Community Supported Agriculture

“I know of no pursuit in which more real and important service can be rendered to any country,” George Washington wrote in 1789,” than by improving its agriculture.”

While we tend to associate progress with technological advancement and large-scale innovation, one of the most exciting changes on the agricultural scene these days is the growing number of small Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. A CSA is an organized group of consumers whose members buy their produce and other farm products directly from local farmers. Members pay a pre-agreed subscription amount per growing season and in return receive a weekly harvest of fresh, locally-grown food.

Typically, a CSA supports several small farms within a close radius of where the food is distributed. In contrast, produce in the grocery store is trucked an average of 1,500 miles from, well…most of us don’t know where. Buying produce directly from farmers, CSA members pay less than retail for the freshest food possible. Many CSAs feature food that is grown organically, without pesticides, and using sustainable farming practices.

It’s the proverbial win-win situation. Communities gain satisfaction from reconnecting to the land and participating in the production of the food they eat. Small farmers receive fair and stable prices and better financial security.

Learn more about community supported agriculture on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website at: www.nal.usda.gov.