IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i15p4170-d254068.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Factors Affecting the Dynamics of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Membership

Author

Listed:
  • Junhong Chen

    (Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA)

  • Zhifeng Gao

    (Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA)

  • Xuqi Chen

    (Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA)

  • Lisha Zhang

    (Department of Agricultural Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA)

Abstract

Community supported agriculture (CSA) serves as a platform for local producers, especially for small size farms, to sell fresh, local products directly to its members. CSA is an important approach to promote local economic growth and contribute to sustainable agriculture. Although CSA is widely accepted across the United States, the total number of CSA membership is still very low. It is important to determine the factors that affect the future development of CSA because of its social and environmental benefits. In this study, we analyze how the motivation, barriers, and methods of advertisement influence the participation dynamics of CSA by segmenting consumers based on their past, current, and future CSA participation. Based on a national survey with 795 responses, the results show that the younger generation, high-income families, and people who support sustainable agriculture are more likely to renew their CSA subscription. CSA members are found to be very sensitive to the time of food distribution, the price of products, and the location of CSA farms. Moreover, the impacts of perceived barriers of CSA participation and advertisement method vary based on respondents’ membership status. This paper sheds light on factors that influence various consumer groups and offers a more dynamic analysis of CSA consumer behavior. This analysis enhances understanding of CSA members’ preferences and could help CSA programs expand in the future and to better promote local food systems and sustainable agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Junhong Chen & Zhifeng Gao & Xuqi Chen & Lisha Zhang, 2019. "Factors Affecting the Dynamics of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Membership," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:15:p:4170-:d:254068
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/15/4170/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/15/4170/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhifeng Gao & Lisa A. House & Jing Xie, 2016. "Online Survey Data Quality and Its Implication for Willingness-to-Pay: A Cross-Country Comparison," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 64(2), pages 199-221, June.
    2. Tegtmeier, Erin & Duffy, Michael, 2005. "Community Supported Agriculture (Csa) in the Midwest United States: A Regional Characterization," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12577, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    3. Bougherara, Douadia & Grolleau, Gilles & Mzoughi, Naoufel, 2009. "Buy local, pollute less: What drives households to join a community supported farm?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1488-1495, March.
    4. Farnsworth, Richard L. & Thompson, Sarahelen R. & Drury, Kathleen A. & Warner, Richard E., 1996. "Community Supported Agriculture: Filling A Niche Market," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 27(1), pages 1-9, February.
    5. Cheryl Brown & Stacy Miller, 2008. "The Impacts of Local Markets: A Review of Research on Farmers Markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1298-1302.
    6. Zhenzhong Si & Theresa Schumilas & Steffanie Scott, 2015. "Characterizing alternative food networks in China," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(2), pages 299-313, June.
    7. Kees Krul & Peter Ho, 2017. "Alternative Approaches to Food: Community Supported Agriculture in Urban China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-16, May.
    8. Peterson, Hikaru Hanawa & Taylor, Mykel R. & Baudouin, Quentin, 2015. "Preferences of locavores favoring community supported agriculture in the United States and France," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 64-73.
    9. Jack P. Cooley & Daniel A. Lass, 1998. "Consumer Benefits from Community Supported Agriculture Membership," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 20(1), pages 227-237.
    10. Gao, Zhifeng & House, Lisa & Bi, Xiang, 2016. "Impact of satisficing behavior in online surveys on consumer preference and welfare estimates," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 26-36.
    11. Claudia Bazzani & Maurizio Canavari, 2013. "Alternative Agri-Food Networks and Short Food Supply Chains: a review of the literature," Economia agro-alimentare, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 15(2), pages 11-34.
    12. Lydia Zepeda & Anna Reznickova & Willow Russell, 2013. "CSA membership and psychological needs fulfillment: an application of self-determination theory," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 30(4), pages 605-614, December.
