CSA in NYC: Farmers Bringing Fair Food to the Big Apple for 30+ Years
EXCLUSIVE REPORT! How to build more resilient urban-rural relationships in New York City and beyond
This project is funded by the USDA FMPP grant in partnership with Just Food and GrowNYC. Together, we delve into the intricate dynamics of an urban Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in New York City, focusing specifically on the pivotal role Core Groups play in fostering connection, community, and possibility between New York City dwellers and the farmers who feed them. View the report, and continue reading for an overview of the survey.
In the heart of New York City, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs have connected urban dwellers with fresh, fair food and the farmers who cultivate it for over 30 years. With the city’s unique infrastructure and economic demands, accessibility strategies are crucial for successful CSAs across the five boroughs.
For many farmers, commuting into NYC to distribute their products fresh off the farm is not only a difficult, but daunting task, especially after a long week in the fields. There’s more traffic, less space, and stiff competition, which calls for a unique food system that can support both the farmers and urban communities with affordable, accessible food.
To better understand the current state of CSA in NYC — including setbacks and success — we teamed up with Just Food and GrowNYC to survey CSA farmers and the volunteers who distribute CSA shares throughout New York City neighborhoods.
The subsequent report reveals the history of New York’s unique CSA model, the challenges and opportunities for both the farmers and the community they feed, and what is still needed to better support a fair food system in New York City.
View the report.
“This project was a wonderful opportunity to assess the current state of CSA through our comprehensive farmer and core group member surveys and to create materials to help farmers and members promote CSA as a model that strengthens communities while bringing affordable, healthy, locally-grown food to our diverse city neighborhoods,” says Ruth Katcher, longtime core group leader and member of project partner Just Food’s CSA Advisory Committee.
What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a food system that removes the middlemen so that farmers can directly serve their customers without losing profits to distributors or retailers.
In a CSA program, consumers commit to buying shares of a farm’s harvest, securing a season’s worth of farm-fresh produce. This model provides farmers with predictable income, and CSA members receive consistent access to locally-grown food via a weekly box, or “share” of seasonal produce.
Other names for CSA may include “farm share,” “farm box,” or “farm subscription.”
What Makes CSA in NYC Unique?
Central to NYC’s successful CSAs are Core Groups — individual community members who volunteer their time and resources to help bridge the gap between urban residents and local food producers and directly help farmers distribute their produce throughout the city.
The non-profit Just Food pioneered this model in the mid 1990s, serving as a matchmaker between core groups and farmers while providing extensive training for community members for the past three decades.
What do Core Groups do?
Core Group members assist the farmers in a myriad of ways; they manage distribution logistics, coordinate events and communication, and, in some cases, collect payments, or deal with site permits and ensuring CSA shares are financial accessible.
Through these shared tasks and community events, Core Groups foster camaraderie and mutual support among CSA members to build more resilient urban-rural relationships that extend far beyond food and farming.
Read the Report
The presence of core groups in New York City is relatively unique to the region and has enabled many CSAs in NYC to take root and grow.
This report highlights the critical contributions of Core Groups in nurturing vibrant, inclusive food systems in NYC and serves as a guide for other communities to replicate this vital urban-rural connection nationwide. 53% of known CSA distribution sites mapped by Just Food are represented in the survey.
The survey covers volunteer management, leadership, distribution logistics, communications, and marketing efforts, while also identifying areas for improvement that can better support a fair food system in NYC and beyond.
As urban populations continue to grapple with socio-environmental and economic challenges, the insights gleaned from this report underscore the importance of investing in community-driven initiatives that prioritize a more resilient, transparent, and inclusive food system — for both the farmers and the communities they feed.
View & download the report.
About the Project
Funding for this project was made possible by a grant/cooperative agreement with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service through the Farmer Market Promotion Program (FMPP). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the USDA.
The scope of the project, Accelerating Community Supported Agriculture in New York City with Technology, Education, and Community Collaboration, includes:
- the aforementioned research document assessing the current state and needs of CSA programs in New York City, specifically exploring the role that Core Groups play in feeding the community;
- a free digital guide for farmers managing CSA programs in New York City, available for download now;
- an online and in-person training program on CSA best practices;
- the development and release of community-facing features within the GrownBy app, a cooperatively-owned CSA management platform built for direct farm sales.
Join us for CSA Bootcamp
Register below, and continue reading for the curriculum covered in each workshop. This 9 week intensive will help farmers learn about all the different CSA strategies and brainstorm innovative approaches to accelerate your farm’s success!
GrownBy is the fair & farmer-owned marketplace that helps more people eat more local.
Build your farm shop on the GrownBy Marketplace for free and start selling your products in less than an hour! Grow with us at @farmgenerationscoop and @grownbyapp.
