Who Participates in Urban Agriculture? An Empirical Analysis^†

A few highly publicized food supply chain disruptions early in the COVID-19 pandemic were interpreted by some as evidence of a “broken” food system. One solution often brought in response to that perceived brokenness is urban agriculture. The literature, however, has sidestepped a key question: Who practices urban agriculture? Using survey data on 882 Montreal residents, we find that those who practice urban agriculture are more educated, and more likely to be homeowners and to report an income in the highest income bracket. This is consistent with urban agriculture being a luxury good.