[Resilience Committee on April 3, 2025.]
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SO WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, BUT WE DON'T NEED A QUORUM BECAUSE WE'RE NOT VOTING THIS MORNING.SO WELCOME TO, IS THERE A CHAIR FOR Y'ALL? NO.
SO, WELCOME TO THE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
IT'S APRIL 3RD, 10:00 AM WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
WOULD LIKE TO, UH, WELCOME VICE CHAIR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
WE HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, DID I SAY AMY? I CALLED YOU AT, DID I CALL YOU AMY? AMY SAID IT.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT STAFF FROM, UH, DISTRICT A, DISTRICT B, DISTRICT F, DISTRICT H, DISTRICT I, DISTRICT K, AND AT LARGE FIVE.
WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION HERE TODAY FROM THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK.
AND, UM, WITH US WE'VE GOT DR. CATHERINE BYERS, WHO IS A GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICER FOR THE FOOD BANK.
AND RICHARD, RACHEL, I CAN'T READ RACHEL KARTS PROGRAM, FARM PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE FOR AT PLANT IT, WHICH IS A VERY INTERESTING NONPROFIT, BY THE WAY.
UM, AT THIS TIME THERE WERE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
SO IF YOU CAN BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION AND THEN WE WILL, UM, OFFER UP QUESTIONS FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL.
FOOD BANK IS INVOLVED IN THIS PROPOSAL.
WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE VISION IS A WORLD THAT DOESN'T NEED FOOD BANKS.
AND SO TO THAT END, WE WORK A LOT ON PUBLIC POLICY AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE.
WE ALSO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS IN LEARNING ABOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SO THEY CAN APPROPRIATELY ENGAGE IN THEIR GOVERNMENT AND BRING FORWARD THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
WE ALSO WANNA SHORTEN OUR LINES.
AND SO WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS LIKE FOOD PRESCRIPTION, FOOD SCHOLARSHIP, THAT HELP OUR NEIGHBORS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, WHETHER IT BE GETTING A JOB, FINISHING THEIR EDUCATION, ET CETERA.
AND FINALLY, BECAUSE WE KNOW FOOD INSECURITY IS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, BOTH IN THE STATE AS WELL AS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON, WE DISTRIBUTE MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF FOOD THROUGH 1600 PARTNERS OVER AN 18 COUNTY AREA.
WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 300 PARTNERS THAT ARE DIRECTLY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GET, UH, AS MUCH FOOD AS WE NEED TO DISTRIBUTE.
WE RESCUE A LOT OF FOOD FROM, FROM RETAILERS, SO SURPLUS ON THE MARKET.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DO IS WE, WE RECEIVE GRANTS FROM THE USDA.
UM, DO I NEED TO SAY NEXT SLIDE? I'M SO SORRY.
UM, THE ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY.
THE USDA RECENTLY RELEASED A REPORT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, FOOD INSECURITY HAS, HAS GONE UP.
YOU CAN SEE THAT HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY OVERALL IS ABOVE THE US RATE, BUT, UH, EQUAL TO THE TEXAS RATE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, FOOD INSECURITY AMONG CHILDREN IN THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY AREA IS ABOVE THE, THE TEXAS RATE.
THERE, THERE'S AN ISSUE TO ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD THAT THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK.
ANOTHER REASON THAT WE HAVE TO STEP IN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE THINK OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS A GREAT AID TO FOLKS, AND IT CAN BE, BUT 50% OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY MAY NOT EVEN QUALIFY FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND EVEN IF THEY DO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT APPROXIMATELY $6 PER PERSON PER DAY.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT ANY OF US CAN CAN BUY WITH THAT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, MORE THAN 500,000 HOUSTONIANS LIVE IN USDA DEFINED FOOD DESERTS.
SO THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO GO OVER A MILE TO GET TO A RETAILER THAT YOU COULD PURCHASE.
UH, THIS ISN'T AN URBAN AREA THAT YOU COULD PURCHASE NUTRITIOUS FOOD FROM.
UM, ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE USDA GRANT, ONE OF THE USDA GRANTS, THE LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE AGREEMENT, WAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH LOCAL FARMERS.
THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES THERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
FRANKLY, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE HAD SMALL, UH, URBAN, URBAN FARMERS IN OUR AREA.
UH, THE LFPA PROGRAM WORKS WHERE RESOURCES FLOW THROUGH FOOD BANKS, AND THEN WE ARE ABLE TO HELP INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THESE SMALL URBAN FARMS. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY HOW I GOT CONNECTED.
