Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
173 results(5 / 7)
Cooperatives and Alternative Food Systems Initiatives — and More
2014Duncan Hilchey · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
A study in the late 1990s investigated small-scale grower cooperatives in the northeastern United States, which had annual sales of US$5 million or less. It found many barriers to growth, including managers' difficulties in balancing diverse member interests, meeting buyer standards, and operating in a high-cost, low-price business. The Northeast Federation of Family-Farm Cooperatives (NEFFCO), a proposed support group, did not last beyond its grant period, indicating challenges in sustaining such initiatives.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityPolicyNarrative transparency
2014Melea Press, Eric J. Arnould · Journal of Marketing Management · United States
This paper examines how alternative marketing organizations communicate transparency amidst generalized risk and skepticism, using Community Supported Agriculture programs across the United States as context. It contrasts the traditional numeric approach to transparency, involving auditing and third-party certifications, with an alternative narrative transparency approach that emphasizes stakeholder dialogue and invites stakeholders to act as auditors. The article illustrates how alternative marketing organizations employ rhetorical tactics such as persona, allegory, consumer sovereignty, and enlightenment to communicate transparency to their stakeholders.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityHealth Motivation for Purchasing Local Foods in the Southeastern United States
2014Sudha Thapaliya, Matthew G. Interis, Alba J. Collart, Lurleen M. Walters, Kimberly L. Morgan, Thapaliya, Sudha, Interis, Matthew G., Collart, Alba J., Walters, Lurleen, Morgan, Kimberly L. · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · United States
This study investigated health motivations for purchasing local foods among consumers in the Southeastern United States. It analyzed the effects of specific health variables, focusing on family illness incidences of six diseases (heart disease, diabetes, obesity, back/joint pain, Alzheimer/dementia, and cancer), on local food buying behavior. Using a binary probit model, findings indicated that a family history of cancer and obesity were statistically significant factors in purchasing local foods. Other important factors included a higher physical activity level, following a special diet, and the availability of farmers' markets.
HealthEconomicsCSA & TeikeiImpact of marketing channels on perceptions of quality of life and profitability for Wisconsin's organic vegetable farmers
2014Erin Silva, Fengxia Dong, Paul D. Mitchell, John Hendrickson · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (Wisconsin)
A survey of Wisconsin-certified organic vegetable farmers investigated the relationships between farm characteristics, marketing strategies, and farmers' perceptions of profitability and quality of life. The data indicated that farmers selling into farmers' markets and through community-supported agriculture (CSA) were more likely to be dissatisfied with their profitability. Conversely, farmers selling into wholesale markets and restaurants/institutions were significantly more likely to be dissatisfied with their quality of life.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCSA & TeikeiUrban–rural linkageThe Civic Life of Food Production
2014Jeanne Simonelli, Stephanie Paladino · Culture Agriculture Food and Environment · United States
This issue focuses on the movement to reintegrate food production into the civic, moral, and economic life of communities. Specifically, it highlights a qualitative study on the perceived benefits of community gardening in Baltimore, Maryland. The study explores the benefits to individuals, neighborhoods, and the city, suggesting these can be used as urban planning tools for developing healthy urban environments.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCSA & TeikeiUrban–rural linkageSustaining Sustainability: a Management Plan for ACRES Student Farm
2014Sarah Legg · Figshare · United States (Wyoming)
ACRES Student Farm, a University of Wyoming organization, has grown significantly over six years, providing local produce, CSA shares, composting, and educational opportunities. However, the farm suffers from continuous losses in efficiency and acquired knowledge due to the transient nature of its student management and workforce, leading to unsustainable internal functioning. This project aims to develop a management plan and handbook to address these issues and improve the farm's operational efficiency.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiCompostFood educationCommunityDoes Organic Command a Premium When the Food is Already Local?
2014Cristina Connolly, H. Allen Klaiber · American Journal of Agricultural Economics · United States
This study used a hedonic model with firm-level prices and CSA characteristics from 453 CSA farms in Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania during the summer 2012 growing season to value CSA attributes. Results showed a price premium of approximately 7% for USDA organic certification, though this varied by state, but no premium for competing certified naturally grown programs. CSA farms exhibited little market power and appeared to act competitively.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe Moral Economy Is a Double‐edged Sword: Explaining Farmers’ Earnings and Self‐exploitation in Community‐Supported Agriculture
2013Ryan E. Galt · Economic Geography · United States (California)
A study of 54 Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms in California's Central Valley used qualitative and quantitative data to explain farmers' earnings. An ordinary least squares regression analysis revealed that farmers' age, number of employees, and CSA type strongly influence earnings. The study found that the moral economy of CSA often results in self-exploitation due to farmers' strong sense of obligation to members, despite allowing for economic rents.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity Supported Agriculture and Community Labor: Constructing a New Model to Unite Volunteers and Employers
2013A. Bryan Endres, Rachel Armstrong · · United States
This article discusses Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and 'community labor,' where customers participate in food production on farms. It highlights a paradox: traditional employment law, envisioning autonomous competition, makes little room for these novel relationships, potentially undermining CSA values and limiting its viability and growth. The authors suggest that employment law should develop a more nuanced view of relationships in the CSA context, supporting mutual gain and shared values over competition-based rules.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiEconomicsPolicyCommunityRefugee Farmers and the Social Enterprise Model in the American Southwest
2013Vanna Gonzales, Nigel Forrest, Noreen Balos · Journal of Community Positive Practices · United States (Arizona)
This paper presents the first known case study of Gila Farm Cooperative (GFC), a U.S.-based marketing cooperative formed by refugees from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Founded in 2011 by the Phoenix International Refugee Committee, GFC has 22 members supporting Community Supported Agriculture in central Arizona. This three-month study, conducted in spring 2012, provided a descriptive analysis of GFC's structure and operational processes through participatory observation and in-depth interviews.
