Research & reports

Leigh Adcock · Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) · United States

This directory lists 105 Iowa farms operating Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) enterprises. For each farm, contact information, website links, available produce, and distribution range are provided.

Karla L. Hanson, Jane Kolodinsky, Weiwei Wang, Emily H. Morgan, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, Alice S. Ammerman, Marilyn Sitaker, Rebecca A. Seguin‐Fowler · Nutrients · United States

This study surveyed 41 adults and children (2-12 years) in August 2015 and 23 in February 2016 from low-income households participating in a 50% subsidized Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in the United States. Participants' fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) was higher than US averages, and they more frequently met vegetable recommendations. While some seasonal produce was consumed more often when locally in-season, causality between CO-CSA participation and FVI could not be inferred due to potential self-selection bias.

Maria Luiza de Andrade Benini · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Campinas)

This study examined how place and space influence the consolidation and configuration of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group, using the example of a group in Barão Geraldo, Campinas, Brazil. CSA is a consumer group where consumers finance agricultural production and share benefits like food health, as well as risks like production losses. Field research, using observation and open interviews, showed that the configuration and appropriation of a space are essential for strengthening the CSA group.

Gavin Schneider, Victoria Fast · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · Canada (Calgary)

This study assessed the potential of urban land to grow "climate smart food," a term proposed to examine the environmental impact of urban food production. Using the Bowness neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta, as a case study, a geospatial constraint mapping process analyzed suitable private land for conversion from lawns to gardens. In 2016, six urban farms in Calgary produced approximately 8,200 pounds of food from private gardens, while 42% of Bowness's private turf grass land produced only about 800 pounds, quantifying underutilized urban land for food production.

Catherine Villar · Scholarship@Western (Western University) · Canada

This ethnographic study, conducted from August 2013 to August 2014, examined Orchard Hill Farm, an organic, draft-horse powered Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in Sparta, Ontario, Canada. It found that the farm's management approach resulted in a financially viable small-scale farm. The study highlighted that CSA members experience a "re-enchantment" through closeness to food and the farm, while farmers and apprentices demonstrate a commitment to sustainable practices.

Jim Leap, Darryl Wong, Orin Martin, Kirstin Yogg Comerchero · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)

A guide for small-scale specialty crop growers on organic potato production on California's Central Coast. The region's climate is described as well suited to potatoes, with yields reaching up to 10 tons per acre. It covers mechanized weed management, hilling and harvest equipment, the growth habits of "new" and "creamer" potatoes, recommended varieties, and suitability for direct sales through CSAs, farmers' markets, specialty markets and restaurants.

Jairus Rossi, Timothy A. Woods, James E. Allen · Sustainability · United States

A controlled pilot study offered 95 first-time shareholders drawn from a university wellness program a $200 voucher to join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, surveying food lifestyle behaviors before and after participation and comparing changes against an 82-person control group using econometric analysis. Changes were found in four categories — fresh versus processed food consumption, food prepared at home versus away, food purchasing behavior and interest in nutrition, and self-reported health outcomes — and these changes were more strongly realized among shareholders who reported lower-than-average health prior to the CSA.

Kenna McMrrray, Kelsey Hall, Roslynn Brain · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · United States

This descriptive piece from Utah, United States, explains Community Supported Agriculture as a farming arrangement providing a direct link between the community and the grower, in which shareholders purchase a share of the CSA and receive produce at regular intervals, typically weekly. It lists potential benefits — access to local, fresh produce free of preservatives and added hormones, and support for diversified agriculture — alongside potential barriers, including the seasonality of production, a smaller variety of products and the upfront cost of a share.

