Local farms, gardens, educators, and community organizations recently gathered at Garden of Health in San Bernardino to celebrate the impact of 23 urban agriculture projects funded through the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Urban Agriculture Grant Program, with regional coordination and technical assistance provided by the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD).
The CDFA Urban Agriculture Grant Program supports urban farming and community-based agriculture projects that improve food access, expand agricultural education, strengthen local economies, and build more resilient food systems. As a regional partner, IERCD helped bring these resources to organizations across Riverside and San Bernardino counties by providing grant coordination, technical assistance, and ongoing support throughout the program.
The celebration recognized organizations and farmers using urban agriculture to create community impact in a variety of ways. Recipients used grant funding to purchase essential equipment, including refrigeration units, delivery vehicles, generators, tractors, and an all-terrain forklift. Others expanded sustainable irrigation systems, green spaces, outdoor classrooms, aquaponics and hydroponics programming, farm stands, community workshops, pollinator support, and hands-on agricultural education opportunities.
Together, funded projects supported more than 200 workshops and community events, more than 2,000 hours of education and community engagement, nine sustainable irrigation projects, six farm stands, 11 equipment purchases, two farmer apprentice programs, and classes for 21 hydroponics and aquaponics students. The program also helped support more than a dozen paid positions across funded projects.
“IERCD is a model organization for providing these types of programs,” said Tracey Perez, Regional Producer Engagement Specialist in the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Farm to Fork. “Not only has IERCD supported access to funding for these organizations and producers, but they have also provided direct technical assistance to help ensure projects are successful and continue building capacity. It is a model that organizations across California can learn from.”
For recipients, the funding created opportunities to expand operations, reach more community members, and build long-term sustainability. “This grant helped us take our farm from zero to one hundred in the last year,” said Jessica Handy of Sandalwood Farm. “It has taken us to a point where we can start providing produce for communities, and we host workshops now.”
The celebration included presentations from featured awardees, remarks from CDFA and partner agencies, a certificate recognition ceremony, and time for recipients to connect with one another. The event highlighted both individual project accomplishments and the broader network of urban agriculture practitioners working across the Inland Empire. While each project addresses a different community need, together they demonstrate the value of local investment and collaboration: stronger food systems, expanded opportunities, and communities better equipped to grow for the future.
The IERCD is a public agency headquartered in the City of Redlands but serving nearly 1,300 square miles of southwest San Bernardino and northwest Riverside counties. The District operates under the guiding principle that the quality of the environment determines the corresponding quality of life, and works accordingly to preserve open spaces, elevate forest health and fire resilience, uplift wildland areas, support sustainable agriculture, and engage the community through education and outreach.