THE, THE TOP PICTURE ON THIS SLIDE IS MYSELF
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AND MY MANAGER VISITING ONE OF THOSE FARMS, WHICH WAS GREAT 'CAUSE THE FARMER WAS LIKE, EAT THIS, EAT THIS.AND WE WERE JUST PICKING, PICKING FRESH PRODUCE OFF AND IT, AND, AND IT WAS DELICIOUS.
UM, BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY HOW I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT NOT ONLY THE CHALLENGES THAT THESE SMALL URBAN FARMS FACE, BUT THE BENEFITS AS WELL.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO RACHEL TO, UM, TO COVER THOSE, THOSE ISSUES FOR YOU.
AS CATHERINE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT, SMALL URBAN FARMS BRING A MULTITUDE OF BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT URBAN FARMS CAN INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, BY LOWERING FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, AND STORAGE COST BY MAKING NOURISHING HEALTHY FOOD DIRECTLY AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE TO SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND BY CREATING LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS GREEN SPACES, AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, A FARM OFFERS MANY ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN HELP TO MITIGATE FLOODING BY ACTING AS A RESERVOIR TO ABSORB EXCESS WATER DURING A STORM WATER SURGE.
AND BEYOND SOME OF THESE DIRECT ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, AS CATHERINE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT, URBAN FARMS ARE SPECIAL PLACES OF BELONGING, CONNECTION, AND DISCOVERY.
I HAVE SEEN URBAN FARMS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS GENERATIONS AND CULTURES, UH, CREATING A SENSE OF HOME IN A CITY THAT FOR MANY CAN FEEL TRANSIENT AND DISCONNECTED.
UH, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE WHO HAD NO IDEA THE FARM EXISTS COME OUT AND THEIR EYES LIGHT UP IN DELIGHT AS THEY SEE A CROP THAT THEIR GRANDMA GREW, UH, HERE IN TEXAS OR MAYBE WHERE THEY'RE FROM IN SOUTH ASIA.
AND I'VE SEEN, UH, KIDS WHO, UH, FIND OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT A CARROT IS ACTUALLY A ROOT AND IT GROWS UNDERGROUND AND IT DOESN'T COME PREPACKAGED AND CUT AND WRAPPED IN PLASTIC IN THE AISLES OF A GROCERY STORE.
THESE ARE MORE THAN FOOD PRODUCTION SPACES.
THESE ARE ONE OF THE FEW PLACES WE HAVE LEFT THAT ARE CAPABLE OF CULTIVATING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP.
UM, OUR COMMUNITIES FOR MANY CAN FEEL FRAGMENTED, AND THE FARMS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO CREATE A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE LAND EACH OTHER, AND TO FORM A SENSE OF PLACE.
WE DO THAT BY ENGAGING IN SOMETHING CHALLENGING, BUT MEANINGFUL BY SUPPORTING A FARM, BY EATING SEASONALLY AND BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AROUND SHARED WORK.
I HAVE HEARD MANY PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, TELL US THAT THROUGH PLANT IT FORWARD, THROUGH THIS CONNECTION TO THE FARM, THEY FELT AT HOME, PERHAPS IN A CITY THAT THEY GREW UP IN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
OF COURSE, UH, FARMS DON'T JUST NOURISH US SOCIALLY.
EVERY FARMER HAS STORIES OF CUSTOMERS WHO COME AND TELL THEM THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEIR HEALTH HAS IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE FARM.
UH, EVEN SOME WHO BELIEVE THAT A CHRONIC AND OR SERIOUS ILLNESS WAS CURED BY, UH, THE LIFESTYLE THAT ENGAGING WITH THE FARM PROVIDES THEM WITH THESE CONNECTIONS TO EACH OTHER, TO NOURISHMENT TO PLACE ALIGN DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S RESILIENCE PLAN, WHICH, UH, RECOGNIZES, AS YOU KNOW, THAT LOCAL GREENING INITIATIVES, UM, STRENGTHEN THE CITY AND PROVIDE A STRATEGY TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS THE RESILIENCE PLAN, ASSERT DIRECTLY THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL INVEST IN OUR FOOD ECOSYSTEM THROUGH ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND SPECIFICALLY THROUGH LOCAL AGRICULTURE, WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, BRINGS US TO, UH, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WHERE WE, UM, UNDERSTAND THAT URBAN FARMS ARE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE TO OUR CITY.
UH, BUT THE FACT, FACT IS, EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU IF YOU CAN SAY NEXT SLIDE.
