The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference

The urbanized parts of southern and central Florida have a long history of interaction between commercial vegetable production and encroaching suburbs.  This area is now seeing an interest in small-scale farming in more metropolitan locales and in production specifically for an increasing number of farmers’ markets, including several under commercial management.  Some producers are familiar with vegetable farming, but face zoning and related issues.  Others are not familiar with the supplemental aspects of commercial vegetable production such as the Worker Protection Standard, perishability, and food safety associated with growing food crops.  New producers run the gamut from those making the transition from avid gardener to farmer to those converting a portion of a nursery operation to vegetables. This talk will also lead to a discussion of other issues facing producers farming in an urban setting.