The American Public Gardens Association (the Association) and the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) set out to collaborate and conduct this study to understand the extent of urban agriculture program impacts. The goals of this research were to investigate viable urban agriculture program models that are self-sustaining and environmentally, socially, and economically enriching. To that end, we focused on specific job training impacts and nutrition outcomes for underserved communities in American urban centers. In a broader sense, this study examines whether urban agriculture is socially and economically viable. The Association used a three-pronged research approach by exploring literature, surveying, and subsequently interviewing community-based non-profit and for-profit organizations, government agencies, urban agriculture research experts at universities, and several public gardens about their urban agriculture initiatives and related educational programming.
The Role of Public Gardens in American Urban Agriculture Programming

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