The vast majority of the more than 700 urban agriculture sites in New York City are on publicly owned land — from schoolyards to the grounds of public housing developments, community gardens to parks — creating a decentralized system of diverse, small-scale, community based public spaces throughout all five boroughs. These sites do much more than provide fresh produce. They offer educational opportunities, create jobs, capture and reuse stormwater, improve local residents’ physical and mental well-being, decrease the waste stream through composting, and bring people together as stewards of communal open spaces.

Five Borough Farm: Seeding the Future of Urban Agriculture in New York City provides the most detailed survey ever produced about urban agriculture in New York City. The study recommends initiatives to connect farmers’ and gardeners’ grassroots efforts to municipal policy and provide a framework for understanding and measuring how urban agriculture contributes health, social, economic, and ecological benefits to the city. Five Borough Farm also demonstrates the effectiveness of the Design Trust’s unique approach. We assembled a multidisciplinary team, including experts in food policy, sustainable design and public health evaluation, a graphic designer and photographer, and engaged more than 100 key stakeholders. Based on this outreach and research, we have documented farms and gardens citywide and identified the urban agriculture community’s leading priorities, opportunities, and challenges.