An Act relative to urban farmland

Summary: An Act Relative to Urban Farmland (HD 1872)

Overview

HD 1872, titled “An Act relative to urban farmland,” was introduced on February 27, 2025, by Representative Patricia A. Duffy and carries multiple cosponsors. The bill creates a new funding mechanism—the Vacant Lots to Urban Agriculture Fund—aimed at converting vacant urban parcels into farms, community gardens, and other agricultural enterprises, with a focus on environmental justice populations. The bill’s status is “Senate concurred.”

Purpose and Rationale

• Expand urban agriculture and local food systems in the Commonwealth.
• Promote economic development, food security, and climate/heat resilience in urban areas.
• Prioritize projects that support agricultural education, job training, food donation to residents who are food insecure, and public engagement.

Key Provisions

1) Vacant Lots to Urban Agriculture Fund (new Section 2EEEEEE in Chapter 29)
- Definitions
- “Vacant lot” means property not actively used or occupied for the preceding year, with exceptions for properties undergoing renovation due to casualty (fire, etc.). It includes abandoned, empty, foreclosed properties, and underutilized spaces.
- Fund Establishment and Administration
- Creates a separate fund within the Commonwealth, administered by the Department of Agricultural Resources.
- Funding sources include: prior designated appropriations, interest, and contributions from public and private gifts, grants, and donations.
- Funds appropriated or donated are not subject to further appropriation and do not revert to the General Fund; donor restrictions are respected, but funds can be used for the stated purposes.
- Purpose and Priorities
- Support conversion of vacant lots to farms, community gardens, and other agricultural enterprises in environmental justice populations (as defined in related law) within cities.
- Emphasize economic development, food security, climate resilience, and heat resilience.
- Priority actions include agricultural education, job training, charitable food donations, and public engagement.

2) Grant Programs and Eligible Activities
- (i) Grants to municipalities to collaboratively develop urban farming/gardening plans with residents, local food system entities, and a regional planning agency.
- (ii) Pilot programs in environmental justice communities to convert vacant lots into farms or related ventures.
- (iii) Move city-held tax land liens foreclosed prior to 2021 to agricultural use.
- (iv) Grants to municipalities or urban agriculture entities to assist in purchasing priority private parcels.
- (v) Grants to municipalities and an urban farming partner to purchase/lease land, renovate, build infrastructure, and cover startup costs for farm/community garden ventures.
- (vi) Grants to protect parcels with conservation easements.

3) Administration, Rules, and Reporting
- The Commissioner of Agricultural Resources must promulgate rules/regulations for implementing the fund.
- Annual reporting to the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, the Joint Committee on Agriculture, and clerks, detailing: applicants, recipients, requested and awarded amounts, and the number of environmental justice block groups served.

Governance and Timeline

• Implementing regulations to govern fund administration.
• Annual reporting requirement to legislative committees.
• No explicit issuance deadlines or grant cycles are specified beyond the annual reporting requirement.

Affected Parties

• Municipalities and regional planning entities.
• Urban farming organizations, agricultural businesses, and nonprofit groups.
• Property owners and lienholders (especially city-held tax foreclosures).
• Residents of environmental justice populations in designated urban areas.

Legislative Context

• Referred to the Senate in 2025, with the Senate concurring on the matter.
• Sponsored by Rep. Patricia A. Duffy, with numerous cosponsors.

Potential Impact

• Increases capacity to repurpose vacant urban parcels for food production and community benefits.
• Enhances access to fresh foods, education, and job opportunities in EJ communities.
• May influence land use practices, parcel acquisition strategies, and preservation through conservation easements.
• Creates a dedicated funding stream for urban agriculture initiatives independent of annual general fund appropriations.