Portland’s urban farmers fight to keep fresh food flowing to underserved communities
(Photo courtesy of Growing Gardens)
Urban farms like Growing Gardens and The Side Yard Farm play an important role in providing fresh, local food to Portland’s food insecure, but climate change, funding freezes and shifting policies are making it harder for them to sustain their mission.
By Jill Dutton
The Packer
Apr 2, 2025
Excerpt:
For many Portland, Ore., residents living with food insecurity, urban farms like Growing Gardens and The Side Yard Farm are lifelines providing fresh, locally grown produce to communities with limited access to healthy food.
But as these farms battle increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, frozen funding and shifting policies, their ability to serve those in need is at risk. The challenges these farmers face aren’t unique to Portland; urban farmers across the country are struggling with similar issues, raising urgent questions about the future of food access in U.S. cities.
In November 2024, Oregon State University’s Policy Analysis Lab reported that the state’s food insecurity rate rose to 12.8% from 2021-2023. The report showed that 221,000 households — about 530,000 individuals — experienced food insecurity each year during that period.
Growing Gardens and The Side Yard Farm are working to make a dent in the food mirages located throughout the city, but like in many cities, the federal funding freeze by the Trump administration is creating uncertainty. Still, these farmers plan to continue their fight against food insecurity.
Read the complete article here.
Source: https://cityfarmer.info/portlands-urban-farmers-fight-to-keep-fresh-food-flowing-to-underserved-communities/
