Progress 08/01/23 to 07/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Michigan Farm to Family: CSA, an initiative of Michigan Fitness Foundation, is designed to serve low-income families who use SNAP food benefits to supplement their grocery budgets. This program opens access to an affordable, modified community supported agriculture (CSA) model, making it possible for households to buy more Michigan-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. It aims to positively impact purchasing habits, dietary choices, and food and nutrition security, while fostering participation in the local food system. The project also supports Michigan farmers by providing access to a new revenue stream and expanding their customer base to include households across diverse income levels, bridging socio-economic gaps. Farmers have the opportunity to increase food access for their communities, contributing to a robust and equitable local food system. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Farmers and aggregator staff received a new partner guide outlining key information for participating in Michigan Farm to Family: CSA. A Zoom training accompanied the guide, covering roles and responsibilities, reporting and evaluation, promotional support, branding requirements, and nutrition education opportunities. Customized instructions for monthly firm-level reporting were provided to help them complete Nutrition Incentive Hub reports. Additionally, a sales log template was shared to standardize tracking and ensure accurate participant counts based on share purchases. The program manager responsible for coordinating day to day operations has engaged in various professional development opportunities including NTAE grant technical assistance webinars and Nutrition Incentive Hub resources such as Community of Practice sessions, reporting and evaluation webinars, and the New to GusNIP Mini-Convening in New York. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Michigan Fitness Foundation maintains the Michigan Farm to Family: CSA directory on the Michigan Fitness Foundation website and companion social media accounts to support CSAs and recruit people using SNAP to participate in the program. The directory includes information about each CSA including their location, sign-up information, pick-up hours, and links to their websites and social media accounts. The program is promoted through multiple social media channels and featured in several statewide publications to showcase the initiative, raise awareness, and as a recruitment tool. Michigan Fitness Foundation also provides Michigan Farm to Family: CSA partners with a suite of promotional supports to help reach potential CSA members in their communities. Each participating CSA may select from promotional tools including recruitment flyers, social media graphics, program overview videos, talking points, press release templates, sample social media content, and opt-in text reminders to support CSA pick-up and retention. Additionally, we cultivate partnerships with organizations across the state through participation in food systems collectives and collaborations to better engage a broader segment of the SNAP eligible population and CSA farmers. This improves our geographic reach and raises awareness of how CSAs can positively impact local food systems. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Programming has been largely successful and will continue as planned. To improve accessibility and increase participation in the delivery option, a technical assistance plan will be implemented to help CSAs engage with Online SNAP. This will facilitate farmers' advancing through the steps of the Food and Nutrition Service's application process to become authorized Online SNAP retailers, assist with integrating Online SNAP into virtual storefronts and operations, and support the promotion of this payment option to SNAP shoppers. With more farmers able to accept Online SNAP, SNAP shoppers will have easier access to local CSAs by placing orders online, reducing the need for in-person payment at pick-up. This streamlining of transactions benefits both the CSA and the shopper by making the process more convenient. It also paves the way for new possibilities, such as unstaffed pick-up sites and expanded delivery options, treating SNAP participants more like other customers and enhancing their overall experience. While we have exceeded our CSA member-related objectives, we will continue to recruit CSAs to reach our goal of having 10 farms act as program operators for farm-direct sales of incentivized shares. Our recruitment efforts will prioritize equity, focusing on CSAs in underserved geographic areas such as Northeast Michigan and increasing participation among BIPOC farmers and SNAP shoppers in the COVID Response CSA. Additionally, we will explore options for expanding aggregator models to include organizations that serve priority populations such as older adults, veterans, rural households, LGBTQ+ households, and those with limited English proficiency. Work will also continue on developing a Playbook based on insights and evaluation findings. This resource will support current and future communities in implementing Farm to Family: CSA nutrition incentive programs. Playbook content will outline key structures related to essential tasks and components critical to program success as well as flexibility and options for adaptation to local needs. It is on track to be completed by the end of the project's end date of July 31, 2025. ?
