CSA
CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a unique sales model that better connects customers to the source of their food, while providing local farmers the year-round economic support they need to succeed. Below you’ll find resources for farmers operating or considering their own CSA program.
WHAT IS CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a way to buy local food directly from a farmer. You purchase a “share” and become a farm “member.” The farm delivers a box of seasonal goods regularly throughout the season. However, CSA is much more than just a weekly delivery of food. CSA is a powerful investment in your health, community, and local economy. It’s a partnership between farms and consumers that keeps independent businesses thriving, helps families eat seasonal, local produce, and charges farmers and consumers with the responsibility of building a strong, equitable food system. Learn more about CSA here.
Check out Local Harvest for a directory of CSA farms
OUR WORK SUPPORTING CSA
California
We provide direct support to CSA farms all across California through direct technical assistance, policy advocacy, research and by sharing valuable resources (like those below) to help you get your CSA program started or to help keep it going strong.
National
We are a key partner in a National CSA Community of Practice, collaborating with FairShare, the University of Kentucky and other CSA support organizations around the U.S. to strengthen our collective resources, programs, and trainings.
Global
We serve as a North American delegation member of Urgenci, an international network of Community Supported Agriculture initiatives fostering peer-based solidarity among CSA actors contributing to the food sovereignty movement worldwide.
CSA & ONLINE SALES
RESOURCES FOR FARMERS
CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a unique sales model that better connects customers to the source of their food, while providing local farmers the year-round economic support they need to succeed. Below you’ll find resources for farmers operating or considering their own CSA program.
General Resources:
FSMA Y NOP: Animales silvestres y domésticos
Esta hoja informativa proporciona una descripción general sobre lo que las granjas que necesitan estar en pleno cumplimiento con la Ley Federal de Modernización de la Seguridad Alimentaria (FSMA) deben
2021 CSA Marketing Resources
The CSA Innovation Network has created a CSA renewals marketing package for 2021. Download your package below with themed assets for social media and print, including: Facebook cover photo Facebook
How to be a Good CSA Member This Season
Your partner farm provides fresh, healthy, safe food every week. Here are ways you can ensure you’re helping maintain a safe and responsible environment for yourself and for other members
What is a “sliding scale” you ask?
A document that helps people determine where they fall on the “sliding scale” and what they should fairly pay. If CSA farms are considering using a sliding scale payment system
Direct Marketing in CA: Rules & Regs
Learn the various laws and regulations that govern direct marketing in California, including CSAs, farmers markets and farm stands.
CSA discussion group, facebook
Farmers ONLY! From crop production to marketing to discussions of the CSA model itself: what is going on in your neck of the woods?
The CSA Solutions Hub
The CSA Solutions Hub is everything we know about CSA farming. We want to share with you, so you can get better at what you do. Join our community of
How to Bring EBT / SNAP to your CSA
Interested in bringing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) known as CalFresh in California, to your CSA? EBT is currently available at 600 authorized Farmer’s
CSA Marketing Tips:
Digital Marketing & CSA Customer Retention – Shared Legacy Farm shares their success!
Learn more about Shared Legacy Farm’s successful use of social media and email marketing to retain a large percentage of their CSA members, to the point of having a waitlist!
Driving Engagement with Instagram & Facebook Shopping
Are you looking to broaden your e-commerce audience beyond visitors to your website? Consider this: In 2021, 130 million Instagram accounts tap on a shopping post to learn more about
Instagram Basics in 7 minutes!
A 7 minute video going over the basics of Instagram for your farm business.
Words count! Use these proven “hooks” to attract CSA members
In preparation for CSA Week 2021, CAFF and the CSA Innovation Network hosted a fantastic webinar on how to use proven marketing messages (hooks) to attract and retain new CSA
Workplace CSAs Deliver Healthy Eats to the Office Set
Most of the people working at Spacesaver, a shelving company based in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, hadn’t heard of community supported agriculture (CSA). That was until Anna Calloway, the company’s human resources partner, found
My Digital Farmer
An online resource for CSA farmers by a CSA farmer, this website (videos, podcasts, etc.) is invaluable, offering marketing strategies that help CSAs clarify their message, find new customers, and
CSA Marketing Discussion Group on Facebook
With 2,600+ members, in this facebook group members discuss CSA marketing topics w/ active conversations and Q&A.
Finding Your First 10 CSA Customers (VIDEO)
If you’re JUST starting out as a CSA farmer, how do you find those first 10 customers? I think this is the MOST frequently asked question I get. So I
Selling Online: Tips & Resources
Digital Marketing & CSA Customer Retention – Shared Legacy Farm shares their success!
