Urban farmers who grow and sell vegetables and animal products can now qualify for a property tax credit of up to 90 percent. The bill, introduced by Councilman William “Pete” Welch. District 9, was passed by the City Council on May 4th and signed by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on May 11th.
Councilman Welch said he introduced the bill to deal with a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in his district. “We have to make available fresh fruit and vegetables, and we have to reduce the price of fruits and vegetables,” Welch told the Baltimore Sun. Some “people make decisions based on price, not on health.”
There are currently about a dozen urban farms in Baltimore, according to The Farm Alliance of Baltimore City.
In other City Council news, Councilman James B. Kraft’s anti-human trafficking bill received preliminary approval. Workers at hotels in Baltimore would be required to receive training on how to recognize human trafficking and what to do after recognizing it. The legislation will have amendments added to it and still needs final approval from the Council.