WE WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING SOME SLIDES MOVING AROUND HERE ON OUR END.
THEY WERE DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB HERE.
YEAH, JUST SAY NEXT SLIDE WHEN YOU'RE READY, SO WE DON'T GET AHEAD OF YOU OR BEHIND YOU.
UM, SO, UH, URBAN FARMS OPERATE ON RAZOR THIN MARGINS AND FACE, UH, SEVERAL EXISTENTIAL CHALLENGES.
FOR ONE, UH, LAND ACCESS FOR ANY FARMER IS A CHALLENGE.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THAT'S EXACERBATED IN AN URBAN AREA.
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ONE REASON IS THAT, UH, VERY SMALL FARMS THAT ARE LESS THAN FIVE ACRES DON'T QUALIFY FOR AGRICULTURAL TAX EXEMPTIONS.BEYOND LAND ACCESS CHALLENGES, URBAN FARMERS NEED TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THE FARM TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN A VIABLE FARM, WHICH INCLUDES INVESTMENTS IN THE SOIL AND INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IN PARTICULAR INCLUDE WATER.
UM, AND WHEN I SAY THAT THESE FARMS ARE, ARE OPERATING ON RAZOR THIN MARGINS, TO PAINT A PICTURE, A TYPICAL URBAN FARM MIGHT BE HALF AN ACRE.
IT MIGHT EARN $50,000 IN PRODUCE SALES A YEAR.
AND FROM THAT 40 TO 50%, UH, OF, YOU KNOW, THAT TOTAL REVENUE ARE EXPENSES, LABOR AND SUPPLIES, BUT ALSO, UH, WATER, WHICH CAN BE ONE TO $2,000 A YEAR, WHICH IS VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR THESE MICRO BUSINESSES.
PER, LIKE, ON A PER KIND OF HALF ACRE FARM.
UM, SO THIS CHART SHOWS THE, UH, FARMS IN THE CITY THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR OUR PROPOSED WATER, WATER EXEMPTION.
AND IN TOTAL, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT NINE ACRES AND JUST UNDER $32,000 IN COLLECTIVE WATER, CROSS WATER BILLS ACROSS THOSE FARMS. NEXT SLIDE.
AND AGAIN, UM, WHILE THE PER FARM COST MAY SEEM SMALL FOR THESE, UH, VERY SMALL SCALE PRODUCERS, THE COST IS SIGNIFICANT, AND A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THEM CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING ABLE TO JUSTIFY POURING THEMSELVES INTO CREATING THESE FARM SPACES FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING FRESH PRODUCE AND CLOSING DOWN.
AND GIVEN THAT, UH, WE ARE ASKING THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THIS THREAT TO URBAN FARM VITALITY BY ENACTING AN AGRICULTURAL WATER EXEMPTION.
THE SPECIFIC, UH, PROPOSAL IS REALLY INTENDED FOR USE BY SMALL AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS THAT ARE PRODUCING FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
SO FRESH FOOD, VEGETABLES, FRUIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
AND WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THAT WITH THIS PRIVILEGE ALSO COMES THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PART OF THE FARMER TO USE RESPONSIBLE WATERING PRACTICES SUCH AS DRIP IRRIGATION AND LIMITED WATERING HOURS.
AND, UM, WE HAVE EXCLUDED FROM THE EXEMPTION THOSE WHO ARE GROWING PRIMARILY FOR PERSONAL USE, SUCH AS BACKYARD GARDENING OR NEIGHBORHOOD GARDENS.
SO, OUR, UM, COMMITTEE OF LOCAL FARMERS CAME UP WITH SEVERAL CRITERIA.
SO FIRST, TO QUALIFY A FARMING OPERATION NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTING A MAJORITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS THROUGH SALE OR COMMUNITY DISTRIBUTION.
THEY NEED TO BE USING A MAJORITY OF THEIR GROW SPACE TO PRODUCE FRUIT OR VEGETABLES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE PRODUCING FRESH CUT FLOWERS FOR SALE AT MARKET WOULDN'T QUALIFY FOR THIS EXEMPTION, UH, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY IS LESS, AND, UH, THERE'S A MINIMUM SIZE.
