Reversing food desertification: Examining urban farming in Louisville, Chicago and Detroit

Hashim, Nadra (2015) Reversing food desertification: Examining urban farming in Louisville, Chicago and Detroit. Local Environment, 20 (6). pp. 611-636. ISSN 13549839

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Abstract

The Urban Farming Movement is relatively young in Louisville, Kentucky but it seems to be off to a good start. Being in its earliest stages, assessments of this effort must be made cautiously, even tentatively. Examining a movement that is in progress requires a study of the state's land use and segregation policies, both of which have been dynamic in Kentucky. Further, this study is also relevant as there is a growing convergence of national and regional attitudes towards American obesity, while there are competing notions of food preference and food choice. All of which are influenced by racial politics, and there is a deep concern regarding food security. Considering all of these, it is necessary to examine the Government's efforts to address obesity/food imbalance in a variety of settings, especially where urban farming is expanding, such as Chicago and Detroit. In New York, roof-top gardens dot the landscape and the urban farm movement is largely a “success”. So, city leaders have chosen to address another health issue – trans fat. Rather than joining the food choice/preference debate by banning fast-food restaurants, city leaders have chosen to enact a trans-fat ban. Unpopular at first, other cities and states have followed, and the Federal Government will mandate a trans-fat ban this year. In Louisville, Chicago and Detroit, where the trans-fat bans did not succeed, the urban farm movement may be the primary means of addressing malnutrition, in the form of obesity.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: Food security | Obesity | Racial segregation | Trans fat | Urban farming
Subjects: Physical, Life and Health Sciences > Agricultural science
Physical, Life and Health Sciences > Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
JGU School/Centre: Jindal School of International Affairs
Depositing User: Mr Sombir Dahiya
Date Deposited: 25 Jan 2022 06:46
Last Modified: 25 Jan 2022 06:46
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2014.931364
URI: https://pure.jgu.edu.in/id/eprint/833

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