Emily Heying, Kendra M. Butkowski · The FASEB Journal · United States

This study surveyed 22 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members receiving weekly vegetable shares in central Minnesota, USA, administering a demographic and anthropometric survey at the season's start and four follow-up surveys on vegetable consumption and food waste, each 10 days after a share pickup. Average BMI was 26.1 ± 4.3 kg/m², average family size was 3.1 ± 1.2 persons, and average distance traveled to pickup was 3.4 ± 5.8 miles; the percentage of vegetables consumed depended on vegetable type and family size but not BMI. Leafy greens were both the most frequently included vegetable and the most frequently discarded; 80% of participants reported increased awareness of food waste from taking part in the study, but only 53% believed their food waste had actually decreased, and awareness showed no correlation with vegetable consumption or discarding behavior.

Kenna McMurray, Kelsey Hall, Roslynn Brain · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · United States

A 2017 fact sheet from Utah State University explains what community supported agriculture (CSA) is, outlines types of CSA models along with their benefits and barriers, and lists CSAs operating in Utah.

Libby Christensen, Ryan E. Galt, Alissa Kendall · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (California)

This case study assessed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from five Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations in the Sacramento Valley, California, collecting input, production and distribution data from each farm and reporting emissions in CO2e per 1 kg of CSA produce at the pickup location. Total emissions varied widely, ranging from 1.72 to 6.69 kg CO2e per kg of produce with an average of 3.94 kg CO2e, and electricity was the largest emissions source, contributing over 70% of total CO2e on average. Despite apparent similarities among the operations in production site, acreage, customer base and practices, there was still substantial variability in total GHG emissions. The study argues that the complexity of production and distribution systems means food systems cannot be reduced to a simple binary of local being better than conventional, or vice versa, though localized production systems that use less electricity (or renewable energy) and efficiently produced compost had lower GHG emissions than those that did not.

Melanie Bedore · Social & Cultural Geography · Canada

Drawing on mail-in surveys and interviews with participants in the Good Food Box (GFB) community food program in south-eastern Ontario, Canada, this qualitative study used Foucault's later work to examine socio-spatial relations of care for self and proximate others in food provisioning. GFB participation was found to be predominantly a self-caring act motivated by frugality and physical health; where care for others was expressed, the dominant themes were helping less economically fortunate others, local farmers and family.

Zachary Schrank, Katrina Running · Journal of Consumer Culture · United States

This study analyzed consumer motivations in Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs using interview data from 58 members in a large southwestern US city. Researchers investigated whether members were primarily motivated by individual interests (e.g., nutritional benefits, taste) or collective concerns (e.g., environmental, economic). Findings indicated that CSA members pursued individualist and collectivist goals equally, emphasizing environmental issues and sustainability through local organic consumption as a pathway to individual health.

Michael Carolan · Rural Sociology · United States (Colorado)

Researchers in Colorado studied individuals participating in alternative food practices (CSA, farmers' markets, food cooperatives) and conventional eaters. Participants were surveyed and re-surveyed two years later, with 119 qualitative interviews conducted, and a phone survey of 106 conventional eaters. The study aimed to understand how alternative foodscape engagement compares to conventional eating, how responses change after exposure to alternative foodscapes, and why individuals might think and behave differently.

Angie Vasquez, Nancy E. Sherwood, Nicole Larson, Mary Story · Public Health Nutrition · United States

This quasi-experimental study in Minnesota investigated employer-based Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a health promotion intervention, involving 324 CSA participants and a matched control group. Participants reported increased vegetables in the household, more frequent family meals, and decreased eating out, along with increased produce consumption. However, health assessment data showed no significant changes in dietary intake, health status, or BMI.

Binod Khanal · Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · United States

A hedonic model was developed to estimate consumer valuations of attributes for 466 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms across seven Midwestern US states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The most statistically valued CSA attributes were home delivery, commanding an approximately $18 premium, and belonging to the fifth quintile of CSA membership size ($15.00). Increased vegetable variety (between $0.80 and $1.20) and USDA organic certification (about $10) were also valued, but farming practices like integrated pest management and distance to the nearest metropolitan area were not statistically significant.

