Collaboration, Competition and Community Relations
CSAs often operate in an environment of what some term “collaborative competition,” in which
they are competitors and collaborators at the same time. Farms in the same region generally
produce the same crops and compete for the same membership base. At the same time, however,
there is a very strong spirit of collaboration among CSAs, which contributes to the viability of
each farm. Forms of collaboration include sharing equipment, joint purchasing of supplies and
materials, selling to one another and selling jointly to wholesalers, transporting produce together
and even sharing labor.
The issue of community relations has been a thorny one for CSA, which has been criticized for
having a largely affluent membership base. The advance payment requirement is prohibitive for
many low-income individuals, effectively excluding them from CSA membership. CSAs have
developed a number of mechanisms for extending themselves to low-income community
members, including work-shares, free or reduced-price shares for low-income residents and
providing surplus food to a range of community organizations serving low-income people.
Collaboration, Competition and Community RelationsCSAs often operate in an environment of what some term “collaborative competition,” in whichthey are competitors and collaborators at the same time. Farms in the same region generallyproduce the same crops and compete for the same membership base. At the same time, however,there is a very strong spirit of collaboration among CSAs, which contributes to the viability ofeach farm. Forms of collaboration include sharing equipment, joint purchasing of supplies andmaterials, selling to one another and selling jointly to wholesalers, transporting produce togetherand even sharing labor.The issue of community relations has been a thorny one for CSA, which has been criticized forhaving a largely affluent membership base. The advance payment requirement is prohibitive formany low-income individuals, effectively excluding them from CSA membership. CSAs havedeveloped a number of mechanisms for extending themselves to low-income communitymembers, including work-shares, free or reduced-price shares for low-income residents andproviding surplus food to a range of community organizations serving low-income people.
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