Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

The role of collaborative community supported agriculture: Lessons from Iowa

Project ID: 2005-M01

Abstract

The project surveyed a variety of CSA collaborators and participants to determine whether CSAs could serve as business incubators for small-scale, rural enterprise in Iowa.

Key Question: What do producers gain from participating in collaborative marketing arrangements like cCSA?

Findings: This project demonstrates that collaboration helps producers start new farm-related enterprises or expand existing ones. Collaboration also allows producers to reduce their risks by providing instant access to markets, create stronger relationships with consumers, increase practical farming knowledge, improve marketing skills, and ultimately help producers decide if direct marketing (collaborative or otherwise) is right for their operation.

Lead investigator: Cornelia Flora, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, et al

Year of grant completion: 2007

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Marketing Initiative.

Topics: Community-based food systems, Models and assessment tools