Of the more than 53,000 acres of cropland in Franklin County, only 162 acres (less than 1%) are used to produce vegetables. Most of the remainder is used to produce corn and soybeans. This means that our vegetables mostly come from somewhere else, often from remote states or other countries. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a means of promoting local small farms that produce diverse crops. In exchange for payment commitments that help farmers handle early expenses and mitigate risks, CSA customers periodically get boxes full of produce delivered directly from the farm to a convenient neighborhood pick-up site, or even to their homes. In addition to improving the resilience of the local food system through crop diversification, CSAs tend to provide fresher food with lower energy requirements and lesser ecological impact.
Idea
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a business model in which consumers ("members") receive regular distributions ("shares") of food from a farm in exchange for an up-front payment or commitment to periodic payments. The member understands that the quantity of food they receive is dependent on the performance of the farm. That is, in years with good yields they may receive more food than expected, but in years with poor yields they may receive less than expected. Because the farmer receives the agreed payment regardless of farm performance, a portion of the risk is borne by the consumer. This model helps enable a class of farming that otherwise might be considered too risky - namely small farms growing high-value crops and/or using low-intensity production methods.
Benefits of Community Supported Agriculture
CSAs are an important element in a local food system and therefore help realize the benefits of a local food system. Compared to the conventional food system which often relies on centralized processing and long supply chains, local food systems tend to rely more heavily on distributed processing and short supply chains. CSAs sometimes distribute food that has been aggregated from multiple regional producers, but often farms operate their own CSA to distribute their produce directly to the consumer. In either case, the physical proximity and short supply chain potentially results in a number of benefits, including (Martinez, 2010, pp. 42-46):
- Increased economic output
- Creation of local jobs
- Recirculation of local wealth
- Increased access to healthy foods
- Reduction of food safety risks
- Preservation of nutritional content of food
- Preservation of farmland
- Development of social capital in a community
- Preservation of crop diversity
- Preservation of environmental quality
Food purchased through a CSA may also require less energy and produce less greenhouse gas emissions, depending on the type of food and how and where it otherwise would have been produced (Martinez, 2010, pp. 49). Another benefit of CSAs is their tendency to facilitate increased communication between producers and consumers, and to increase consumer engagement with the food system. This engagement may take the following forms:
- Education about production methods, produce types, food preparation, and food preservation
- Knowledge of the local agricultural economy
- Knowledge about economic and social factors related to rural communities
- Understanding of the concerns and challenges that farmers face
Using Community Supported Agriculture to improve healthy food access
An important characteristic of CSAs is that they have a lot of flexibility with regard to distribution of their products. CSAs do not typically require a permanent structure or utilities. If the number of members serviced at each distribution site is kept small, the site can be accessed with small trucks or vans. If pickup time windows are kept relatively short, a single delivery vehicle can potentially service several sites in one day. Because of the flexible distribution strategy, CSAs have the potential to take healthy foods to areas of the community where they may not otherwise be accessible.
The USDA has identified census tracts across the United States which are considered "food deserts". In these areas, a significant portion of the population has low income and limited access to healthy food (Ver Ploeg and Rhone, 2017). The map below shows food deserts in the vicinity of Whitehall according to the 2015 Food Access Research Atlas. In green-colored tracts, a large portion of the residents live at least 1 mile from the nearest supermarket. In orange-colored tracts, residents live at least 1/2 mile from the nearest supermarket. In both cases, the residents tend to be low-income and have limited access to vehicles, which suggests that it may be necessary for them to walk or take public transportation to the supermarket.
Although introducing CSA distribution in food deserts won't change the USDA's classification, it will at least address the underlying problem by giving residents another option for accessing healthy foods.
Goal
Establish a CSA program targeted at low-income Whitehall residents with pick-up locations in areas of Whitehall characterized as food deserts.
(Note: a pilot program of this type was carried out in Whitehall in 2017. This effort is described in the Examples section below.)
Objectives
- Determine where pick-up locations should be located to ensure walkable access by the greatest number of residents.