Learn more about Shared Legacy Farm’s successful use of social media and email marketing to retain a large percentage of their CSA members, to the point of having a waitlist!
Exploring CSA Platforms: CSAware and Farmigo
RECORDING. Pronto proporcionará subtítulos en español. Explorando Los Plataformas de Agricultura Apoyada por la Comunidad – CSAware & Farmigo. In this peer-to-peer learning webinar, we will compare two popular online
Plataformas de software de venta directa
Mientras mercados, restaurantes, y otros canales de distribución de comida cierran o reducen operaciones para prevenir el contagio de COVID-19, granjas en todo el país han expresado interés en usar
Take Your Local Food Online (Webinar)
Take Your Local Food Online provided practical information and tips from farmers using online sales platforms. Platforms covered in this video include: Woo Commerce — Kat Becker, Cattail Farms Graze
Direct Sales Software Platforms
This publication highlights product options and sales models that farmers may find helpful. While markets, restaurants, and other food distribution channels close or reduce operations to prevent the spread of
Farm to Freezer: The Logistics of Online Sales & Shipping Meat
Webinar: Apr 2, 2020 at 9AM. Topics will include: setting up an online store, different web platforms, accepting payments, updating inventory, meat selection, subscriptions versus ala-carte orders, boxes, insulation, dry
Everything you need to know about online farmers markets
Online farmers markets are becoming increasingly popular with the rise in demand for locally sourced produce. With an industry that makes hundreds of millions annually, online farmers markets provide consumers
Selling Real Farm Products in a Virtual Marketplace
There are myriad options to explore, from a personal online store to a collective online farmers’ market. Four years ago, I was using a common mix of marketing channels for
CSA & Other Direct Sales Software:
It’s time to register your farm for online EBT/SNAP!
Marketlink is now registering farms for the SNAP online payment solution for direct marketing farmers. The press release can be viewed here. For interested farmers, the first step is
Digital Marketing & CSA Customer Retention – Shared Legacy Farm shares their success!
Learn more about Shared Legacy Farm’s successful use of social media and email marketing to retain a large percentage of their CSA members, to the point of having a waitlist!
Updated Ecommerce Report for the Small Farm
CAFF participates in the CSA Innovation Network who recently updated a report that breaks down how popular eCommerce platforms perform in comparison to one another, based on findings from national
Exploring CSA Platforms: CSAware and Farmigo
RECORDING. Pronto proporcionará subtítulos en español. Explorando Los Plataformas de Agricultura Apoyada por la Comunidad – CSAware & Farmigo. In this peer-to-peer learning webinar, we will compare two popular online
RoadWarrior
Navigation software to make deliveries more efficient, taking into account traffic, drop-off priorities, school zones, tolls, one way trips, and more.
Kabbage
Through Kabbage Payments, any business can sign up to sell gift certificates online, and anyone can purchase them to support participating small businesses. Once registered, businesses can send a custom
FRESHr
A Marketplace for Farms, Distributors, and their Customers online that aggregates and updates supply and demand for fresh local produce in real-time. Created for farmers, distributors, restaurants, and grocers advancing the
Credibles
Credibles goes beyond mainstream crowdfunding. It’s ongoing support of local business and a stronger relationship between the business and customers. The upfront payments are paid back in-kind – as edible
Research:
California CSA Members
A simple infographic breaking down the basics of CSA members in California. Why do they join? Why do they leave?
Understanding CSA Members
Survey data: Who supports Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in California? Comparisons of current and former CSA members, including members’ backgrounds, relationships to food, membership experiences, reasons for joining, importance of
Findings from CA CSA farmer survey
Check out the findings from a survey of over 100 CSA farmers throughout California, including type of production, business models, demographics, retention rates, labor, finances and more.
Michelle manages Regional Food System projects and staff in the Redwood Coast and North Coast regions, as well as CAFF’s statewide CSA Network. Captivated by the farming culture at an early age, she has had her hands in the soil or been involved in rural food systems development for the past twenty years. She operates her own small farm, is an avid bicyclist, and food aficionado.
michelle[at]caff.org
Michelle manages Regional Food System projects and staff in the Redwood Coast and North Coast regions, as well as CAFF’s statewide CSA Network. Captivated by the farming culture at an early age, she has had her hands in the soil or been involved in rural food systems development for the past twenty years. She operates her own small farm, is an avid bicyclist, and food aficionado.
michelle[at]caff.org