Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in Cleveland for two events

Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) will host U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small on Monday, March 25 in Cleveland for two events highlighting the importance of urban agriculture and supporting the next generation of black and minority farmers.

Brown and Torres Small will visit the Ben Franklin School Community Garden and the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI), which received federal funding secured by Congresswoman Brown for its new Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative, which will use advanced technology, including drones, to support urban farms. At OAI, Congresswoman Brown will also host a roundtable with local urban farmers and other stakeholders.

Brown will reintroduce the Thriving Community Gardens Act, which encourages schools to develop and operate community gardens, according to a press release from her office.

"I am honored to welcome U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small to Cleveland. The Biden-Harris Administration believes in urban agriculture and supporting black farmers, and so do I. Earlier this month, I secured Community Project Funding for the Ohio Aerospace Institute's Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative and am excited to highlight this important project and the other exciting work being done in Cleveland. This is an important opportunity to connect local urban farmers and stakeholders with one of our nation's top agriculture officials and have an important conversation about growing the next generation of urban farmers," said Brown. 

Brown and Torres Small will visit the community garden at 1905 Spring Road [44109] from 1-2p tomorrow before heading to OAI for the roundtable with Cleveland school district faculty, local urban farmers and agriculture stakeholders. The roundtable, at 2280 Cedar Point Road [44142], is scheduled to run from 2:15-4p. Both events are open to the public.

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