City of Atlanta’s New Policy to Allow Urban Farms to Sell Directly to Consumers
Adoption of farm stand ordinance will increase access to fresh and affordable food
Mayor’s Office of Communications
09/08/2021
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced urban farms in Atlanta will sell fresh, affordable food directly to consumers in residential zoned areas of the city. Prior to this development, the City’s Code prevented many of the city’s urban farms from operating farm stands that sell produce grown on-site directly to consumers.
“Access to healthy food options should be a right for all Atlanta residents,” said Mayor Bottoms. “Thank you to the Office of Resilience, Department of Planning and others for their efforts to ensure that our vision for One Atlanta includes food security for all communities–regardless of zip code.”
The Fresh Food Access report released in June 2021 identified that 75 percent of city residents lived within half a mile of fresh food in 2020. With the new ordinance, many of the Atlanta’s 28 urban farms will now be able serve as fresh food access points in their neighborhoods. Most urban farms in Atlanta are in USDA-designated Low-Income, Low-Access (LILA) neighborhoods. The adoption of the Farm Stand Ordinance also advances the Administration’s goal to ensure at least 85 percent of Atlanta residents live within a half-mile of fresh food by 2022.
In addition to expanding fresh food access for residents, the potential benefits of the Farm Stand Ordinance include:
Creating economic mobility opportunities for Atlanta’s farmers, 92 percent of which are operated by women or residents of color;
Anchoring local neighborhoods by cultivating food security, neighborhood resilience, safety, and economic benefits; and
Supporting increased food awareness, education, nutrition and environmental health.
“Urban farms are a key component to establishing a healthier and more resilient city,” said J. Olu Baiyewu, the City’s Urban Agriculture Director. “The Farm Stand Ordinance will foster a more equitable distribution of fresh food access for residents and visitors across Atlanta and expand economic opportunities for our urban farmers.”
The 2021 Farm Stand Ordinance was developed by the City of Atlanta’s Department of City Planning and the Mayor’s Office of Resilience. To learn more about the City of Atlanta’s Urban Agriculture initiatives, including urban farms,
