Journal Article

The perceived influence of cost-offset community-supported agriculture on food access among low-income families

Hanson, Karla L, Seguin, Rebecca A, White, Michelle J, Jilcott Pitts, Stephanie B, Kolodinsky, Jane, Wang, Weiwei, Ammerman, Alice S, Morgan, Emily H, Sitaker, Marilyn, McGuirt, Jared T

2018

Overview

To examine perspectives on food access among low-income families participating in a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) programme. Farm Fresh Foods for Healthy Kids (F3HK) is a multicentre randomized intervention trial assessing the effect of CO-CSA on dietary intake and quality among children from low-income families. Focus groups were conducted at the end of the first CO-CSA season. Participants were interviewed about programme experiences, framed by five dimensions of food access: availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability and accommodation. Transcribed data were coded on these dimensions plus emergent themes. Nine communities in the US states of New York, North Carolina, Washington and Vermont. Fifty-three F3HK adults with children. CSA models were structured by partner farms. Produce quantity was abundant; however, availability was enhanced for participants who were able to select their own produce items. Flexible CSA pick-up times and locations made produce pick-up more accessible. Despite being affordable to most, payment timing was a barrier for some. Unfamiliar foods and quick spoilage hindered acceptability through challenging meal planning, despite accommodations that included preparation advice. Although CO-CSA may facilitate increased access to fruits and vegetables for low-income families, perceptions of positive diet change may be limited by the ability to incorporate share pick-up into regular travel patterns and meal planning. Food waste concerns may be particularly acute for families with constrained resources. Future research should examine whether CO-CSA with flexible logistics and produce self-selection are sustainable for low-income families and CSA farms.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Acceptability / Accessibility / Adult / Adults / affordability / Agricultural economics / Agriculture / Child / Children / Community involvement / Community participation / Community supported agriculture / Diet / Dietary intake / Farms / Feeding Behavior - psychology / Female / Focus Groups / Food / Food Assistance - economics / Food availability / food intake / Food spoilage / Food Supply - economics / Food Supply - methods / Food waste / Fruits / Humans / Income / Interventions / interviews / Logistics / low income households / Male / meal planning / Menu Planning / New York / North Carolina / Nutrition / Obesity / Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology / Poverty - economics / Poverty - psychology / Program Evaluation / Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / raw foods / Research Paper / Spoilage / travel / Travel patterns / vegetables / Vermont / Washington / Washington (state)