Issues: Health

Since the mid-1980s, many communities in the U.S. have banded together with local farms in food purchasing cooperatives. This practice, known as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), matches consumers interested in safe food with small local farmers seeking stable markets for their crops. There are now more than 530 active CSA cooperatives in the U.S.

In most cases, members of the cooperative pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of farm operation for the season, including the farmer's salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm's harvest and the opportunity to help out on the farm if they wish. Farmers benefit from working capital up-front, reduced marketing costs and increased financial security. Also, their risk of poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests is shared with members.

CSA farms originated in Europe and Japan during the 1960s, but now have taken root across the United States. Most American CSA farms are located near urban centers in New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and the Great Lakes region, with an increasing number springing up on the West Coast.

CSA farms typically offer a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs in season. Some provide an even fuller array of farm produce, including shares in eggs, meat, milk, baked goods, and even firewood. In line with members' interest in healthier food, participating farmers usually concentrate on organic production methods, avoiding the use of the hazardous chemical pesticides preferred by large-scale, industrial farming operations. Some CSA farms take on additional roles in the community by employing homeless workers and providing skills training for underprivileged young people.

While each CSA arrangement is unique in terms of finances, ownership, and distribution, all are based on a shared commitment to building a more local and equitable agricultural system which allows farmers to focus on land stewardship and still maintain productive and profitable small farms. As the financial and social costs of running a farm increase, more and more people are turning to community supported agriculture as a logical, healthy, and responsible alternative.

last revised 4.15.00