Urban Production of Fruits and Vegetables: Current Estimates and Opportunities for Growth in Ramsey County, Minnesota

Abstract

Population growth and the progression of climate change will require a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system. A more sustainable food system may include shifting where food is grown, such as growing more perishable and intensive crops (fruits and vegetables) closer to large population centers. Production of fruits and vegetables near urban centers has the potential to offer a wide array of benefits, including increasing access to healthy food and reducing food waste. This project used USDA data to quantify the current production of fruits and vegetables in Ramsey County, Minnesota and estimate potential production capacity if fruits and vegetables were to be grown on farmland currently used to grow grains or raise animals, on land currently used for parking lots, and with rooftop gardens. These estimates were compared to the quantity required to meet the population of Ramsey County’s needs based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to illustrate potential pathways to meeting the nutritional needs of urban areas with an equitable, low-carbon food system. Current (2017) production of fruits and vegetables in Ramsey County meets its population’s needs for just under 4 days per year, while the potential production methods considered were estimated to add an additional 32.4 days of meeting the population’s needs. These low current and potential production figures emphasize the continued importance of rural areas as the primary producers of food for urban populations, while also illustrating the potential to significantly increase food production in urban areas and improve food system resiliency through diversifying where and how crops are grown.