Social motivations drive city growers.

• Position: Urban Farming - Brief article

Two-thirds of urban farmers have a social mission that goes beyond food production and profits, finds research led by New York University. The study shows that three of the four top reasons farmers grow in urban areas--food security, education, community building, and producing food for the market--have social motivations.

As urban populations grow in the U.S., farming in cities is becoming more common. While food entrepreneurs seek to make money through urban farming, many urban farms are concerned with factors beyond food production, and have incorporated social goals into their missions. These missions align with a larger social movement in food--the "good food movement"--that focuses on where food comes from, who grows it, and how it is grown.

"Given the limited ability of urban farms in terms of food production, the social mission of urban farms arises as a possible explanation for the recent growth," says study author Carolyn Dimitri, associate professor of food studies.

"The mission statements also indicate a blurring of the profit motive and social goals, suggesting many farms are a form of social...