Community Supported Agriculture*
*Community Supported Agriculture began over 35 years ago in Europe and Japan when consumers concerned about food safety banded together to purchase food in buying groups. Today over 500 CSAs operate in the United States and Canada.
At the heart of each CSA farm's mission is the partnership between producers and consumers, an ideal long embraced by American Farmland Trust. More investors spread farm risk; crop diversity - the typical CSA farm offers between 30 and 50 varieties of vegetables and herbs - improves soil.
CSA farms make liberal use of sustainable farming practices, such as crop rotation, using manure rather than purchased chemical fertilizer, composting and integrated pest management (IPM). IPM blends a variety of methods such as field scouting and use of "predator" bugs into a total farm approach to control insects, weeds, and plant diseases.
Why is Community Supported Agriculture Important?*
- CSA's direct marketing gives farmers and growers the fairest return on their products.
- CSA's keep your food dollars in the maintenance and establishment of regional food production.
- CSA creates a sense of social responsibility and stewardship of local land.
- CSA puts "the farmer's face on food" and increases consumer understanding of how, where, and by whom our food is grown.
- CSA encourages communication and cooperation among farmers and consumers.
- With a "guaranteed market" for their produce, farmers can invest their time in doing the best job they can rather than looking for buyers.
- CSA supports the biodiversity of a given area and the diversity of agriculture through the preservation of small farms producing a wide variety of crops.
- CSA creates opportunity for dialogue between farmers and consumers.
Reasons to Support Organic Farming
- Supports sustainable agriculture - saving the soil and the small farmer.
- Respects the soil, its limits, and its cycles.
- Provides fresh organic produce, full of good nutrition and flavor.
- Keeps members in touch with the seasons, the weather, and the farmers.
- Promotes bioregional food concepts with fewer transportation miles and less packaging.
- Allows members, if so desiring, to take active roles in food production for their families.
- Supports the organic food movement.
