Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs work to support local farms and farmers by creating dependable advance demand for their produce. CSA members pay for a seasonal or yearly subscription, which entitles them to a share of whatever is produced. If there’s a bumper crop, everyone shares in the bounty. If there’s a bad harvest, then everyone likewise shares the burden. The farmer receive the benefit of having a dependable market and consumers benefit by receiving fresh, local and often organic produce at a good price.
In the U.S., 25,000 people on participate in more than 500 CSA projects across the country. In Japan, where it has been around since the 1960s, over 5,000,000 families participate in CSA.
View Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) in Boston in a larger map