The Supply Of Community Supported Agriculture

Abstract

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.6in 0pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has undergone both a rapid increase in growth and interest over the last two decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>As such, the amount of literature on the subject has also increased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>However, there are few, if any, theoretical models of supply for CSA memberships (shares) that have been developed from CSA farm data.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>This paper uses both survey and anecdotal data from the Roxbury Biodynamic Farm, one of the largest CSA in the United States, to present a theory of supply for CSA membership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Included in the discussion is the consideration that CSA farms are not profit maximizing and that the farmers (i.e. the suppliers) knowingly take on the responsibilities and earnings associated with a CSA.</span></span></p>