Savanna M. Lyons, Alice Topaloff · Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) · United States (Iowa)

This directory lists 79 community supported agriculture (CSA) enterprises serving Iowa. These enterprises are shown by county and the 20 regions within ISU Extension and Outreach.

Annika Voltan · International Journal of Work Innovation · Canada (Nova Scotia)

This paper develops a conceptual network-based model for scaling grassroots social innovations. It reviews existing theoretical work on social innovation and entrepreneurship, constructing a model with four main elements: the role of agency, relationship density, relationship diversity, and network structure. The model is applied to a case study of nine community-supported agriculture (CSA) food producers in Nova Scotia, Canada, with findings supporting the particular importance of relationship diversity and network structures for scaling social innovations.

Daniel Orlins Trigg · ScholarWorks -A service of University of Vermont Libraries (University of Vermont) · United States

This study investigated food insecurity screening among clinicians in Vermont, where 76% of residents experience some level of food insecurity. It found that physicians and physician assistants prefer using an established two-item screen for food insecurity. However, these clinicians tend to underestimate the actual prevalence of food insecurity in their practice communities.

Catherine Wong, Kathryn Geoffrion Scannell · University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester) · United States

McQuade Library partnered with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation to become a distributor of local foods, providing fresh produce to Merrimack College and the surrounding community. The library collaborated with Farmer Dave’s CSA, recruiting over fifty members to facilitate weekly food drop-offs for twenty weeks. Unclaimed food shares were distributed to a nearby food pantry, senior center, and an emergency shelter, supporting sustainable agriculture and hunger relief efforts.

Sara L. Lyons · DigitalCommons (California Polytechnic State University) · United States

The University of Maine Black Bear Food Guild is an entirely student-run Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation that offers student learning and work opportunities. Despite providing various benefits, the Black Bear Food Guild requires financial support to expand its program and ensure its sustained success, indicating a critical need for funding to maintain its future viability.

Renée Johnson · University of North Texas Digital Library (University of North Texas) · United States

This report provides background information on various types of operations involved in the U.S. local and regional food system. These include direct-to-consumer marketing, farmers' markets, farm-to-school programs, community-supported agriculture, community gardens, and school gardens. The report also highlights available resources within existing federal programs administered by the USDA and other agencies.

Colin Cox, Jessica A. Hoffman, Mariya Shiyko, Catherine Wirth · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · United States

A study in the United States evaluated the effect of text message reminders on farm share pickup rates among Head Start parents participating in a subsidized community supported agriculture program. While pickup rates were high for both text messaging and no text messaging groups, with 96% vs 92% within two days and 69% vs 62% on the day of delivery, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups. The study's ability to isolate the effects of text messages was limited because program coordinators used multiple methods to promote parent participation.

Won Kim · Korean Journal of Sociology · United States

A 2016 study based on in-depth interviews with farmers participating in farmers' markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) in the United States analyzes their common features and differences. Contrary to Hinrichs' argument, it finds that both farmers' markets and CSA rely on strong marketability as their foundation for existence. Social embeddedness was more pronounced in CSA than in farmers' markets, with spatial embeddedness showing a similar partial trend, while natural embeddedness was equally pronounced in both with little difference. Building on this feature analysis, the study also explores ways to revitalize both forms.

Connor J. Fitzmaurice, Brian J. Gareau · Yale University Press eBooks · United States

This 2016 book chapter profiles Scenic View Farm in New England, United States, run by owners John and Katie, surveying the farm's history and characteristics relative to other New England farms and describing its landscape. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, which farms like Scenic View depend on for stable sales, require growing diverse crops to meet consumer demand; flowers enhanced the farm's appearance and yielded consistent profits in years when other crops merely broke even. Among the challenges organic farms face, the chapter describes a tomato blight outbreak that swept the region, which Scenic View's CSA helped the farm weather while maintaining its organic certification. Access to supplemental income is described as critical to the farm's continuation, and the chapter portrays farmers, including some who feel they cannot eschew pesticides entirely, trying to farm as responsibly as their circumstances allow.