SO A FARM HAS TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF GROWTH SPACE FOR A MAJORITY OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THESE QUALIFICATIONS IS TO ENSURE THAT THESE ARE REALLY, UM, FARMS WHO ARE PRODUCING FOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, CAME UP WITH THAT RESTRICTION BECAUSE, UH, FOR A BACKYARD GROWER OR NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN, WATER COSTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY A THREAT TO THEIR VIABILITY, WHEREAS THEY ARE A THREAT TO THE VIABILITY
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OF THESE SMALL FARMS. AND, UH, WE THINK IT'S VERY FAIR FOR FARMS TO BE ASKED TO PROVIDE, UH, CERTAIN INFORMATION TO VERIFY THEIR QUALIFICATION.UM, AND WE HAVE PROPOSED THAT THOSE VERIFICATIONS COULD INCLUDE SALES OR DONATION RECORDS, A BUSINESS PLAN OR A FARM MAP THAT WOULD DEPICT, UH, THE GROW SPACE AND THE CROPS GROWN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
RACHEL AND I AND THE SMALL OTHER SMALL GROUP OF FARMERS THAT WE WORKED WITH MADE SURE THAT WE DID A GOOD DEAL OF RESEARCH ON WHICH FARMS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WOULD QUALIFY.
UM, THIS IS NOT A OPENING THE DOOR TO A PLETHORA OR, OR LARGE GROUP OF, OF ADDITIONAL FARMS. UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE.
UH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY HAVING, UH, THEY CONVERTED TO A NONPROFIT AND ARE HAVING THEIR BIG OPENING.
UM, THEY ARE ONE OF THE FAR THIS SATURDAY, UH, THEY ARE ONE OF THE FARMS THAT PROVIDES FREE BOXES OF PRODUCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHILE THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE RESOURCES TO DO FORMAL EVALUATIONS, HAVE HAD NEIGHBORS COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT LIKE REDUCED A1C LEVELS, UM, FROM THEIR, THEIR DIABETES.
UH, PLANET FORD HAS A NUMBER OF FARMS UNDER THEM, AS YOU WILL SEE FROM A CHART THAT WILL COME UP IN JUST A MINUTE.
VERDE, GREENS FARMS AND SHABA YAMANA.
UM, AND WE ALSO LISTED THE DISTRICTS THAT THESE FARMS EXIST IN.
SO, OF COURSE, THIS ISN'T JUST, UH, WE WANT, WE, THIS IS AN INVESTMENT ON THE PART OF THE CITY.
AND SO WE WANT YOU TO RETURN, UNDERSTAND WHAT PART OF THAT, UH, RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS.
SO I HIGHLIGHTED THE LAST COLUMN OF THE VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, THAT RIGHT NOW THESE FARMS ARE ABLE, UM, TO PRODUCE NEXT SLIDE.
AND WE WANTED TO PROVIDE EXAMPLES ON, ON WAYS THAT THESE, THAT A, A, LET'S SAY A FIVE ACRE FARM WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE THE INVESTMENT FROM THE WATER EXEMPTION AND BUILD UPON THE CAPACITY OF THEIR FARM.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, PURCHASING FROST CLOTH WOULD ENABLE THEM TO CONTINUE TO HARVEST TO PROTECT THEIR CROPS.
TODAY, THEY COULD LOSE PROPS FOR CROPS FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX WEEKS.
AND WE KNOW HOW MANY FREEZES WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
THEY COULD ALSO INVEST THEIR MONEY IN A SMALL HIGH TUNNEL THAT WOULD EXTEND THEIR GROWING SEASON, UH, PROTECTING THE, THE PRODUCE FROM INSECTS.
THEY ARE NOW ABLE TO, TO GROW PLANTS IN A NURSERY INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF PLANTING DIRECTLY IN THEIR BEDS, WHICH RE REDUCES THE TIME THEIR CROPS NEED IN THE BEDS.
AND SO FOR THAT FIRST PURCHASE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATELY 1400 POUNDS OF PRODUCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IN THE SECOND, UH, APPROXIMATELY AN ADDITIONAL THREE TO 5,000 POUNDS OF DIVERSIFIED VEGETABLES ANNUALLY.
AND FINALLY, ONE LAST EXAMPLE IS, UH, WE ALL KNOW HOW HOT, UH, IT, IT CAN GET IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO LARGE TARPS PROTECT THOSE CROPS FROM THE HEAT, IT PROTECTS IT FROM THE GROWTH OF WEEDS, WHICH GIVES THEM MORE TIME TO, UM, THEN BEGIN HARVESTING AND PLANTING FOOD.
SO, AS RACHEL SAID, UM, WE'RE HUMBLY ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE URBAN FARM AGRICULTURAL WATER EXEMPTION.
