About the Guide

Recently, there has been a revival of urban agriculture across the country and here in Pittsburgh. Changes to the City of Pittsburgh’s Urban Agriculture Zoning Code in July 2015 made it easier to get permits for raising animals and bees, and made agriculture a permitted primary use of land within the city. These new developments will hopefully encourage more people to begin growing and selling food in Pittsburgh, which inspired the creation of this resource guide. There are many things one needs to know as an aspiring urban grower and this guide will be a reference on a range of topics related to growing and selling food in Pittsburgh. By covering such a wide array of information, many different people may find the guide useful in different ways. For example if you are a backyard gardener, you might be less interested in the business planning section than someone starting an urban farm. So use the sections that are relevant to you and skip the others. Some of the information in the guide is likely to change over time, so it will be continually updated. If you have any questions or comments about the guide, please contact one of the partners listed below or email pghurbangrower@gmail.com. 

Grow Pittsburgh
Grow Pittsburgh is an urban agriculture nonprofit serving the Pittsburgh region. Their mission is to teach people how to grow food and promote the benefits gardens bring to neighborhoods. They believe access to locally-grown, chemical-free fruits and vegetables is a right, not a privilege. Grow Pittsburgh creates opportunities for people of all ages to experience hands-on gardening in schools, community gardens, and urban farm sites.  They are also working to remove the barriers to growing food by operating a tool lending library and garden material supply depot, offering low-cost educational opportunities throughout the year, and developing policy to support urban food growing.

Penn State Extension - Allegheny County
Penn State Extension is part of The Penn State Center Pittsburgh. Extension is part of the US Land grant system which by statute links teaching, research and education in state, federal, county and university partnerships. The goal is to transfer research based practice into community problem solving. Local staff works with individuals, organizations and communities to address needs related to a variety of disciplines including agriculture, community and economic development, nutrition, youth development, natural resource management and master gardeners and provides access to experts through the state and national land grant system.

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council
The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council envisions a food system that benefits our community, our economy and our environment in ways that are equitable and sustainable. The council serves as a collaborative advisory organization, bringing together stakeholders from diverse food-related sectors to examine, develop and improve Pittsburgh's food system. It is committed to working with City officials and residents of Pittsburgh to develop food and urban agriculture policy. The council provides technical assistance, education, momentum and support on issues related to food production, food access, food distribution, health/nutrition education and urban planning.