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To Help Flint's Urban Gardeners, Edible Flint, MIFFS Awarded State Grant
March 08, 2016
March 8, 2016
Release #: 49
FLINT, Mich. – Expanding urban gardening efforts for Flint residents that increase access to healthy food by addressing historic soil lead risks for the 2016 growing season is the focus of a $22,161 grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to the Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS).
The MIFFS Food & Farming Facilitation Team and Edible Flint will lead this effort in partnership with Genesee County Michigan State University Extension, MIFFS Women in Ag Network, the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, the MSU School of Public Health, University of Michigan-Flint, Genesys Hospital and Hurley Hospital.
“MDARD is pleased to be able to support urban agriculture efforts in Flint. Addressing risks from historic lead soil issues associated with leaded gasoline and lead paint will help assure urban farmers and gardeners aren’t being further exposed to lead while they tend their crops,” said MDARD Director Jamie Clover Adams. “The grant will also increase access to foods rich in Calcium, Vitamin C and Iron that help limit the effects of lead exposure.”
The grant, “Sustainable Growth of Urban Agriculture in Metropolitan Flint”, will focus on four areas:
- Outreach and information sharing – expansion of Edible Flint’s established programming through its community-based network;
- Soil testing and irrigation filters – distribution of kits and reduced cost for soil testing, targeting local outreach efforts to high lead zone areas and garden locations, and evaluating potential uptake and surface contamination of various crops to reduce environmental contamination;
- Ongoing support – education on what soil test results mean and water lead risks, completion of all soil tests by mid-summer, and emphasis on the benefits of healthy nutritional choices and ways to minimize elevated lead levels that may impact overall health; and,
- Food safety – introduction to self-assessment and risk management steps for urban farmers.
The MIFFS Food and Farming Facilitation team will provide planning and strategic facilitation to align the efforts of all groups working on safe gardening practices in Flint to help avoid duplication and to reach individuals most in need. This will include developing a short-term strategy coupled with seed money to focus risk reduction efforts in preparation for the 2016 growing season and identifying options for transitioning from the initial response to a sustainable recovery program that increases local food production capacity in the metropolitan Flint region.
For more information, contact MIFFS at 517-432-0712 or www.miffs.org.
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NOTE: ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES ARE BEING HANDLED BY THE JOINT INFORMATION CENTER AT 888-EMD-TODAY (888-363-8632). FOR FLINT WATER EMERGENCY DONATION INFORMATION, GO TO www.helpforflint.com.