Chrf CSA Case Study: What Is Corbin

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 to a pick-up location" however "CHRF is designed to make Farm Share members, also called Shareholders, into farm owners over time, solidifying their relationship to the farm, providing them with greater control over the production of their food, and fostering stewardship of the farmland." [footnoteRef:2] Ideally, over time, the business model is designed to be personally empowering to low-income consumers as well as improve the quality of their diets by enriching it with fruits and vegetables. [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 to buy food due to financial concerns within a 12-month period. There are few supermarkets in the area, leaving the low-income consumers at the mercy of higher-priced bodegas that often only stock 'junk' foods rather than produce.[footnoteRef:4] Special arrangements were made with farmers to lower the costs of typical CSAs and request payment in advance of one week, versus seasonally or monthly, given the dependence of residents upon food stamps to supply themselves with their regular groceries. Long-term goals include creating a corporate structure in which the shareholders have a 'say' in terms of how the food is grown and distributed. [footnoteRef:5] [3: Cohen & Derryck 2011:5] [4: Cohen & Derryck 2011:7-9] [5: Cohen & Derryck 2011:10]