WE FEEL IT'S, UM, A SMALL MONETARY INVESTMENT ON THE PART OF THE CITY THAT WILL PROVIDE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UM, THAT WILL BENEFIT THIS, THIS CITY, UH, AND THE, THE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH, NUTRITIOUS PRODUCE.
AND THAT, UH, IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, I WILL YIELD TO VICE CHAIR, UH, CAYMAN FOR SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING, UH, TO THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK.
FOR THOSE OF US THAT WERE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE DURING THE PANDEMIC, EVEN THOSE THAT WERE NOT, BUT WE'RE HIGHLY ENGAGED IN SERVICE.
WE WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER FORGET WHAT YOU DID TO SAVE HOUSTONIANS.
UH, I WILL NEVER FORGET THE LINES THAT WRAPPED AROUND FOR MILES WEEK AFTER WEEK.
UH, SO RECOGNIZING THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK DOES, UH, GOES A LONG WAY IN MY BOOK, UH, INTO ALL OF OUR LOCAL FARMERS, LITERALLY LAST NIGHT, RIGHT? AS NEWS OF, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, FDA, UH, THE GUTTING OF THE AGENCY WE'RE LOSING LACK OF NOT JUST OVERSIGHT AND REGULATION, BUT INSPECTION.
SO WE'RE THERE LOOKING, WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT FOOD IS SAFE? WHAT ABOUT OUR LOCAL FARMS? HOW DO WE,
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YOU KNOW, PIVOT AND WHAT, WHAT IT, WHAT NOW, RIGHT? IS THE QUESTION WE'RE ASKING.SO I FULLY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE THAT OUR LOCAL, ESPECIALLY URBAN FARMERS PLAY AS WE DEAL WITH, UH, FOOD INSECURITY.
HAVE WE, I'LL START BY SAYING, ARE Y'ALL AWARE? SO IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS LEGALLY PROHIBITED FROM PROFITING OFF OF WATER.
SO WHATEVER WE ARE BILLING IS SOLELY A REIMBURSEMENT, A RECOUPMENT FOR EXPENDITURES, WHICH PUTS THE CITY IN A VERY CHALLENGING POSITION, UH, FINANCIALLY.
WE'RE ALREADY IN A FIN, YOU KNOW, IN DIRE STRAITS FINANCIALLY, BUT WE'RE NOT PROFITING OFF OF THIS.
SO THERE'S NOT MUCH WIGGLE ROOM.
UH, YOU RAISE A FASCINATING AND IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AROUND THIS, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S AWARE.
AS A CITY, WE DON'T HAVE REVENUE COMING IN FROM WATER 'CAUSE IT'S LIFE SAFETY.
THE, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PROPOSAL IT WOULD INCLUDE NON-PROFIT, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO FOR-PROFIT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, HOW MANY FOR-PROFIT LOCAL URBAN FARMS, DO Y'ALL KNOW, OR HAS THERE BEEN AN, AN ASSESSMENT OR A FISCAL ANALYSIS OF OVERALL NON-PROFIT VERSUS FOR PROFIT AND WHAT THOSE COSTS WOULD BE? SO, SO OF THE, FOR FARMS, WE NAMED VERDE GREENS IS FOR PROFIT, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE CONSIDERING CONVERTING INTO A NON-PROFIT BECAUSE THEIR MARGINS ARE TOO SMALL TO MAINTAIN THE FARM AS A FOR-PROFIT.
THE, UH, GROWERS WHO OPERATE ON LAND THAT PLANT FORWARD MANAGES ARE FOR-PROFIT AND PLANT FORWARD IS A NON-PROFIT SUPPORT ORGANIZATION.
THAT BEING SAID, I MEAN, AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR PROFIT, IT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EARNING A LIVING SELLING PRODUCE, NOT BY RECEIVING GRANTS OR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THESE FARMS, SOME ARE PART-TIME, SOME ARE FULL-TIME, BUT I MEAN, THEY'RE TAKING HOME 10 TO 40.
MAYBE OUR BEST FARMERS ARE TAKING HOME $50,000 A YEAR.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT JUST AT THE CITY RIGHT THERE, THEY'RE, WE TAKE LOOK VERY DIFFERENTLY AT PROFIT VERSUS NON-PROFIT IN TERMS OF TAX EXEMPTION.
UH, PROGRAMMING AND STATUS, THE, WE ARE GRAPPLING, AND I KNOW EVERYONE IS GRAPPLING WITH THE ISSUE OF WATER ALL AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, EVEN WHEN WE HAVE TOO MUCH WATER SOMETIMES WE'RE NOW SEEING EXTREME DROUGHT AS WELL.
YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE MEASURES THAT, UH, THOSE BUYING INTO THE PROGRAM WOULD HAVE TO IMPLEMENT IN TIMES OF DROUGHT.
IS THERE A CARVE OUT THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO SAY, NO, WE NEED TO RESTRICT WATER HERE FOR THE SAFETY AND SAKE OF EVERYONE? SO HAS THAT BEEN DISCUSSED AT ALL IN TERMS OF DROUGHT SCENARIOS? SO THERE RIGHT NOW IS AN EXEMPTION WHEN THERE ARE WATER RESTRICTIONS FOR THE URBAN FARMS. 'CAUSE THE CROPS WOULD DIE.
I KNOW THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER SPOKE TO THE HEAD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE, UM, I'M FORGETTING THE TERM, BUT TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WATER IS GOING IN IS NOT GOING INTO PRODUCING FOR HOUSING A HOUSE ON, OR A BUILDING ON THE, UM, ON THE LAND.
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK MORE TO YEAH, I'LL DEFER TO THE CHAIR ON THAT, BUT I THINK I'D BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW THE, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW ARE WE GONNA ENFORCE CERTAIN THINGS.
SO FOR THE WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS, YOU KNOW, FROM DRIP SYSTEMS TO WHATEVER ELSE WE PUT IN PLACE OF, HEY, Y'ALL, Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE GOOD NEIGHBORS IN THIS.
WHAT'S THE ENFORCEMENT AND OVERSIGHT MECHANISM WITH THAT? SO I THINK THAT, UH, CERTAINLY AS, UH, CATHERINE MENTIONED, I HAD A, A LENGTHY MEETING WITH, UH, DIRECTOR, UM, MACKAY AND TALKED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO REGULATE AND MONITOR AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH, WITH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING ON THE METER, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE ON THE SORT OF THE BACK OF THE HOUSE OPERATIONS FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
I, I WILL GO AHEAD AND DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO ONE THING THAT I THINK MATTERS AND IT, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE LISTENING.
UM, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, CITY PARKS, AND I'M GONNA CALL ON MY HISTORY A LITTLE BIT.
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I WAS PART OF THE INSTALLATION, UM, LEAD ON THE PROJECT THAT INSTALLED IRRIGATION ON 23 YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS AROUND THE CITY PARKS.AND THOSE ARE, UH, IRRIGATED YEAR ROUND TO THE TUNE OF, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE, BECAUSE THEY ARE EXEMPT AND IT'S, IT'S NOT STORM WATER.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF COMPARATIVE AND, AND I TALKED TO THE DIRECTOR ABOUT THAT.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW WE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A, IS A BROKEN WATER MAN ON A, ON A SOFTBALL FIELD, AND THAT GOES ON FOR DAYS, WHAT'S THE, THE LOSS AND THE GAIN? AND, BUT I, I THINK REALLY, UM, IN, IN WORKING THROUGH THE LANGUAGE ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, UM, THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED.
YOU KNOW, THE, UH, AND, AND ALSO TOO, I THINK CERTAINLY THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES OF THE, UH, PRODUCE THAT'S ACTUALLY PRODUCED, UM, IS A FACTOR.
AND HOW WE WOULD MITIGATE JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE BACKYARD PRODUCERS IN THAT.
BUT, UM, UH, THROUGH LEGAL AND THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE FOOD BANK, I, I THINK THAT THAT'S, THE DIRECTOR WAS FAVORABLE.
UH, AND THEN, AND ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS AGAIN ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED PREVIOUSLY THAT WE JUST WANNA GET ON THE RECORD AND MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE CAN HAVE ANSWERS TOO.
UM, DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF ANY OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS THAT ARE CURRENTLY DOING THIS? OR ANY OTHER MODELS THAT Y'ALL HAVE LOOKED AT THAT HAVE SHOWN THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL? I KNOW WE COLLECT, I CAN GET THAT TO YOU 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S IN OUR NOTES.
I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME TODAY, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT TO YOU.
