Recent Blog Posts

Urban agriculture is booming, but there’s often a hidden danger lurking in city soils: lead. A recent University of Illinois study showed universally elevated lead levels in soils across Chicago, an urban ag hotspot.

Scientists don’t know much about how vegetables and other crops take up and accumulate lead in real-world settings, but new U of I research in Chicago backyard gardens shows tomatoes are likely safe to eat, even when grown in highly lead-contaminated soils.

Read the full article here.

Sourced from Morning Ag Clips

Plan to attend the Urban Food Systems Symposium September 26-28, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. The theme for this year's conference is "building Coalitions for a Chanding World." The program schedule has been announced so check out the UFSS website to learn about keynotes, invited speakers, posters, and technical sessions. Register by August 31 to receive the best prices. Limited funds are still available for travel scholarships - check it out.

Urban agriculture support systems take different forms and promote diverse priorities in different U.S. cities. Some treat farming and gardening as a public good—public spaces that are valued for their community-building, environmental, public health, and other social benefits. Others have sought to extract more economic and redevelopment gains from urban agriculture. The specific ways cities support urban agriculture—and the outcomes city governments, support organizations, and funders expect from it—have significant impacts and implications for social equity and justice.

In an article from JAFSCD, “’The highest and best use of land in the city’: Valuing urban agriculture in Philadelphia and Chicago,” Domenic Vitiello explores these divergent, often opposing expectations of what urban agriculture can yield, and what it should be. Reflecting on over a decade of research and practice, he traces the evolution of urban agriculture activities, support, and policy in Philadelphia and Chicago since the end of the twentieth century. These histories reflect broader tensions among different approaches to governing, supporting, and practicing agriculture in cities.

Read more.

Sourced from Morning AgClips

About

Deep Dives, Urban Sabbaticals, and Urban Graduate Fellowships are designed to enhance the impact of Extension, and the broader land-grant university system, in metropolitan communities. Learn more or meet our past fellows at https://metroextension.wsu.edu/fellows/.

Application deadline (11:59 PDT): July 31, 2022

Fellowship Programs

DEEP DIVES:  Deep Dives were created to spur innovation within Extension, address complex issues facing metropolitan areas, and support the organizational needs of urban Extension programs, while providing opportunities for academic and community-based professionals to lead multi-state or national projects. Each WCMER Deep Dive is led by a WCMER Applied Research Fellow.

Anyone may apply. Only participants from WCMER platinum member institutions are eligible for funding which may be up to $10,000 annually for up to two years. See the WCMER member page to find out if your institution is a platinum member.

URBAN SABBATICALS: Urban Sabbaticals allow community-engaged scholars to work with the WCMER and faculty from member institutions to conduct applied research, develop or sharpen skills related to working in metropolitan communities, develop and/or pilot new programs, conduct feasibility studies for new programmatic areas, or co-author scholarly products.

Sabbaticals may range from 2-12 months. Anyone is eligible to apply. Only participants from WCMER member institutions will be eligible for stipends of up to $5,000 for platinum members and $2,000 for silver members. See the WCMER member page to find out if your institution is a member.

URBAN GRAD STUDENT FELLOWSHIP: Urban Graduate Fellowships will allow post-graduate students pursuing Master’s or Doctoral degrees to work with the WCMER and faculty from member institutions to conduct applied research, develop new or sharpen existing skills related to working in metropolitan communities, develop and / or pilot new programs, conduct feasibility studies for new programmatic areas, or co-author scholarly products.

Graduate fellowships may range from one quarter up to a full academic year including summer terms. Anyone is eligible to apply. Only participants from WCMER platinum member institutions will be eligible for stipends of up to $2,500. See the WCMER member page to find out if your institution is a member.

2022-23 Topics of Interest

The WCMER will accept applications on any topic of interest that addressed the goals and mission of WCMER, However, for the current round of funding, WCMER is especially interested in applications that address or relate to the intersection of diversity, equity and inclusion and the following topics: 

1. Climate Change
2. Workforce Development 
3. Health Equity 

Timeline

• June 15, 2022: Application period opens
• July 31, 2022: Application deadline (11:59 PDT)
• August 31, 2022: Awardees notified
• January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023: Period of performance
• June 30, 2023: Final report detailing accomplishments and use of funds due.

View / Download the Application Instructions 

For additional information, contact Brad Gaolach, Director WCMER
425-405-1734 | gaolach@wsu.edu