Hi all, I wanted to thank everyone who responded to my email and update you on the outcome of the garden lease and liability issue.
The town apparently was told by their insurance company that e-coli was a risk they may not be able to cover since we raise vegetables and donate to the food bank. Fortunately we were able to find an underwriter who did not consider this to be a high risk problem and we were able to get liability coverage for only $150/year for our non-profit organization. This was much more affordable than we thought it would be, and it seems best to have our own liability insurance anyway. Since we now have our own liability insurance, our non-profit organization will negotiate the lease directly with the landowner and not involve the town. Our garden is organic and this year we have been offered a donation of commercially composted manure from an organic dairy. Since the issue of e-coli has been raised, I would like to hear from anyone else who may have dealt with this issue. Everything I've read says that commercially composted manure is likely safe as long as GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) are used, such as mixing the compost into the soil and applying it 120 prior to harvest. Since I know that many community gardens are organic and donate to food banks, I would like to know if you have policies/recommendations that deal with the prevention of e-coli contamination. Denise Fisher Timnath Community Garden At 07:49 AM 3/17/2007, you wrote: >Hello, > >We are a new community garden that has been in existence for one >year. The town leases 2.5 acres from a private property owner for >the purpose of the community garden with the stipulation that the >management of the garden is entrusted to a non-profit >organization. The Town leased the property so that the community >garden would be covered under the town's liability insurance. The >lease is year to year. We were expecting a simple renewal of the >lease this year, but today we found out that the Town's insurance >company is recommending that the non-profit organization provide its >own liability insurance which is $750 - $1000/year listing the town >as an additional insured. We're not sure why this change from last >year. We can't afford the insurance unless a benefactor steps >up. If a benefactor steps up and our non-profit organization does >buy the liability insurance, then it seems to me there would be no >need to involve the town or to list them as an additional >insured. We could lease the land directly from the landowner. I >would like to know if there are other community gardens out there >that are also covered by the liability insurance of the municipality >and if they've had any problems. What are the issues? How does this >work in other towns? > >Orientation is next week, and even though we have been in >communication with the town administrator, she never gave any >indication that there would be any obstacles to the renewal of the >lease, so we are caught off guard. We are in a bit of a panic about >what to do. Any thoughts/advice/help would be greatly appreciated! > >Denise Fisher > > > >_______________________________________________ >The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one >of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the >ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > >To post an e-mail to the list: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org > >To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your >subscription: >http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
