Toledo must nurture urban agriculture

Thomas Jackson aimed to bring fresh produce to Toledo, but he may end up bringing much more. Mr. Jackson’s long battle with the city may prompt it to finally draft regulations for urban farming.Motivated by Mr. Jackson’s court case — he has been fined by the city for keeping mulch on three central-city parcels he owns — a few Toledo citizens are working with city officials to draft what they call a “Right to Grow” ordinance for Toledo City Council to consider.Mr. Jackson was found guilty of failing to abate a nuisance after neighbors complained that his lots were unsightly, smelled terrible, and attracted rodents. Actually, he made his lots, and his neighborhood, much better.But one of the problems in Mr. Jackson’s case was that Toledo lacks specific guidelines for urban farming like those that guide such efforts in Cleveland and Detroit. Urban farming thrives in these cities. A Lucas County Land Bank survey released in 2015 estimated there were about 14,640 vacant lots in the city. Creating a framework that can guide neighbors and community groups who want to turn these lots into agricultural oases is good public policy. The city needs clear regulations about where it is safe and appropriate to grow produce, how urban farm plots should be maintained, where would-be urban farmers can go for assistance, and other issues.Turning vacant, often-blighted empty plots in the city into small agricultural operations is practical and builds a sense of community. Greening the city with small farms improves the air and the earth and provides fresh food