants, and
• establishing a national soil testing and remediation program to provide related technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers.

The bill establishes pilot programs for USDA to: (1) increase municipal compost and food waste reduction activities; and (2) make grants for projects that strengthen marketplace links between healthy food consumption, good environmental practices, and direct public health outcomes.