The basis of Community Supported Agriculture is developing a relationship between a farmer(s) and the community that consumes their produce founded on an understanding of mutual support. The farmer or grower benefits by receiving a fair return on their products and a guaranteed market enabling them to invest their time in growing the food rather than looking for customers. Consumers benefit enormously by receiving fresh locally produced food from a known location with an understanding of how it is produced. The local economy is stimulated by consumers supporting local businesses.

CSA is thought to have evolved simultaneously in Japan and Europe (Germany, Austria & Switzerland) in the 1960s, stimulated by the rapid post-war industrialisation of food production. In Japan a number of neighbourhood groups, largely run by women seeking alternative ways to procure safe food. They formed ‘teikei’ groups - a tie-up or agreement between farmers and consumers translated as ‘food with a farmer’s face on it’. The CSA concept was introduced to the USA in 1985 and has grown and developed to an estimated 1000 CSAs in 2001.

In recent years local food has become a focus of interest in the UK and CSA is an initiative that is gaining recognition. The ‘Curry Report’ from the Commission for Food and Farming strongly supported the concepts behind local food recognising the benefits it can bring to local economic development, rural and urban regeneration, health and local communities.

The Soil Association are actively promoting CSAs through its Cultivating Communities initiative and have recently received funding from the Lottery Community Fund to run a 3 year project to promote and create CSA schemes. The Soil Association feel that reconnecting consumers with producers may be the single most important strategy for breaking away from industrial agriculture and moving towards more sustainable farming that meets the needs of both consumers and producers. CSA has a valuable role to play in redeveloping these connections.

Dragon Orchard Cropsharers is a grower-led CSA initiative launched to protect the long term future of the orchard. Dragon Orchard is a CSA Open Farm which enables those interested in CSA to visit and find out more information. The Soil Association are encouraging and supporting CSA and developing the Open Farm network through their Cultivating Communities project which is funded by the Community Fund.