What Does Urban Triage’s Agriculture Program Do?

‍Food Justice, Community Agriculture, and Black Farming in Madison, Wisconsin

Urban Triage is not just growing food.

We are rebuilding access.
We are restoring connection to land.
We are creating pathways to economic power.

Across Madison and the Greater Dane County area, families continue to face barriers to fresh, affordable food. But food access is not just about groceries.

It is about equity.
It is about health.
It is about ownership.

At Urban Triage, we believe access to healthy food is a right, not a privilege—and our agriculture program is designed to make that real through community agriculture, food justice initiatives, and Black-led farming programs in Wisconsin.

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Why Food Justice Matters in Madison, WI Right Now

In Madison—especially on the south side—many families live in areas where fresh food is limited, unaffordable, or inaccessible.

Urban Triage’s agriculture work directly addresses this gap by building community-based food systems that prioritize:

• Access to fresh, organic produce
• Education rooted in food sovereignty
• Economic opportunities through agriculture
• Black leadership in farming and land ownership

This is not charity.

This is infrastructure.

This is how communities stabilize, grow, and thrive.

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What Does Urban Triage’s Agriculture Program Include?

Urban Triage’s agriculture programs are designed to meet people where they are—whether they want to grow food, build a business, or simply access fresh produce.

Our community agriculture programs in Madison, Wisconsin, include:

• Hands-on agriculture education and training
• Support for Black farmers and emerging growers
• Development of community gardens across Madison
• Weekly free produce distribution for families
• Pathways to income, entrepreneurship, and land ownership

We intentionally connect food access to housing stability, health, and economic mobility—because these systems are deeply connected.

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What is Supporting Healthy Agriculture (SHB)?

Supporting Healthy Agriculture (SHB) is the foundation of Urban Triage’s agriculture work.

This 12-week community workgroup reconnects Black families and individuals with land, knowledge, and opportunity.

Participants:

• Learn how to grow their own food
• Gain hands-on farming and gardening experience
• Explore agriculture as a business pathway
• Engage in conversations about the history of Black agriculture and systemic inequities

SHA is about more than learning.

It is about reclaiming knowledge, rebuilding relationships to land, and restoring generational connection.

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Do You Help People Start Farms or Agricultural Businesses?

Yes.

Urban Triage’s Farm Business Development Program supports Black farmers and growers in starting and scaling agricultural businesses in Wisconsin.

We provide:

• Business planning and strategy development
• Licensing and regulatory navigation
• Access to state and federal agricultural programs
• Support building sustainable income through farming

This work is critical.

Black farmers once made up 14% of U.S. farmers. Today, that number has dropped to just 1.3%—a direct result of systemic discrimination and land loss.

Urban Triage is actively working to change that.

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What is the Hemp Specialty Crop Workgroup?

The Hemp Specialty Crop Workgroup introduces participants to hemp as a growing agricultural and economic opportunity.

Participants learn:

• Hemp cultivation fundamentals
• Legal and regulatory frameworks
• Business development within the hemp industry

This program directly connects to Urban Triage’s broader economic empowerment strategy and serves as a pipeline into emerging markets.

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Where Are Urban Triage’s Community Gardens Located?

Urban Triage is actively expanding access to land across Madison.

In 2026, we are launching:

• A community garden at Heifetz Park (South Madison)
• A garden at our Emerging Adults Transitional Home

These spaces are designed for:

• Growing fresh food
• Practicing agricultural skills
• Building community relationships
• Creating safe, accessible learning environments

This is how we bring agriculture back into community hands.

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Do You Provide Free Food?

Yes.

Urban Triage grows and distributes nearly 10,000 pounds of organic produce each year, all of which is returned directly to the community.

📍 Weekly distribution location:
2312 S. Park Street, Madison, WI

There are:

• No requirements
• No sign-ups
• No barriers

Because access to healthy food should never depend on income, status, or circumstance.

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What Ag Events Occur During the Year?

Urban Triage hosts year-round events that connect people to food, land, and each other.

‍🌱 Community Garden Groundbreaking

Heifetz Park — March 28
Hands-on activities included soil prep, composting, and garden setup.

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‍Seed Starting Workshop

UW–Madison Extension Dane County - April 4
5201 Fen Oak Drive, Madison

This in-person adult class featured a lecture on starting vegetable and flower seeds, followed by a hands-on session in the Dane County Extension greenhouse where participants practiced techniques and left with up to a flat of seeds. The class covered how to start seeds indoors or outdoors and grow healthy seedlings using proper media, temperature, water, and lighting, helping participants achieve better garden performance and productivity.

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🌾 Annual Harvest Festival (September)

Farley Center, Verona

A celebration of:

• Community-grown food
• Black farmers and growers
• The collective work of the season

These events are about more than participation.

They are about belonging.

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Why This Work Matters

Urban Triage’s agriculture program is not just about food.

It is about:

• Restoring access to land
• Building economic opportunity
• Strengthening community connections
• Advancing food justice in Wisconsin
• Creating long-term systems change

Every seed planted is a step toward equity.Every harvest is a step toward stability.Every program is a step toward power.

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Take Action: Be Part of the Work

🌱 Subscribe to our Agriculture Newsletter

🌱 Join our Agriculture Facebook Resource Group

🌱 Volunteer in a community garden

🌱 Attend upcoming events

🌱 Donate to support food justice in Madison and Dane County

Because food justice doesn’t happen alone.

It happens in community.