Urban Farming doing the Motown Hustle

by: Eddie C

Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 17:45:42 PM PDT

By this time next year, he says, some of that land could be transformed, becoming the first phase of Hantz Farms L.L.C., an ambitious commercial farming operation that Hantz says can turn a profit.

"We have to move as a city from knowing why everything won't work to knowing why it will work," he said. "At some point, we have to step into the fire."

Hantz has been buying property on Detroit's east side, and plans to open shop with a 77-acre, noncontiguous farm growing food, trees and energy products - provided a few key pieces fall into place.

What seems to be the primary key is adjusting the real estate taxes that would eat up those profits. With good news from community efforts to favorable legislation pouring in the advantages of a millionaire investor might not seem too obvious but local government is much harder to change that public outlook. Mr. Hantz may have the power to change real estate taxes to realize those profits.    

"There has to be farm property tax parity," Hantz said. "It's not going to be a special deal, but we need at least parity with areas of agriculture ... but I think most people will find that very reasonable."

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing sets an example of a government attitude for lowering tax rates;

"I'm not 100 percent knowledgeable about the agricultural (tax rate and) farms," Bing said. "I need to study that more, to make sure, because even though that sounds like it's a good idea, I've got to talk to many more people to make sure that's the direction we want to go in."

But the state of Detroit's economy always in the news being portrayed as very depressed can now work as an advantage to the future of  commercial urban farming. The President and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. sees the reality of the situation.

"We're not getting much tax from the land he's talking about anyway, so it's not like a major source of revenue for the city," he said. "But if there was a day that it wasn't used for agriculture, I would want it to go back to the regular tax rate."

It doesn't sound like a done deal just yet but the rest of the story points out the persuasive  points that goes in the favor of this financial guru, soon to be a 5000 acre urban farmer that should improve the depressed real estate market and could spur additional development.

"We don't have scarcity (in Detroit)," he said. "We don't have to take action on anything. There will always be another house for sale, always be another piece of property, always be another opportunity. So how do we create scarcity? We need a big project that takes a large chunk of property off the market in a constructive way."

Land reuse, Hantz said, also must incorporate for-profit operations.

"Detroit has hit a renaissance," Hantz said. "We are probably the best-equipped city in the country around good leadership in nonprofits, but people don't want to lose firemen, don't want to lose policemen ... so then something has to be for-profit. I see (the farm) as a way to anchor, deal with the blight and, in essence, attract new residents."

Laura Berman of the Detroit News did a profile of John Hantz and he seems very capable of getting his farming project started and very serious about making the changes necessary in government. Ms. Berman points out that it is a private enterprise and the details of this vision are a little unclear but there are plenty of good points.

"We're not talking about corn and soybeans," says Hantz, who describes new agricultural methods for high-density orchards that can create vivid bursts of bloom in the spring and abundant crops of apples in the fall. There are hoop houses that can produce lettuce or tomatoes 11 months of the year, even in southeastern Michigan's climate.

What about soil contamination? Under tutelage from some of Michigan State University and the Kellogg Foundation's scientists, he recognizes that "some land will need to be planted in trees." So picture a juvenile pine forest, paved with walking and biking trails, renewing yesterday's junkyards for tomorrow's specialty crops.

Hantz talks about using biofuels and wind power, about creating a futuristic new farm that will attract international attention and provide wholesome, local food to Detroit residents.

In the nexus of social action and profit motive, in the cause of creating value out of fallow land that's momentarily worthless, John Hantz has latched onto an intriguing idea. A year ago, it might have seemed far-fetched. Today, even the once-skeptical are signing on, because Hantz can bring not only an idea but financial heft and business experience. Republicans like the entrepreneurial aspect of the plan; environmentalists appreciate his interest in wind power and biofuels and natural, wholesome food; food experts appreciate the idea of a commercial farm employing and feeding people.

"I've invested my life, my emotions and my money in Detroit, and it's clear to me that the problems of the city are not going to go away by themselves," says Hantz, who was interviewed at his Southfield office and Indian Village home. "I'd be happy to just be the idea guy and let somebody else take it and run with it, but I don't see anybody lining up to do that."

I've only heard of this World's Largest Urban Farm once and know very little about this man who seems to favor Republicans but if John Hantz is successful it could pave an inroad for Detroit community farms dealing with the local government. Detroit could make a fine example for other depressed cities with available tracts of land and for other cities in future economic downturns that result from losing an industry.

This Detroit farm could turn out to be a very big deal and I think I'm rooting for this guy.