CHRF CSA case study:

What is Corbin Hill Road Farm (CHRF) trying to achieve in the long and short-term? Is it sustainable?

Particularly in light of the recent obesity epidemic and concerns about the problems associated with highly-processed, industrially-manufactured foods, many consumers have been turning to alternative food value chains from which to source their produce, meat, dairy, and other staple goods. Unfortunately, sustainably and organically-produced foods sold from small farms to consumers tend to cost more than standard supermarket goods, which means that high and middle-class consumers are the usual beneficiaries of these value chains.[footnoteRef:1] Corbin Hill Road Farm is attempting to craft what is known as 'hybrid' food chain, or one which makes use of the resources of NGOs and local partnerships to deliver healthy foods to lower-income consumers. [1: N. Cohen & D. Derryck, D. "Corbin Hill Road Farm Share: A hybrid food value chain in practice," Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 2011:2]

The business model of CHRF is modeled upon a community-supported agriculture program (CSA), with "customers paying in advance for weekly shares of produce delivered...

[2: Cohen & Derryck, 2011:5]
Thus, the short-term goals of CHRF are to improve low-income consumer's food security in the South Bronx neighborhood of Hunts Point and to improve the quality of their diets by providing them with high-quality produce at affordable prices. To do so, CHRF avails itself of community partnerships, including "a network of farms and farmers in Schoharie County who supply produce for the distribution services." [footnoteRef:3]Over time, in terms of its immediate-range goals, CHRF hopes to reduce the BMI and significantly increase fruit and vegetable consumption in that particular area and also improve general food security, given the large number of residents who identified themselves as being unable…