Posted August 10, 2026 at 02:13pm by Lindsey Connolly
CAFS New Resource: City Chickens and Backyard Bees
City Chickens and Backyard Bees:
How Detroit’s Animal Keeping Ordinance Helps Urban Farmers Produce Locally Grown Food Without Breaking the Zoning Code
A new case study follows the decade-long process that led to Detroit’s new animal keeping ordinance, which allows residents to keep chickens, ducks, and honeybees. Co-authored by Liz Turner, visiting assistant professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS), and former CAFS intern Grace McGuire JD’27, this case study highlights how local policy can support urban food production by explicitly incorporating urban agriculture practices into municipal zoning codes and including clear guidelines around practices like backyard animal keeping.
The case study is part of a CAFS project supported by the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production that identifies policy strategies to support policymakers, city officials, and farmers and gardeners working to strengthen local food production in U.S. cities.