Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the university of connecticut…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the university of connecticut extension in collaboration with several partners will research, design, and implement a process to connect existing and aspiring urban farmers with underutilized lands so that they can launch and/or expand their farming business. Our objectives are to: 1) conduct research into the land-related needs of urban farmers and identify the characteristics of vacant urban and peri-urban lots that will make them suitable for agricultural use in collaboration with urban farmers, community organizations, and councils of government (cogs); 2) utilize the research results to identify potential farm parcels through geospatial analysis and community input in select municipalities and land trust organizations; 3) identify additional parcels on state managed public lands that meet the research criteria in the targeted region; 4) provide training to urban and peri-urban land use officials on best practices for farmland leasing and associated zoning policies; and 5) connect urban farmers with identified land opportunities and assist with securing an agriculture-friendly farm lease. Twenty urban farmers will begin or expand their farming operation, one hundred decision-makers from municipalities, land trusts, and state agencies will gain knowledge to apply project research to convert underutilized parcels into farmland opportunities for urban farmers; and f farm linking services will be more inclusive of urban agriculture and of landaccess in urban and peri urban settings.