title: A Coordinated Approach to Food Safety and Land Use Law at the Urban Fringe.
abstract: Much has been written about the rise of the local food movement in urban and suburban areas. This essay tackles an emerging outgrowth of that movement: the growing desire of urban and suburban dwellers to engage rural areas where food is produced not only to obtain food but also as a means of tourism and cultural activity. This represents a potentially much-needed means of economic development for rural areas and small farmers who are increasingly dependent on non-farm income for survival. The problem, however, is that food safety and land use laws struggle to keep up with these changes, waffling between over-regulation and de-regulation. This essay posits a legal path forward to steer clear of regulatory extremes and to help the local food movement grow and prosper at the urban fringe. We must cultivate our garden.
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D059022:Food Safety; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D014481:United States; D014507:Urbanization