CommunityCSA & TeikeiWelfareEconomicsUrban Agriculture as “Agricultural” Producer
2013Adam Prince · · United States (California)
This chapter considers movements to transform the food system in the United States. In Oakland, California, a growing community of urban food producers and advocates is working to address food insecurity in historically underserved communities. Diverse enclaves in Oakland exhibit various forms of community-based food production, ranging from windowsill herb patches to rooftop projects and distributed farming networks utilizing vacant lots.
CommunityCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceHealthRecruiting and Retaining Shareholders for Community Supported Agriculture in Texas
2013Kelsey Hall, Courtney Meyers, David L. Doerfert, Cindy Akers, Phillip Johnson · Journal of Applied Communications · United States (Texas)
This mixed-methods study explored how Texas CSA shareholders received local food information and how CSA owners recruited and retained members, given retention rates of 20-70% nationwide. Data from an online survey of three Texas CSAs and interviews with owners showed shareholders preferred daily/weekly information searches via websites and interpersonal communication. Owners used local media, events, and word-of-mouth for recruitment, and weekly email newsletters for retention.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityGreen Sisters: Bringing Spirituality and Environmental Awareness Together at Homecoming Farm
2013Marisa DeCandido · Syracuse University Libraries (Syracuse University) · United States (New York City)
This project describes the "green sisters" movement and its presence at Homecoming Farm, a Community-Supported Agriculture project in Amityville, New York. The green sisters movement involves Catholic nuns dedicated to environmental education and sustainability, exemplified by Homecoming Farm, an organic farm created in 1992 by the Sisters of Saint Dominic. The story is presented through a five-part news series, based on six visits and interviews with eleven individuals at Homecoming Farm in the summer and fall of 2012.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityOrganic cycleHerd Management: Labor Strategies in Local Food Production
2013Brandi Janssen · Anthropology of Work Review · United States
This paper explores labor strategies for producers in the growing local food sector, where increased demand creates challenges for scaling operations. A major obstacle to growth is access to reliable, affordable labor. The paper discusses typical options for obtaining and retaining labor, including paid employees, volunteers, and interns, noting that each strategy has social and economic advantages and disadvantages for producers and the community.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityFeasibility of Using a Community-Supported Agriculture Program to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Inventories and Consumption in an Underresourced Urban Community
2013Sara A. Quandt, Janae Dupuis, Caitlin A. Fish, Ralph B. D’Agostino · Preventing Chronic Disease · United States
This randomized, controlled feasibility study evaluated the feasibility of a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) intervention in an underresourced urban community in the United States. Fifty low-income women with children participated, with the intervention group (25 participants) receiving fresh produce and educational sessions for 16 weeks. A significant increase in household fruit and vegetable inventory was observed in the intervention group, but increases in consumption were not significant. Challenges included transportation and work schedules, yet most participants expressed interest in continued participation.
CSA & TeikeiHealthCommunityWelfareCommunity Supported Agriculture: A Commitment to a Healthier Diet
2012Joseph N. Cohen, S. Gearhart, Elizabeth Garland · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · United States (New York City)
A prospective cohort study in New York City investigated whether Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) participation increased fruit and vegetable consumption and home-cooked meals. Among 583 individuals who completed both surveys, CSA members showed a statistically significant increase of 2.2 servings of fruit and vegetables per week and 4.9 home-cooked meals per month compared to non-members. CSA participation was also associated with subjective reports of increased fruit and vegetable consumption.
CSA & TeikeiHealthFood educationMore Than Counting Beans: Adapting USDA Data Collection Practices To Track Marketing Channel Diversification
2012Alan Hunt, Gary C. Matteson · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
Agricultural producers are diversifying their marketing channels, but the U.S. Census of Agriculture primarily tracks only direct-to-consumer sales, organic sales, and community supported agriculture farms. This paper proposes that administrative reporting changes in the 2012 census and the introduction of new questions for the 2017 census can improve observations on marketing channel usage at both farm-level and sector-level with greater precision.
