Penn State researchers to develop urban soil tests for Philadelphia growers
“In some cases, soils were contaminated in the 1800s and sites became available to growers after redevelopment efforts,” Drohan said.
By Jeff Mulhollem
Penn State
Mar 21, 2022
Excerpt:
“We will create clear guidelines for soil sampling and interpretation of results and best practices to minimize the risk of exposure when working with contaminated soils,” said team leader Patrick Drohan, professor of pedology. “And we will identify community engagement strategies for greater soil education and knowledge application for working with low income, Black and Indigenous people of color, and other historically marginalized groups.”
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding called the research a crucial investment in ensuring that Pennsylvania’s urban soils are safe for growing healthy, nutritious food to feed Pennsylvanians. “To feed the nearly 8 billion people on our planet, we’re changing where and how we grow food and who grows it,” he said. “Urban agriculture is increasingly important not only to expand our capacity to feed people, but to create jobs and improve food access and nutrition in urban areas.”
Philadelphia is no different than other U.S. cities, Drohan explained. Across the country, cities are seeing a drive to utilize vacant lands for food production. However, urban growers face challenges in identifying sound, scientific guidance on how to safely use soils for production. As cities evolved through time, people made decisions about land use that left industrial contaminants behind.
