Food – Community Supported Agriculture
Courtesy Urban Roots
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSAs)
CSAs allow consumers to buy “shares” of a local farmers’ produce. The farmers often deliver the food to the city, either directly to homes or drop-off points. Farms are guaranteed an income by these subscriptions, better ensuring the financial stability of local food suppliers. Some food delivery services also buy local and become virtual CSAs.
Direct marketing of food to consumers generates considerably more income to the local economy. In a study done in the Sacramento region of California, local farmers were shown to generate $86 of additional economic activity per $100 in sales, while non-direct marketers generated only $42 of additional activity.
