Abstract
Community supported agriculture (CSA) programs are emerging as popular consumer options for produce acquisition. While many researchers have discussed the impacts of CSA on economies, communities, and the environment, others are interested in documenting how produce-based CSA shapes health. In this paper, we evaluate whether and to what extent CSA incentive programs, funded by diverse employer groups in central Kentucky 2015–2018, impact shareholder wellness. To evaluate impact, we use two distinct types of data: we compare shareholders’ perceived frequency of food lifestyle behaviors from pre- and post-season surveys, and we examine anonymized medical claims from a subset of these participants to determine if CSA participation impacts short-run usage of medical services. From survey data, we observed statistically significant changes in some shareholder behaviors. For instance, CSA shareholders perceived that they consumed vegetable salads more often while decreasing their intake of processed foods and snacks. From medical claims data, shareholders are billed less in diet-related medical claims following CSA participation compared to a control group from the same employer organization. In short, we find that CSA is generally beneficial and participants view their experience as providing motivation to reshape their relationship to food. We conclude by offering strategies for institutions and organizations to effectively develop and support CSA incentive programs.
Highlights
Background of Central Kentucky Community supported agriculture (CSA) VoucherProject We developed a pilot study at the University of Kentucky in 2015 to examine the potential impacts of CSA on first-time shareholders
Results and Analysis for Medical Claims Costs Analysis While measuring behavior changes in CSA is important, whether these perceived changes translate into biophysical impacts is an open question
We evaluated whether changes in billed medical claims differ in magnitude when comparing CSA shareholders to non-participants from the same employee pool
Summary
Project We developed a pilot study at the University of Kentucky in 2015 to examine the potential impacts of CSA on first-time shareholders. We offered a $200 voucher to individuals who had never participated in a CSA. Participants were given a pre- and post-season survey in which they evaluated 30+ metrics of behavior. We observed significant behavior changes across numerous indicators, especially for individuals who rated their health at or below average at the outset of participation (Rossi et al, 2017). We presented our results to the benefits office at our university, and they agreed to fund ~200 more vouchers in 2016 as a pilot employee benefit program. We again evaluated behavior changes with a similar pre- and postseason survey
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