Qiana Mickie, the new Director of the newly launched Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture. Image Credit: Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture.
On September 23, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced Qiana Mickie will serve as director of the newly created Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture.
A graduate of Hampton University, Mickie has been working in urban agriculture for 11 years with a focus on racial, economic, and environmental equity. Mickie earned a Food Hub Management Certificate from the University of Vermont, and previously served as the executive director of Just Food.
Currently, Mickie serves on the International Council of Urgenci, the Coordination Committee of the Civil Society Mechanism for the United Nations, and the Farmers Market Coalition board. Mickie is actively involved in local and international policy on issues such as health and food justice. As the Founding Principal of her own consulting firm, QJM Multiprise, Mickie has consulted on multiple food and farm business, agriculture, equity-driven, and policy projects, both locally and nationally.
Mickie’s appointment was praised by community organizations like City Harvest, Red Hook Farms, Teens for Food Justice, and Green Bronx Machine, as well as nationwide leaders in urban agriculture like the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor (HEAL) Food Alliance.
The new office and Mickie’s appointment reflect Mayor Adams’ longtime work on urban agriculture issues. Adams invested capital funding into vertical farming and hydroponics labs in Brooklyn schools during his time as Borough President, and in 2021 he released a policy blueprint on the future of urban agriculture. By creating the Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture, Adams intends to promote the growth and success of this economic sector.
As Director of the Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture, Mickie will report to Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. Joshi shared, “Qiana Mickie’s experience in urban agriculture and perspective on equity is an excellent match for this new office. The Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture will play an exciting role in shaping the future of the city’s greenscape and food system policies.”
NYS Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball also praised the new office, stating, “Our community gardens and urban farms are an increasingly important sector of our agricultural economy . . . It’s an area the state is committed to investing in and is supporting in this year’s budget. I’m so pleased to see the mayor’s office’s dedication to advancing the city’s network of community gardens and urban farms in the city and that Qiana will be heading up the new Office of Urban Agriculture. Her expertise and passion for agriculture will help bridge the gap in this area and ensure more food for our communities.”
Mickie herself shared, “As a lifelong New Yorker, I’m excited to bring my decades plus experience as a food and agriculture leader to the role, and I’m honored to establish the city’s first-ever Office of Urban Agriculture. The creation of the office signifies the acknowledgement of the contributions of historic urban agriculture champions, as well as the breadth of knowledge in the current landscape of urban agriculture growers, producers, entrepreneurs, and land stewards . . . I’m energized to work with my fellow agencies such as the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice and, along with the mayor, to further integrate urban agriculture, climate resiliency, and equity into the fabric of our great city and food system.”
Mayor Adams stated, “Making our cityscape greener isn’t just a slogan — it’s a centerpiece of our agenda. Urban agriculture is a growing industry in our city that has the potential to expand the supply of healthy and locally grown food, create jobs, and make our city more resilient. Qiana brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this role, and as director of the new Office of Urban Agriculture, she will play an integral role in advancing my food and sustainability agenda.”
By: Cassidy Strong (Cassidy is a CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2024.)
Mayor Adams Appoints Qiana Mickie As Director Of New Mayor’s Office Of Urban Agriculture, September 23, 2022.