San Francisco’s largest urban farm is at risk of shutting down
Alemany Farm, which grows tens of thousands of produce a year, might not survive the coming cuts
By Gustavo Hernandez
Mission Local
May 25, 2025
Excerpt:
Alemany Farm, nestled on 3.5 acres near the intersection of Interstate 280 and Alemany Boulevard, grows over 30,000 pounds of free produce each year for San Francisco residents — no IDs, no payments, no questions asked.
It’s the largest urban farm in the city. And it’s at risk of shutting down.
After years of relying on thin public grants and volunteer labor, the farm paused its paid apprenticeship programs at the start of May, scaled back staff hours near the same time, and launched a grassroots campaign to raise $200,000 in late April — an effort to stay afloat in a city cutting costs across public services
The urban farm, structured as a fiscally sponsored nonprofit, is facing a $100,000 to $150,000 gap in this year’s budget, according to an email from the San Francisco Human Services Agency. San Francisco has to close a $782 million deficit, and that means cutting nice-to-haves, like Alemany Farm.
But for those who keep the farm going, it’s not just a perk for the city: The loss is personal — less food disbursed to needy households, fewer hands tilling the soil, and more weight on the ones who remain.
Alemany yields 30,000 pounds of organic produce a year, according to co-manager Vanessa Liu. That helps feed 700 families a week, many of them low-income.
Read the complete article here.
Source: https://cityfarmer.info/san-franciscos-largest-urban-farm-is-at-risk-of-shutting-down/
