Hello, Middleman? Looking again at the business side of community supported
agriculture, if the shareholders are most interested in receiving fresh, organic produce, are we
introducing the middleman into this relationship? Loughridge (2002) provided an example of
middlemen replacing the farmer/shareholder relationship with an impersonal and transactional
connection between consumers and fresh produce. With these newer business arrangements, the
only thing required was a valid credit card. Loughridge (2002) described what he found this
way: