Current Projects

Research Project with the University of Arizona’s Food Systems Research Lab

PCFA is undertaking a research project in collaboration with the Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS) and the Center for Regional Food Studies (CRFS) at the University of Arizona.

Established in 2011, PCFA is the only food policy council in Pima County. It has been integral to advancing several key food-related policies in our region. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its reliance on an all-volunteer staff have interrupted PCFA’s work in recent years. In 2021, the Food Systems Research Lab began working with PCFA to hold a series of focus groups on food-related challenges and policy needs in southern Arizona. Together, members of PCFA and the Food Systems Lab successfully applied for a Thriving Communities grant from the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona to revitalize and diversify participation in PCFA over the next two years, including creating several paid positions. The Food Systems Research Lab provides research and other resources to support the process of reinvigorating and refocusing PCFA’s important work in southern Arizona and linking it with state-level policy efforts spearheaded by the Arizona Food Systems Network.

PCFA and the Food Systems Research Lab have completed interviews and focus groups with over 100 community members from different local organizations. PCFA and the lab are in the analysis portion of the product and are compiling a final report of our findings.

Affordable Water Rates for Urban Farmers

The idea for a small urban farm water rate in Tucson originated from concerns voiced by local urban farmers who were Tucson Water customers. These farmers, who currently pay residential rates between $13 and $18 per CCF to grow nourishing fruits and vegetables for their community, expressed how costly their water had become - to the point that they were losing money in the process of farming. Alison Doty and Erik Stanford, who at the time were working with these farmers through Pivot Produce and Tucson City of Gastronomy, authored a white paper titled, “Incentivizing Urban Agriculture in Tucson, Arizona”, which recommended creating a lower water rate for small farmers in an effort to make urban farming more viable in Tucson. Doty and Stanford advocated to get the support of 11 local food system organizations, including the Pima County Food Alliance (PCFA), who worked with partners at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and Breckenfeld Family Growers to continue advocating for the adoption of a pilot program with City of Tucson officials. 

This program is modeled after the recently adopted Community Garden Water Rate and creates a new tier ($3.36/ccf) for small, food-producing farmers within Tucson Water’s service area. A small farm water rate will have the following impacts:

  • Lessen the barriers for small farmers to grow food by reducing the cost of inputs, making it more possible for new and beginning farmers to enter this field and be successful. The average age of farmers in Arizona is 61 years old; now more than ever we need to make farming more accessible for young people, and especially for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. 

  • Increase the amount of nourishing locally grown produce available for Tucson residents, especially those who use food assistance benefits. Many small farmers sell at local farmers’ markets that accept food assistance benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), which increase nutrition security for families, children, and seniors.

  • Support small farmers to serve as stewards of our land and water. Participants in this water rate program will be required to implement climate-smart irrigation practices if they haven’t already done so.

  • Overall, increase the resiliency of Tucson’s local food system. Reducing barriers for small-scale urban food producers contributes to the public good by supporting community food security, helping Tucson withstand more frequent national supply chain disruptions, mitigating the urban heat island effect, and contributing to the region’s climate resiliency.  

Tucson Mayor and Council approved a one-year Small Urban Farm Water Rate pilot program in November 2023. The Pima County Food Alliance will work together with Tucson Water to develop the program and make it available to local farmers on Tucson Water. Stay tuned for more updates!

Past Projects

Garden-to-Cafeteria

From 2014 to 2016, PCFA participated in a successful effort to make local food more available to schools. Prior to this effort, it was illegal for schools to serve the food grown in their school gardens in their cafeterias. PCFA first began working with the state health department to create reasonable guidelines for schools to be able to certify their gardens serve the food they grow in the cafeteria. PCFA then lobbied the state legislature to redefine the term “approved source” to automatically include school gardens. House Bill 2518 passed in 2016, meaning that school garden-grown food is now automatically an approved source.  Much like farmers can sell their food directly to consumers at the farmers’ market, children can now eat the food they grow in the garden in the cafeteria, without the health department threatening to shut them down.

My Plate

PCFA’s My Plate project was inspired by a desire to make USDA’s MyPlate graphic more applicable to our local food system.  PCFA asked, “If we wanted to create a MyPlate with only local ingredients, what would it look like?” PCFA came up with some delicious food as a result!  For more on it, check out the full breakdown by season.

Food Web

In the summer of 2014, PCFA began to ask themselves,”What does our local food web look like?” We collaboratively illustrated the different groups and individuals that participate in our local and regional food systems. This included players involved in food aggregation, distribution, advocacy, donations, internships, farmer training, food production, production planning, and farmer services. Take a look at the PDF. Although this list is no longer up to date, it still includes many of the active players in our local food system.

Native foods version of MyPlate from the summer season.

Water Policy in Southern Arizona Blog Series

In 2013, PCFA’s Water Policy Intern Marisa Tackett, wrote a series of blog posts about water policy issues in southern Arizona. Check out her amazing work in this four part series.

 Other Completed Projects

Organized “A Place At The Table” movie showing as the opening to the Community Food Bank’s “Closing The Hunger Gap” national conference of food banks. We were awarded a national grant to make the showing possible.

  • Successfully advocated for the Arizona Department of Health Services to institute reasonable policies encouraging rather than hindering school gardening.  As a direct result, compost and rainwater are now allowable for growing food in school gardens.

  • Published an article in the September 2013 issue of Edible Baja Arizona magazine detailing the Native MyPlate Project, along with a Policy Editorial on USDA, school food, and child food insecurity.

  • Successfully advocated for the inclusion of an Urban Agriculture section within the City of Tucson’s general plan known as Plan Tucson in 2013.

  • Took a lead role in the petition against the closure of Manzo Elementary School and its agroecology program, helping keep the school open.

  • Co-sponsored a comment-forming event at the Food Conspiracy Co-op’s administration office regarding the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act. The FDA has announced it will be reviewing some of the policies we—and many other small farmers around the country—were most concerned about.

  • Participated in Colorado River Day press conference with Phoenix Mayor Gibbs to address the importance of water resources and quality to agriculture in Arizona.

  • In collaboration with the Community Food Bank, PCFA organized the “Leap What You Sow Conference” that brought together over 100 food activists and farmers from all over Southern Arizona and surrounding states to discuss ways we could work more effectively together on local food access and market issues.