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Michigan Farm to Family: CSA is currently supported by two funding streams: GusNIP and GusCRR. This report highlights progress specific to GusCRR funding, referring to the program as COVID Response CSA, and excludes those covered by GusNIP. As such, it does not fully capture the overall program's achievements, though many key activities - such as training, professional development, result dissemination, and planning for the upcoming program year - are shared between the two funding streams. Model 1. GusNIP CSA members' delivery fees. Since Michigan Farm to Family: CSA was piloted in 2019, 27 CSAs have participated across both funding streams with 11 offering weekly deliveries to homes or congregate pick-up sites through COVID Response CSA. The pick-up sites include farmers markets, affordable housing units, service agencies, senior centers, and healthcare centers. Since the 2022 season, over 253 CSA members have benefitted from home or congregate-site deliveries. By covering delivery fees, the program has increased convenience and accessibility for families who use SNAP benefits, ensuring that healthy, locally grown produce reaches those who face barriers to transportation or mobility. Model 2. Expand local operators to Head Starts. Due to regulatory complications and existing day care site-CSA initiatives in Michigan, we have shifted our approach from partnering with Head Starts to working with local organizations that manage multi-farm CSAs. These organizations act as aggregators for regional, small-scale farmers, handling logistics, recruiting CSA members (including those using SNAP benefits), maintaining communication with farmers, and serving as distribution sites for pick-up. This multi-farm model, managed by aggregators, offers several key benefits. It shifts the administrative responsibilities of running a CSA and participating in nutrition incentive programs to non-profit organizations and retail entities, allowing farmers to focus on what they do best: growing food. By fostering partnerships among farmers, the model enhances the sustainability of their operations, enabling them to specialize in specific crops while sharing knowledge and resources with one another. This cooperation also mitigates the risk of unpredictable growing seasons, as farmers can support each other when production challenges arise. To date, COVID Response CSA has worked with seven aggregators to provide multi-farm CSA options to over 301 participants. They have benefitted from the greater flexibility and variety that a multi-farm CSA offers, including the opportunity to discover a broader range of foods and flavors and the potential for "you-pick" options. For consumers, this model simplifies efforts to support multiple local farmers through a single CSA membership, making fresh, local produce more accessible and convenient. Model 3. Farm direct. Through the COVID Response CSA initiative, six farm direct CSAs have been successfully recruited and supported. These farmers have taken on the role of program operators, recruiting over 126 customers to buy CSA shares. Notably, of the SNAP shoppers who purchased a share during the first three years of the program in both the aggregator and farm direct CSAs, 74 have returned to purchase at least one additional CSA share in subsequent years, demonstrating customer retention and satisfaction. Repeat participation reflects the program's success in making local, fresh food more accessible and building long-term relationships between farmers and consumers. It also underscores the role of the program in fostering ongoing community commitment to healthy eating habits and local agriculture. New and returning customers have purchased a total of over 3,100 CSA shares with 2,294 having been purchased from September 1, 2023 - August 31, 2024. An analysis of start of season and end of season survey data from the COVID Response CSA program revealed that 39% of SNAP shoppers who purchased incentivized shares reported an increase in fruit consumption while 59% reported an increase in vegetable consumption. There is an opportunity to explore further why some participants report a decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption to improve the implementation strategies of COVID Response CSA. To support both models two and three, nutrition education and incentives are integrated to enhance the impact of each program and improve participant outcomes. Collaboration between SNAP-Ed at Michigan Fitness Foundation (SNAP-Ed at MFF) and COVID Response CSA brings these efforts together. Nutrition incentives provide nutrition education participants with the funds to purchase the local produce highlighted in nutrition education activities, reducing the risk associated with trying unfamiliar foods and making participating in a CSA more feasible and accessible. Five SNAP-Ed at MFF statewide grantees and service providers worked with five COVID Response CSAs to offer the Michigan Farm to Family: CSA Food Navigator Program, which delivers customized, experiential nutrition education to CSA participants. Food Navigators equip members with the knowledge and skills to cook, prepare, and store the fresh fruits and vegetables they receive in their weekly farm boxes, through activities like recipes, tastings, food demonstrations, and nutrition education materials. They also raise community awareness about the CSA, leveraging their trusted relationships at pick-up sites to help participants feel more comfortable with ongoing involvement.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Conference presentations: Michigan Farm to Family: CSA presentation at USDA NIFA Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Community Nutrition Project Director Meeting in New Orleans, LA in December 2023.