- Identify CSA operator(s) who are willing to service the pick-up locations, and who are willing to accept SNAP benefits.
- Identify local community organizations who are willing to subsidize a portion of the CSA membership cost.
- Determine eligibility requirements for subsidized membership.
- Advertise the program throughout the target neighborhoods, focusing on eligible residents.
- If non-eligible residents are also interested in participating in the program, negotiate with the CSA operator to use some of the proceeds from non-subsidized members to further subsidize memberships of low-income participants.
Examples
Meet Yellowbird Foodshed
The mission of Yellowbird Foodshed is to build a sustainable food system for the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area by connecting small, sustainable farms with consumers who want to gain an understanding and awareness of where their food is coming from. To achieve this, they have developed a CSA program that partners with a network of local small farmers and offers their products to members in the form of a weekly share.
How it works
Each season, consumers sign up to be a member of the CSA by paying a total up-front cost or agreeing to pay monthly. They may choose from among several box sizes, which determines the cost and the amount of produce they will receive each week. They also choose a pickup location from a set of options. Each week during the season, Yellowbird delivers food to the pickup site, and the consumer collects the food. Any given week, members can put a hold on their box in which case they will not receive the food and will not be charged for it. Alternately, the member can choose to donate their food rather than putting it on hold, in which case it is shared with kids in need via the YMCA or with seniors.
Speaking of the YMCA...
Did you know that in Summer 2017, Franklin County Public Health, the YMCA, and Yellowbird collaborated to provide subsidized CSA boxes to 15 Whitehall families in need? The cost of the $30 boxes was covered 50% by the recipient families using their SNAP benefits, and 50% by the YMCA. The program ran for 8 weeks. The team is planning to expand the program in 2018 due to the interest that it generated.
What's in the box?
Yellowbird offers local food year-round. The table below provides a list of possible produce that you might expect to find in the box for each season as of Spring 2018. Of course, since farming is a high-risk enterprise (hence the need for CSAs!), the inclusion of any particular item is subject to availability. Example contents for a Summer Box are described in detail with storage notes and recipe ideas in this sample newsletter.
| Season | Possible produce varieties |
|---|---|
| Spring April 25th- June 29th |
Arugula, Asparagus, Cabbage, Carrots, Dried Beans, Hydroponic Lettuce, Microgreens, Mushrooms, Radishes, Salad Mix, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Watercress, Beets, Corn Chips, Kale, Rhubarb, Spring Onions, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Chives, Garlic Scrapes, Tatsoi, Bok Choi, Summer Squash, Peas, Dandelion Greens, Blueberries, Green Beans, Black Raspberries, Parsley |
| Summer July 4th- September 7th |
Cherries, Lettuce, Kale, Blueberries, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Carrots, Broccoli, Basil, Microgreens, Mushrooms, Cabbage, Peas, Beets, Parsley, Dandelion Greens, Eggplants, Sweet Corn, Yellow Beans, Green Beans, Peaches, Onions, Shishito Peppers, Blackberries, Tokyo Bekana, Cantaloupe, Green Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Watermelon, Romaine, Asian Pears |
| Fall Sept 12th- Nov 16th |
Garlic, Onions, Tomatoes, Fennel, Lettuce Mix, Kale, Broccoli, Peppers, Radishes, Watercress, Microgreens, Mushrooms, Grapes, Red Leaf, Asian Pears, Turnips, Eggplant, Dandelion Greens, Cauliflower, Poblano Pepper, Kohlrabi, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Empire Apples, Burssels Sprouts, Ginger, Chiogga Beets, Acorn Squash, Salad Mix, Sage, Cabbage, Escarole, Arugula, Potatoes, Apple Cider |
| Winter November 30th – April 14th |
Lettuce heads, Spinach, Kale, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Radish, Bok Choi, Puffed Cereals, Beans, and surprise Ohio Artisan Products! |
Farms
The local farms that produce food for Yellowbird Foodshed are focused on sustainability and use methods that encourage biodiversity without the use of harsh chemicals. The approximate locations of the farms are shown on the map below. Click on each farm to obtain more information about the farm, or visit the Yellowbird Partner Farms page, which is the source of the information shown on the map.
