Farmers get money upfront; shareholders get veggies

There’s a new movement taking root in Utah. Hundreds of consumers are bypassing the supermarkets and buying a piece of the farm.

With community-supported agriculture (CSA), consumers buy a share of a farmer’s crops before the growing season begins and receive fresh vegetables every week during summer and fall.

"It’s beneficial to the farmer, as well as the consumer," says Jeff Williams, who promotes CSA programs as coordinator of Great Salt Lake Resource Conservation and Development Council. "[Farmers] get their money up front and that reduces . . some of the uncertainty that goes into farming."

Community-supported agriculture is lauded as a way to help family farmers stay in business and protect farmland from development. Farmers are guaranteed retail prices for their crops, and consumers usually pay less than they would for the same quality produce, such as heirloom tomatoes, in a specialty grocery store.

By Rosemary Winters
The Salt Lake Tribune

Full Story: http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_2547608