2016 District of Columbia Code
Title 48 - Foods and Drugs. §§ 48-101 - 48-1213
Chapter 4 - Food Production and Urban Gardens Program. §§ 48-401 - 48-403
§ 48–401. Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the term:

(1) “Community garden” means an area managed and maintained by a group of individuals to grow and harvest food crops or non-food crops for personal or group consumption, donation, or fundraising that is incidental in nature, and that may:

(A) Include individuals working their own portions of a larger garden, or tending a communal garden together;

(B) Be located in the ground, on a roof, or within a building; and

(C) Include common areas such as tool storage sheds.

(2) “Farm cooperative” means a type of urban farm or farms where production resources for farming such as land and machinery are pooled and jointly held by members.

(3) “Food” means any substance produced for human consumption and nourishment using horticultural techniques, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, mushrooms, honey, herbs, nuts, seeds, and rootstock.

(4) “Horticultural techniques” means the scientific, artistic, and technological methods used to cultivate and manage an agricultural space, such as growing from the ground, hydroponics, container farming, vertical farming, or growing in greenhouses or raised beds.

(5) “Urban agriculture” or “urban farming” means the practice of growing, cultivating, processing, and distributing vegetables, fruits, grains, mushrooms, honey, herbs, nuts, seeds, flowers, and rootstock within the District, including for profit, not for profit, and for educational purposes.

(6) “Urban farm” means any property used for the growing, cultivating, processing, and distributing of vegetables, fruits, grains, mushrooms, honey, herbs, nuts, seeds, flowers, and rootstock within the District, including for profit, not for profit, and for educational purposes.

(7) “Vacant lot” means any lot in the District on which there is no lawful structure.

(Feb. 28, 1987, D.C. Law 6-210, § 2, 34 DCR 699; Apr. 30, 2015, D.C. Law 20-248, § 101(a), 62 DCR 1504.)

1981 Ed., § 33-901.

This section is referenced in § 10-166.01.

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-248 rewrote this section.

For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 20-248, § 302, see § 6183 of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-127, July 27, 2015, 62 DCR 10201).

Section 301 of D.C. Law 20-248 provided that nothing in the act shall be construed to create a governmental liability or cause of action against the District related to the safety of food purchased on District lands by non-governmental entities.

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-248: Section 6183 of D.C. Law 21-36 removed the funding requirement and other applicability restrictions in D.C. Law 20-248, § 302, as enacted.