Growing CSA Farms: A Geographic Analysis of Community Supported Agriculture in Madison, WI

Abstract

Since the concept of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) was introduced to the United States in 1984, Wisconsin has provided fertile ground for CSA expansion. Within Wisconsin, the city of Madison has a particularly well-established network of CSA farms. Thirty-six states in the U.S. have fewer CSA farms serving the entire state than Madison has serving the city alone. However, the CSA movement is young and relatively small throughout most of the country. Through our research, we identify the characteristics of both the CSA network and the population of Madison that enable the city to sustain such a large CSA system. The identification and analysis of these attributes may offer implications for efforts to expand CSA in Madison or elsewhere.