AND THEN, UM, REGARDING THE, THE MONEY, YOU GAVE SOME GREAT EXAMPLES OF WHAT THIS MONEY COULD GO TOWARDS, WHICH WOULD THEREBY NOT ONLY PROTECT CROPS, BUT IDEALLY INCREASE PRODUCTION AS WELL TO FEED MORE FOLKS, UH, GIVE THEM ACCESS TO HEALTHIER FOOD AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
HAVE Y'ALL CONSIDERED OR ARE THERE CONVERSATIONS AROUND LET'S SAY X FARM, UH, AS A REBATE THAT'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE TERM, BUT IS DISCOUNTED OR SAVES $1,500 A REQUIREMENT OR PROOF OF SHOWING OF WHAT THAT MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS? SO WHEN YOU SAID, HEY, IT'S THIS COULD GO TO PROTECT THE CROPS, AS WE MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE, IS THERE ANYTHING BEING CONSIDERED AROUND WHAT WE SPECIFY THAT THIS MONEY GOES TOWARDS? I SPEAK FOR RACHEL AND SHE CAN NOD HER HEAD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE THROUGH THE LFPA GRANT THAT, UM, WE'VE HAD THAT UNFORTUNATELY THE ADMINISTRATION IS, IS, HAS NOW CUT.
UM, WE HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF DATA COLLECTION ON WHERE THAT PRODUCE GOES.
UM, WHAT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO, UM, WE COULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT HOW, AND I MEAN THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TRACKABLE, SO SURE.
AND I, I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL AS WE EDUCATE, CERTAINLY MYSELF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS THAT MOST GOOD FARMERS ARE ALREADY DOING, RIGHT? MM-HMM
Y'ALL ARE NOT SPRAYING WITH THE HOSE.
YOU HAVE APPROPRIATE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, YOU'RE DOING THINGS RESPONSIBLY.
IF THERE'S EXAMPLES OF HOW MUCH WATER Y'ALL ARE ALREADY SAVING HOUSTON MM-HMM.
THAT MAY BE HELPFUL, UH, FOR US TO DIGEST THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
UH, AS, AGAIN, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE BEING GOOD FAITH PARTNERS MM-HMM.
IN ALL OF THIS, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE MM-HMM
UH, I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, CHAIR, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT DIRECTLY TO THIS.
WE JUST HAVE THE BRAIN TRUST IN THE ROOM AND I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT SOMETHING.
SO I'LL, I'LL YIELD, UH, TO OTHERS.
UH, CAN Y'ALL TALK A LITTLE BIT AGAIN, I WAS IN CONVERSATIONS YESTERDAY AND TODAY, UH, ABOUT QUALITY CONTROL, UH, AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GONNA FACE, ESPECIALLY IN CERTAIN STATES THAT DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN TYPES OF QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL AND URBAN FARMING? UH, NOT JUST FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, WHICH Y'ALL HAVE COVERED, BUT THE ACTUAL QUALITY CONTROL THAT GOES INTO THIS.
I'M AN AVID LOVER OF OUR FARMER'S MARKETS, RIGHT? BUT HOW DO FOLKS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING IS THE BEST OF THE BEST? I THINK THAT BY VIRTUE OF THIS FARM BEING SMALL AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THESE FARMS ARE
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ORGANIC, SO THERE'S NO USE OF PESTICIDE.THE, SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS WE MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT WITH QUALITY CONTROL, UM, OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, MORE HANDS TOUCHING IT, MOVING FROM COLD TO NOT COLD TO COLD AGAIN, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, NEEDING TO BE WASHED REALLY WELL BECAUSE IT WAS SPRAYED WITH PESTICIDE OR A PRESERVATIVE.
UM, THOSE ARE JUST NON-ISSUES IN THESE HYPER-LOCAL FARMS WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STORY IN THE HOUSTON LANDING ABOUT ONE OF PLANTED FORWARDS FARMERS THIS WEEK, AND, UH, HE LITERALLY HARVEST AT 2:00 AM BEFORE MARKET THE NEXT MORNING.
UM, AND SO THERE JUST IS SO LITTLE OPPORTUNITY ALMOST FOR CONTAMINATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL ALSO SAY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, SO THERE IS AN AGRICULTURAL WATER RATE ON THE BOOKS, UH, BUT IS FOR UNTREATED, UH, STORM AND SEWAGE WATER, UH, DESIGNED FOR RICE FARMS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A FRESH PRODUCT.
UM, WHICH IS WHY LIKE, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TACK ONTO THAT RATE.
UH, SO, AND I WILL SAY THAT ALSO SMALL FARMS ARE REGULATED, UM, AT LEAST NOW, UH, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS THE CAPACITY TO, YOU KNOW, SEND A FOOD SAFETY INSPECTOR TO THESE FARMS. AND SO WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ANNUALLY, AND IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT SMALL FARMERS TAKE SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR CUSTOMERS.
SO IF, IF SOMEONE GETS SICK, THEY'RE GONNA KNOW IT PERSONALLY.