    13. Michael Vassalos & Zhifeng Gao & Lisha Zhang, 2017. "Factors Affecting Current and Future CSA Participation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-16, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gönül Sevinç & Mustafa Hakkı Aydoğdu & Mehmet Cançelik & Mehmet Reşit Sevinç, 2019. "Farmers’ Attitudes toward Public Support Policy for Sustainable Agriculture in GAP-Şanlıurfa, Turkey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Chenyi He & Lijia Shi & Zhifeng Gao & Lisa House, 2020. "The impact of customer ratings on consumer choice of fresh produce: A stated preference experiment approach," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 68(3), pages 359-373, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Salladarré, Frédéric & Guillotreau, Patrice & Debucquet, Gervaise & Lazuech, Gilles, 2018. "Some Good Reasons for Buying Fish Exclusively From Community-Supported Fisheries: The Case of Yeu Island in France," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 172-180.
    2. Wellner, Marie & Theuvsen, Ludwig, 2016. "Community Supported Agriculture Als Neuer Impuls Für Die Regionalvermarktung? Stand Der Forschung Und Abgrenzung Von Anderen Alternativen Lebensmittelnetzwerken," 56th Annual Conference, Bonn, Germany, September 28-30, 2016 244757, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    3. Marie Diekmann & Ludwig Theuvsen, 2019. "Value structures determining community supported agriculture: insights from Germany," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 36(4), pages 733-746, December.
    4. Bernard, Kévin & Bonein, Aurélie & Bougherara, Douadia, 2020. "Consumer inequality aversion and risk preferences in community supported agriculture," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    5. Punnaros Pisarn & Man-Keun Kim & Shang-Ho Yang, 2020. "A Potential Sustainable Pathway for Community-Supported Agriculture in Taiwan: The Consumer Perspective in a Farmers’ Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-18, October.
    6. Bernard, Kévin & Bonein, Aurélie & Bougherara, Douadia, 2016. "Community Supported Agriculture and Preferences for Risk and Fairness," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 234904, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Jairus J. Rossi & Timothy A. Woods & James E. Allen, 2017. "Impacts of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Voucher Program on Food Lifestyle Behaviors: Evidence from an Employer-Sponsored Pilot Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-21, August.
    8. Emily H. Morgan & Michelle M. Severs & Karla L. Hanson & Jared McGuirt & Florence Becot & Weiwei Wang & Jane Kolodinsky & Marilyn Sitaker & Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts & Alice Ammerman & Rebecca A. Seg, 2018. "Gaining and Maintaining a Competitive Edge: Evidence from CSA Members and Farmers on Local Food Marketing Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-21, June.
    9. Claudio Vitari & Erin Whittingham, 2018. "Tackling Conventional Agriculture: The Institutionalization of Community Supported Agriculture's (CSA) Principles," Post-Print halshs-01923789, HAL.
    10. Maschkowski, Gesa & Barth, Alice & Köngeter, Alexandra, 2017. "Solidarische Landwirtschft – Austrittsgründe Aus Perspektive Ehemaliger Mitglieder," 57th Annual Conference, Weihenstephan, Germany, September 13-15, 2017 262180, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    11. Stevens Azima & Patrick Mundler, 2022. "Does direct farm marketing fulfill its promises? analyzing job satisfaction among direct-market farmers in Canada," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 791-807, June.
    12. Connolly, Cristina & Klaiber, H. Allen, 2012. "Are Consumers Willing to Pay for Organic When the Food is Already Local?," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124364, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Roxana Bobulescu & Nhu Tuyên Lê & Claudio Vitari & Erin Whittingham, 2018. "Socio-economic and ecological transition in community supported agriculture: from the 'transitional' to the 'ideal' CSA," Post-Print halshs-01923235, HAL.
    14. Si Tan & Weiping Chen, 2019. "Can members’ WeChat engagement affect relational outcomes in community‐supported agriculture? Empirical evidence from China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(1), pages 36-52, January.
    15. Roxana Bobulescu & Nhu Tuyên Lê & Claudio Vitari & Erin Whittingham, 2018. "Socio-economic and ecological transition in community supported agriculture: from the 'transitional' to the 'ideal' CSA," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) halshs-01923235, HAL.
    16. Michael Vassalos & Zhifeng Gao & Lisha Zhang, 2017. "Factors Affecting Current and Future CSA Participation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-16, March.
    17. Wellner, Marie & Theuvsen, Ludwig, 2018. "Community Supported Agriculture – Determinanten Der Teilnah-Mebereitschaft Deutscher Landwirte," 58th Annual Conference, Kiel, Germany, September 12-14, 2018 276223, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    18. Vassalos, Michael & Gao, Zhifeng & Zhang, Lisha, 2016. "Who are the CSA Consumers and how to Promote CSA to more Consumers?," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235872, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    19. G. Debucquet & P. Guillotreau & G. Lazuech & F. Salladarré & J. Troiville, 2020. "Sense of belonging and commitment to a community-supported fishery. The case of Yeu Island, France," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 101(4), pages 439-459, December.
    20. Bougherara, Douadia & Grolleau, Gilles & Mzoughi, Naoufel, 2009. "Buy local, pollute less: What drives households to join a community supported farm?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1488-1495, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:15:p:4170-:d:254068. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.