Cultivating Equity: Montclair's Urban Farms Confront Systemic BarriersThis article explores the challenges and solutions faced by urban farms in Essex County, New Jersey, as they strive to bring affordable, fresh produce to food-insecure communities. It delves into the complex history of farming in the state, the persistent patterns of segregation, and the grassroots efforts to create a more equitable and sustainable food system.

Unlocking the Potential of Urban Agriculture

Montclair Community Farms: A Thriving Oasis in the City

Nestled in the heart of Montclair's Third Ward, Montclair Community Farms is a testament to the transformative power of urban agriculture. This compact, less-than-10,000-square-foot lot has blossomed into a vibrant community hub, offering a diverse array of programs and services. From a garden education program for children to a job training site for teens, and a bustling pop-up produce market, the farm has become a beloved gathering place for Essex County residents."People really love being here," says Lana Mustafa, the executive director of Montclair Community Farms. "It's really developed into something really beautiful and productive and community-oriented." On a breezy June afternoon, the farm's garden beds are bursting with an abundance of fresh produce, from lettuce and bok choy to parsley and garlic scapes. Mustafa and her team are meticulously preparing their inventory for the upcoming Monday farmers market, where dozens of shoppers use their SNAP or WIC benefits to access this vital source of affordable, nutritious food.

Navigating the Bureaucratic Maze: Challenges Faced by Urban Farmers

However, Mustafa's journey has not been without its obstacles. She explains that serving Essex County's food-insecure communities is an uphill battle, as governments often fail to recognize urban farming as a viable solution to address food access issues. "We need the state of New Jersey to take urban [agriculture] seriously," Mustafa emphasizes.Time and again, Mustafa has encountered red tape that has hindered her farm's ability to serve its community. Despite the farm's significant impact, its small size of less than 5 acres has prevented it from accessing the federal Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, which would have enabled it to accept food vouchers from low-income seniors. It was only after extensive advocacy with other community groups that the U.S. Department of Agriculture finally approved Mustafa's application in 2023.Moreover, the high cost of permits, up to ,000 annually, has forced Mustafa to discontinue the farm's composting program this spring. "What happens to this food waste now that we can't accept it? It has to go back to the landfill," she laments, as the farm collects more than 8,000 pounds of food waste annually.

Segregation in Farming: A Legacy of Injustice

The challenges faced by Montclair Community Farms are not isolated incidents. They are symptomatic of a deeper, systemic issue rooted in the history of farming in New Jersey. While the practice of growing food can be traced back to Indigenous and Black agricultural traditions, it was white farmers who disproportionately benefited from an agricultural economy built on slavery.In the 1700s and 1800s, farmers in the "Garden State" relied on the labor of enslaved people to herd and slaughter animals, grow crops, maintain their meadowlands, and construct their farms. Even after slavery was abolished in New Jersey in 1866, white farmers created their own form of sharecropping called "cottaging," where former enslaved Black people would provide labor in exchange for shelter and crops.This legacy of segregation persists to this day. A 2022 report from Rutgers University revealed that urban farms in New Jersey tend to be clustered in areas with higher SNAP participation, where residents are more likely to be Black or Latinx. Alarmingly, in a county where white people make up less than one-third of the population, they own three-quarters of all urban farms in Essex County, according to a 2022 U.S. census of agriculture.Fallon Davis, the chair of the Black & Brown, Indigenous, Immigrant Farmers United (BIFU), argues that these inequities are "systemic by design." They explain, "We have to understand the system was never designed for Black and Brown people to live this long. It was never designed for us to thrive, survive, have families, and be these beautiful land beings."

Farming on Borrowed Land: The Challenges of Newark's Urban Farmers

The struggles faced by urban farmers extend beyond Montclair. Several miles away, in Newark's South Ward, Keven Porter's Rabbit Hole Farm has encountered a slew of setbacks typical of urban farming ventures. For over a decade, Porter has been trying to secure consistent access to running water, a basic necessity for any farm. "They're just ignorant to the fact that we are a benefit," he laments, referring to the city's lack of support.Porter and his partner co-founded Rabbit Hole Farm in 2013 through Newark's Adopt-A-Lot program, which allows residents to use the city's vacant lots but not own them. This precarious arrangement means that Porter and other urban farmers in Newark are constantly at risk of losing their land, regardless of how long they have tended to it.Fallon Davis, who also runs a farm in Newark through their youth education nonprofit STEAM URBAN, echoes these concerns. "If we figured out how to get people land ownership, if we taught people how to grow their own food, if we taught people how to advocate for themselves, it would single-handedly change our communities and they don't want that," they assert.

Cultivating a More Equitable Future

The challenges faced by urban farmers in Essex County are multifaceted, but solutions are emerging. Emilio Panasci, the co-founder and executive director of the Urban Agriculture Cooperative, emphasizes the need for long-term solutions that allow for food growing and local food markets in an urban environment."Our zoning is different here. Our density is different. When you combine that with the fact that we lack a cohesive urban agriculture policy at the local level.. it's very hard for a farmer or farmer's market to maintain land over time and … build infrastructure on it," Panasci explains.In recent years, several bills have been introduced in the New Jersey legislature aimed at formalizing urban agriculture policies and sustaining the sector. However, these efforts have yet to gain traction, highlighting the need for more concerted advocacy and political will.Jeanine Cava, the executive director of the NJ Food Democracy Collaborative, points to the Massachusetts Healthy Food Incentive Program (HIP) as a potential model for New Jersey. This state-funded program reimburses SNAP users when they buy food from eligible HIP vendors, a strategy that could significantly boost the purchasing power of low-income residents and support local urban farms.Fallon Davis of BIFU emphasizes that Black and Brown farmers must be at the center of any urban farming solution. Their statewide collective of 40 members plans to release policy resolutions this summer, which will include recommendations for land ownership and state funding for BIPOC farmers."We also need to give [politicians] some of the language of our ask… the community does need to do some work," they say. "If you want your community to change, you gotta also advocate for your community."As urban farms in Essex County continue to navigate the complexities of their environment, the path forward lies in addressing the systemic barriers that have long hindered their success. By prioritizing equity, land ownership, and dedicated state support, New Jersey can unlock the transformative potential of urban agriculture, empowering communities to cultivate a more just and sustainable food system.