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Community
Supported Agriculture
 Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA) allows New Yorkers to buy affordable,
nutritious food and support local farmers at the same time. A CSA
farmer sells shares of his/her crop to CSA members in the winter
and spring. The produce is harvested and distributed to the CSA
members at a neighborhood site about once a week throughout the
summer and fall.
New methods of organizing CSAs are making it easier for low-income
people to participate. Some CSAs now accept Food Stamps or operate
on a sliding scale. Soup kitchens and food pantries can use HPNAP
funds to purchase CSA shares for redistribution to their guests.
In addition, some community organizations create revolving loan
funds, allowing farmers to be paid up front with low income CSA
members paying back the sponsoring organization on an affordable
weekly cost. With this system of repayment, the funds are available
again the following year to help community members afford the CSA
shares. If you are interested in creating a low income CSA, your
first task is to do the research! Contact local farmers fo find
available CSA programs and also be sure to determine whether there
is sufficient interest in CSA membership in your community.
Buying affordable locally grown food not only benefits low-income
New Yorkers, but it also supports small-scale farms and strengthens
the local food supply. For more information on joining or starting
a CSA in New York City, call Just Food at 212-645-9880. For the
rest of the state, call Hunger Action Network at 212-741-8192 or
go to www.csacenter.org
for a listing of CSAs. For information on other farm products, check
out the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets' Farm
Fresh Guide.
Future Farms Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) To Grow With
HANNYS Mini-Grant
Profiles
of Model CSA Projects in NY State Hunger Action Network
has compiled profiles of nine CSA's that have reached out to include
low-income members. Each community has learned different lessons
and had different degrees of success. Reading these profiles can
help you develop a plan for your community, and avoid mistakes that
others have made.
Reaching
Out: Community Supported Agriculture in New York State
In
Fall 2004 Hunger Action conducted a statewide survey of CSA farmers.
Findings include the fact that CSA's keep $2.6 million in our state's
economy every year and protect over 1,100 acres of farmland; and
over 80% of the CSA farmers who responded are interested in making
their food more accessible to low-income people.
CSA
Farm Shares Surplus With Low-Income Community
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