Diversity of Urban Agriculture in South Dakota
When talking about agriculture in South Dakota, the term urban agriculture is not usually the first thing people bring up. However urban agriculture plays a critical role in food sovereignty, local food options and supports many local farm operations. S.D. Specialty Producers Association defines urban agriculture as the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas for commercial businesses, which can include a variety of activities such as growing fruits and vegetables, flowers, raising animals, and beekeeping.
Urban agriculture contributes to food security while having an economic, social, and environmental benefit for communities. Money from urban agriculture sales stays in the communities supporting local growers. A customer may find urban agriculture products at farmers markets, in grocery stores, at farm stands, and through relationships with the producer.
The need for food sovereignty has been prevalent in the past couple years. Communities are becoming aware of the need for local food sources by facing food shortages in times of crisis, shipping chain breakdowns, and world conflict. Locally sourced food can avoid many of the supply issues facing the world. There is a shift for world sourced food to the desire to know where your food comes from and how it was treated and processed and to actually know your farmer.
South Dakota has always been known for their hard working and innovative agriculture producers. Urban agriculture producers are no exception. S.D. specialty producers are growing a diverse number of products for the citizens of South Dakota. They are overcoming seasons by using high tunnels to provide fresh fruits, flowers, and vegetables during the colder seasons. They are utilizing more hardy breeds of livestock to offer meats and fibers. Producers build wind breaks, insulate bee hives and plant trees to assist in winter protection. S.D. urban agriculture producers are a hardy group whose main desire is to supply fresh quality foods to South Dakota.
S.D. urban agriculture products are vast and include honey, fish, fiber, meat, milk, vegetables, fruit, flowers, and value added products such as jams, jellies and soaps. Customers have hundreds of options for S.D. grown and made products. SDSPA has many listed on their website under Find Local Foods tab or visit their local farmers market or farm stand.
S.D. urban agriculture products help South Dakota remain food secure and purchasing S.D. grown and made products support local economies and producers. While South Dakota agriculture is historically considered rural, urban agriculture is a strong force in South Dakota agriculture and will continue to grow supporting our local citizens and economy.