WELL, AND WHILE I HAVEN'T READ THAT ARTICLE, THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES WITH OTHER PROGRAMS WITH TDA IN THE PAST, AND SO TA HAS GOTTEN EVEN STRICTER IN EVERYTHING THEY DO.
UM, WHILE NOT ALL THIS FOOD FLOWS THROUGH THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, WE DON'T FRANKLY CARE WHAT USDA DOES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ABIDE BY ALL OF OUR SAFETY STANDARDS, ALL OF OUR FDA STANDARDS.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THAT, THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OR GOES TOWARDS YOUR QUESTION.
AND THAT, JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR, TO THAT POINT, UM, BECAUSE THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK IS SO HEAVILY INVOLVED, RIGHT? THAT ADDS ANOTHER KIND OF STA GOLD STANDARD TO IT.
UM, BUT THERE WILL BE THEORETICALLY URBAN FARMS THAT HOUSTON FOOD BANK DOES NOT WORK WITH OR UTILIZE THEIR PRODUCTS FROM THAT GO INTO THIS PROGRAM, OR WOULD IT PRIMARILY THE MAJOR UMBRELLA, OUR HOUSTON FOOD BANK PARTNERS? UM, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE SO MUCH IS CHANGING WITH LFPA.
ONE OF THE FORMER GRANTS, UM, EXPIRED.
IT, IT IS THE INTENTION OF OUR CEO TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT LOCAL FARMS. UM, BUT I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE FARMS THAT CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE WITH US.
I, I EXPECT THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE, THE MAJORITY OF THESE FARMS WILL CONTINUE IN, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
AND AGAIN, OFFLINE, IF THERE IS INFORMATION LIKE Y'ALL ARE LOSING GRANTS AND GRANT FUNDING, UH, THAT'S HELPFUL FOR US.
I THINK IT'S COUNSEL TO KNOW, TO BE AWARE OF, WE'VE BEEN STARTING TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE IMPACT LOCALLY.
UH, SO PLEASE JUST PASS THAT INFORMATION ALONG.
YES, WE, I CAN SEND THAT TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY CALCULATED THE LOSSES BOTH IN THE VALUE OF FOOD AS WELL AS CASH LOSS TO OUR, TO OUR OPERATING FUNDS.
UM, THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND TO YOUR POINT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK CONTINUES TO STEP UP IN TIMES OF NEED.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN, UH, IN THE PAST 15 YEARS A TIME WHEN I'VE CALLED, CAN YOU? AND THEN WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT? AND, AND IT'S DONE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ON FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS, UM, DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY, WHETHER THROUGH, YOU KNOW, COVID OR THROUGH STORM, AND I, I THINK CERTAINLY, UM, THE ASK OF THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK IS, IS ALWAYS THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE ALWAYS GOT A NEED, BUT THE ASK FROM THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK IS RARE.
AND I THINK THAT CERTAINLY THIS, UM, UH, CATHERINE, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CAME TO SEE ME LAST YEAR EARLY ON, UM, I LISTEN BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ALL LISTEN.
UM, AND YOU ALWAYS STEP UP FOR OUR CITY AND BEYOND TO BE HONEST.
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MUCH APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THE FOOD BANK MEANS TO OUR CITY AND, AND ALL THAT THEY SERVE.SO I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERYONE AROUND THE HORSESHOE WILL TAKE THE SAME HARD LOOK AT THAT AND TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ADVOCATE ON THOSE THAT HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST A, A SIMPLE ASK.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY MEANINGFUL AND VERY IMPACTFUL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS NEXT YEAR? CAN I MAKE ONE LAST COMMENT? SURE, SURE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, IT IS DEFINITELY THE POLICY OF OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DEPARTMENT THAT WE DO A GREAT DEAL OF RESEARCH.
UH, WE WANT QUESTIONS LIKE YOU'VE, YOU'VE PROVIDED AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE PROVIDED, BECAUSE WHEN WE, UM, SUPPORT POLICY, WE WANT IT TO BE GOOD POLICY THAT IS ACTUALLY ADDRESSING A PROBLEM.
SO WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR CONSIDERATION AND QUESTIONS.
SO WELL THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.
UM, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, OTHERWISE WE ARE READY TO ADJOURN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND AGAIN, THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.
UM, OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED, UH, RESILIENCE COMMITTEE MEETING IS THURSDAY, MAY 1ST AT 10:00 AM.
THANK YOU ALL, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.