CSA & TeikeiPolicyEconomicsStewards of the land : demonstrations of agricultural authenticity in Columbia County, NY
2012Bruntfield, Jaclyn Rose · Scholars Archive - University at Albany (University at Albany, State University of New York) · United States (Columbia County, NY)
This abstract discusses the increased public scrutiny of food origins in the U.S. and the growing demand for alternatives to the mainstream food system, as evidenced by more farmers markets, organic products, and Community Supported Agriculture programs. It notes that post-WWII industrialization of food production, while providing inexpensive food, has potentially compromised people's relationships with food. Currently, only one percent of Americans identify farming as their primary occupation.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageCivic Agriculture: Towards a Local Food Web for Sustainable Urban Development
2012Siqing Chen · APCBEE Procedia · United States
This paper uses a housing development project in the United States to exemplify how civic agriculture can be integrated into urban development through forms like Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), kitchen gardens, and farmer's markets. This integration creates a local food web, enhancing civic engagement and welfare among residents, maintaining landscape authenticity, strengthening ecosystem services, reducing carbon footprint, and promoting long-term sustainability. Civic agriculture represents a transition in agricultural practice from large-scale commodity enterprises to small-scale, self-sustaining civic activities.
CommunityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageAre Consumers Willing to Pay for Organic When the Food is Already Local?
2012Cristina Connolly, H. Allen Klaiber, Connolly, Cristina, Klaiber, H. Allen · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · United States
This study evaluated consumers' willingness to pay for organic certification programs using price and attribute data from 188 CSA farms in Ohio and Pennsylvania. A semi-log hedonic analysis revealed a willingness to pay approximately 9% more for organic branding compared to natural, translating to an additional $48 per summer season share. However, no premium was found for competing certification programs.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCommunity-Engaged Learning in Food Systems and Public Health
2012Julie L. Self, Becky Handforth, Janelle Hartman, Corey McAuliffe, Elizabeth Noznesky, Rebecca J. Schwei, Laura Whitaker, Amanda Wyatt, Amy Girard · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
A student-driven, community-engaged learning course was developed to enhance student understanding of complex food system determinants and food choices. The course, guided by the socio-ecological model, involved students collaborating with faculty and community partners to define its objectives and curriculum. It featured student-led modules on food preferences, agriculture systems, food access, and agricultural policy, alongside community-engaged research projects that examined food distribution models in metro Atlanta and identified strategies to improve access to healthy food in low-income areas.
Food educationCommunityHealthPolicyCSA & TeikeiChallenges to making local food accessible through farmersˈ markets and community supported agriculture: DeKalb County, Georgia
2012Corey McAuliffe, Laura Whitaker, Aimee Webb Girard · The FASEB Journal · United States (Georgia)
Interviews with farmers' market managers, farmers, CSA managers, and a cooperative market manager in DeKalb County, Georgia, assessed challenges in local food accessibility. Qualitative data revealed significant financial barriers to production, prohibitive policies, and limitations in marketing and distribution systems. Environmental factors also limited the accessibility of local foods through farmers' markets and CSAs.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceSchool Gardens: Ripe with STEM and Experiential Learning; Fertile Soil for Agricultural Program Growth
2012Shannon Lawrence, John Rayfield · The Agricultural education magazine · United States
This article discusses the merits and potential of incorporating school gardens into agricultural education programs in the United States. It notes that school gardens, a national movement since 1891, offer opportunities for agricultural literacy, community outreach, and STEM integration. The ideas presented are based on conversations with agriculture teachers, observations, experiences, and reflections.
Food educationCommunityCSA & TeikeiDeterminants of Hoophouse Profitability: A Case Study of 12 Novice Michigan Farmers
2012Kurt B. Waldman, David Conner, John A. Biernbaum, Michael W. Hamm, Adam Montri · HortTechnology · United States (Michigan)
Quantitative and qualitative data from 12 novice hoophouse farmers in Michigan were analyzed over a 3-year period to understand factors associated with profitable use of these structures. There was wide variation in labor inputs and effective wages, and not all farmers utilized hoophouses between outdoor seasons. However, high wage earners tended to extend production into off-peak months, hire labor at higher wages, and spend less time on crop maintenance, appearing to harvest more efficiently.
EconomicsCSA & TeikeiThe 2009 Late Blight Pandemic in the Eastern United States – Causes and Results
2012William E. Fry, M. T. McGrath, Abby Seaman, Thomas A. Zitter, A. McLeod, Giovanna Danies, Ian M. Small, Kevin Myers, Kathryne L. Everts, Amanda J. Gevens, Beth K. Gugino, Sara B. Johnson, Howard S. Judelson, Jean B. Ristaino, Pamela Roberts, Gary A. Secor, K. W. Seebold, K. Snover-Clift, A. Wyenandt, Niklaus J. Grünwald, Christine D. Smart · Plant Disease · United States
The 2009 tomato late blight pandemic in the eastern United States resulted in significant crop losses for many home gardeners and organic producers. This event led to widespread questions regarding its causes and differences from previous epidemics.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiFood lossClimate change