Connection to Other Plans
This idea potentially addresses the following elements of the MORPC Regional Sustainability Agenda:
| Element | Description | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). | CSA produce distribution is regional and direct, avoiding transportation required for long supply chains. |
| 1.6 | Reduce per capita energy consumption across all sectors. | Fewer vehicle miles traveled means less fuel consumed. Also less refrigeration required due to shorter supply chain. |
| 1.7 | Increase the number of local renewable energy projects and generating capacity. | Organic waste produced at CSA farms could be feedstock for anerobic digester gas, ethanol, or biodiesel. |
| 2.1 | Reduce emissions to meet federal air quality standards. | Fewer vehicle miles traveled means less tailpipe emissions. |
| 2.2 | Increase the number of people receiving air quality information and education. | CSAs communicate with their members and represent a potential outreach channel for this type of information. |
| 2.3 | Reduce the amount of municipal solid waste per capita disposed in the landfill. | Shorter supply chain reduces the need for intermediate food packaging. CSA farms could divert food and lawn waste to composting. |
| 2.4 | Minimize greenfield development and promote infill and redevelopment. | CSAs can make use of vacant land in the city for urban agriculture. |
| 2.5 | Reduce per capita water consumption. | Traditional, low-impact farming methods used by CSAs capture more rainwater on-site and retain it longer, requiring less treated water consumption. |
| 2.6 | Improve water quality in the Upper Scioto Watershed. | Traditional, low-impact farming methods used by CSAs retain more stormwater on site and use fewer chemicals, resulting in less sediment and pollutants in rivers. |
| 3.1 | Increase the number of businesses in Central Ohio with established sustainability policies and practices. | CSAs tend to use sustainable farming practices as a means of differentiating themselves. The shorter supply chains of CSAs are inherently more sustainable. |
| 3.2 | Increase the number of adopted institutional purchasing policies that support the purchase of local food. | This is addressed explicitly in the recommendations above. |
This idea potentially addresses the following elements of the Columbus and Franklin County Local Food Action Plan
| Element | Description | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| B-1 | Prioritize access to healthy, affordable food sources in transit system infrastructure and planning efforts | CSAs can deliver food to neighborhoods with poor healthy food access. Subsides by public entities, non-profits, or high-income CSA participants can offset costs for low-income participants. |
| B-4 | Expand consumer access to local healthy food purchasing incentives. | CSAs can advertise these incentives to current and prospective members and can provide assistance to people wishing to make use of the incentives. |
| B-5 | Grow capacity and enhance viability of civic agriculture to allow more residents to grow food for themselves and their neighbors | CSAs can help civic agriculture enterprises by providing a distribution channel for their produce. |
| B-7 | Identify and implement mobile strategies that bring healthy, affordable and local food to residents. | CSA distribution methods could include delivery to the home or mobile distribution in neighborhoods with low mobility. |
| B-8 | Public and institutional buyers adopt and implement food purchasing policies to support increased purchases of healthy and local food. | This is addressed explicitly in the recommendations above. |
| B-9 | Support the development of a comprehensive network of educational resources and infrastructure that connects residents with healthy, affordable and local food. | Education about foods and food preparation is a common element of CSA operations. |
| B-10 | Engage those most impacted by health disparities, including low-income, African American, Hispanic, New American and other underrepresented communities, in developing and implementing culturally appropriate food assistance, education, nutrition, gardening and cooking programs. | CSA marketing efforts, product selection, and education efforts could be targeted at these communities. |
References
Martinez, S., et. al. (2010). Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved on April 12, 2018 from https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/documentation/
Ver Ploeg, M. & Rhone, A. (2017). Food Access Research Atlas Documentation. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved on April 12, 2018 from https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/documentation/