Offsetting the cost of community-supported agriculture (CSA) for low-income families: perceptions and experiences of CSA farmers and members

Stephanie B Jilcott Pitts,Florence Becot,Emily H Belarmino,Amari Sealey,Marilyn Sitaker,Weiwei Wang,Jared T Mcguirt,Alice S Ammerman,Rebecca Seguin-Fowler,Karla L Hanson,Leah Connor Volpe,Jane Kolodinsky

doi:10.1017/s1742170521000466

Abstract

AbstractCommunity-supported agriculture (CSA) is an alternative food marketing model in which community members subscribe to receive regular shares of a farm's harvest. Although CSA has the potential to improve access to fresh produce, certain features of CSA membership may prohibit low-income families from participating. A ‘cost-offset’ CSA (CO-CSA) model provides low-income families with purchasing support with the goal of making CSA more affordable. As a first step toward understanding the potential of CO-CSA to improve access to healthy foods among low-income households, we interviewed 24 CSA farmers and 20 full-pay CSA members about their experiences and perceptions of the cost-offset model and specific mechanisms for offsetting the cost of CSA. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and coded using a thematic approach. Ensuring that healthy food was accessible to everyone, regardless of income level, was a major theme expressed by both farmers and members. In general, CSA farmers and CSA members favored member donations over other mechanisms for funding the CO-CSA. The potential time burden that could affect CSA farmers when administering a cost-offset was a commonly-mentioned barrier. Future research should investigate various CO-CSA operational models in order to determine which models are most economically viable and sustainable.

Highlights

Adequate fruit and vegetable (FV) intake is critical for optimal health and reduces the risk of diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes (Carter et al, 2010; Wang et al, 2014; Aune et al, 2017)
While we have previously reported on farmer opinions concerning the benefits and challenges of various funding mechanisms (Sitaker et al, 2020a, 2020b), it remains unclear which of these mechanisms is most sustainable for farmers implementing a CO, and most desirable for the full-pay communitysupported agriculture (CSA) members who may help subsidize the CO
This may be because member donations require modest effort on their part and leverages members’ dedication to the CSA model (Sitaker et al, 2020b), which is enhanced by the farmer– member relationship that has been developed over time

Summary

Introduction

Adequate fruit and vegetable (FV) intake is critical for optimal health and reduces the risk of diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes (Carter et al, 2010; Wang et al, 2014; Aune et al, 2017). Direct farm-to-consumer interventions such as communitysupported agriculture (CSA) programs have been suggested as one strategy to increase FV intake (Khan et al, 2009). CSA participation has been linked to increased FV intake and other positive behavioral and health outcomes (Minaker et al, 2014; Vasquez et al, 2016; Allen et al, 2017). Allen et al (2017) found that CSA participants reported a decrease in eating out at restaurants, less processed food intake while in the car, eating healthier foods such as salads and increased FV intake. CSA participants reported that after joining a CSA, there were more vegetables present in the household, more frequent family meals, fewer fast food and restaurant meals, and increased FV intake (Vasquez et al, 2016). Weekly CSA participation was not significantly associated with FV variety or intake (Vasquez et al, 2016)

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