Committee Updates

  • USDA Urban Programs in Los Angeles. In 2026, the Food Committee will support the USDA’s urban programs in the Los Angeles region. LA is one of a small number of cities piloting Urban County Committees and is also the planned home to an Urban Service Center—new initiatives whose continuation depends on the next farm bill. This project will focus on highlighting early successes, increasing awareness and use of USDA resources among urban growers, and reinforcing the value of these programs to policymakers.

  • Developed a community guide on obtaining USDA Farm Numbers for urban farmers, breaking down eligibility requirements, application steps, and access to federal funding opportunities, conservation programs, and disaster assistance for small-scale and urban agricultural operations. (2026)

  • Developed the Local Food Resources LA guide, a community resource connecting residents to farmers' markets, urban farms, community gardens, and food pantries across LA County, designed as a starting point for exploring local food access options. (2026)

  • The Resilient Food Systems Committee successfully advocated for one of its recommendations—to make the Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production Advisory Committee permanent—to be adopted as one of the Secretary of Agriculture's six official recommendations for the year. (Fall 2025)

  • Hosted Margaret To from From Soil to Soul, a documentary series amplifying the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color farmers, regenerative practitioners, and food activists who are building food sovereignty and transforming communities' relationships with food, land, and each other. Website From Soil to Soul Film (2025)

  • Hosted Prema Walker from Prema's Permaculture, an SB 1383 advocate and implementation consultant who has helped divert over 600,000 pounds of food waste from landfills through her work advancing composting and organic waste reduction across the region. Website: Prema’s Permanculture and Composting (2025)

Resources

Resilient Food Systems Committee

Building resilient food systems is essential to addressing the climate crisis. From urban farms and community gardens to sustainable agriculture and reduced food waste, we have the power to transform how we grow, distribute, and consume food in Los Angeles. By strengthening local food networks, we can reduce our carbon footprint, improve food security, and create healthier, more equitable communities. Our committee works to promote solutions that nourish both people and the planet.

The Resilient Food Systems Committee meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 7pm via Zoom. Click here to register.

LEADERSHIP

Cindy Cotter

Cindy Cotter, Co-Chair, Food Committee

Cindy Cotter

Cindy Cotter is an urban agriculture advocate who believes that growing food in the right way, in the right place, can reduce climate harm, support climate recovery, and strengthen community resilience. Her work extends beyond cultivation to broader food system issues, including land and water access, zoning and regulations, technical support, market development, and consumer engagement. She is also passionate about home gardens, beekeeping, and backyard chickens as part of a sustainable urban food system.

She's completed soil advocate training with Kiss the Ground and studied urban agriculture for planners through the Cornell Small Farms Program. She's an active member of both the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles chapters of Climate Reality and represents them on the Los Angeles Food Policy Council's Regenerative and Urban Agriculture Working Group. She also chairs the Urban Agriculture Network, a national initiative connecting Climate Reality chapters with each other and with other organizations and individuals working to advance urban agriculture.