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Progress 08/01/22 to 07/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Low income families - will get new access to a channel of local healthy foods. This can lead to positive long-term purchasing and eating habits, increased food and nutrition security, and satisfaction in being a part of their local food system. Local farmers - will gain new customers and test out new models of business to provide more equitable access to fresh produce in their communities. Local Head Starts - will serve their families in new ways and support healthy eating habits from a young age. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Model 1. GusNIP CSA members' delivery fees Online reporting, NIH, CSA Directory, Memory Fox, BOX. Some CSAs have become active in the MI CSA Network coordinated by MSU and the Michigan Good Food Charter work. Model 2. Expand local operators to Head Starts. On-line reporting, NIH, CSA Directory, Memory Fox, BOX. Some CSAs have become active in the MI CSA Network coordinated by MSU and the Michigan Good Food Charter work. Model 3. Farm Direct What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? On-line reporting, NIH, CSA Directory, Memory Fox, BOX. Some CSAs have become active in the MI CSA Network coordinated by MSU and the Michigan Good Food Charter work. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Model 1. GusNIP CSA members' delivery fees CSA directory and web page, social media Model 2. Expand local operators to Head Starts. CSA directory and web page, social media ?Model 3. Farm Direct CSA directory and web page, social media What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Model 1. GusNIP CSA members' delivery fees Delivery has been a successful way to increase access to fresh produce for CSA members who lack transportation or were isolated at home due to COVID. We will continue to provide delivery as an option as grant funding allows. Model 2. Expand local operators to Head Starts. We will continue to collaborate with our existing partners and seek additional relationships with mission-aligned partners. For example: The Michigan AG Council (agricultural commodity programs), Fair Food Network's Double Up Food Bucks program, and the Michigan Local Food Policy Council Network. We will attend and exhibit at trade shows and conferences and continue our outreach and education as opportunities are identified. Model 3. Farm Direct We will continue to identify and recruit smaller scale CSAs that can be considered Farm Direct. Our Farm Direct CSA model is a good fit for many CSAs in rural Michigan communities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Model 1. GusNIP CSA members' delivery fees. Eight of the twelve MF2FCSA GusNIP firms are delivering weekly shares to homes or congregate pick-up sites. These CSAs are equipped with mobile EBT equipment in order to make pinned SNAP transactions. Model 2. Expand local operators to Head Starts. MFCSA's statewide recruitment partners help connect people with SNAP to a local CSA. Though we do not yet have an arrangement with Head Start, we have partnerships in place with the Michigan Association for Child Development (daycare homes and centers) Michigan's Summer Feeding Program (Meet Up and Eat Up), the Michigan Farmers Market Association, the Food Bank Council of Michigan, food pantries and other emergency food providers, MFF SNAP-Ed implementing agencies, and MSUs MI CSA Network. These partners are providing outreach and /or sharing their local service delivery databases of local program sites. This lets us match CSAs with partner program sites by zip codes and encourage CSA membership. The Michigan Fitness Foundation's local SNAP-Ed Implementing Agency network has provided connections for participants to local CSAs through outreach and education. Model 3 - Farm Direct MF2FCSA recruited 4 CSAs that are considered Farm Direct. CSAs that sold 10 or fewer shares was the general threshold.
Publications
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Progress 08/01/21 to 07/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Low income families- will get new access to a channel of local healthy foods. This can lead to positive long-term purchasing and eating habits, increased food and nutrition security, and satisfaction in being a part of their local food system. Local farmers- will gain new customers and test out new models ofbusiness to provide more equitable access to fresh produce in their communities. Local Head Starts- will serve their families in new ways and support healthy eating habits from a young age. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Use of new online technology such as invoicing and reporting Peer learning Improved profitability through new logistical efficiencies Outreach through social media Food policy at state and federal level How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Web Taste the Local Difference Blog Social media and marketing In-person meetings with policy makers and stakeholders Promotion via SNAP-Ed programs What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Model 1: Delivery. In Year Two we will offer an incentive to CSAs for making share deliveries, $10 per share delivered. Our intent is to allow flexibility to the CSAs and their business model. Deliveries are very important for improving access to local, healthy food and folks still isolating from COVID, especially due to the impact of inflation Many CSAs deliver to homes and convenient community sites based on customer demand. In Year Two we will examine the value of the delivery option and share best practices among our CSAs. Model 2: Expand to Head Starts. Since recruitment and retention of CSA customers with SNAP is a big challenge for CSAs, in Year Two we will pursue mission-aligned, statewide partnerships with organizations that serve families with SNAP to connect them to our local CSA programs. In addition to Head Start we will approach the Michigan Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to determine if other statewide food programs would be a good fit for alignment with Michigan Farm to Family: CSA. Model 3: Farm Direct. We need to recruit several CSAs with our Farm Direct CSA model. In this model, the CSAs sell less than ten weekly shares. Recruitment is taking place by leveraging new and existing partnerships and collaborating with the other food and farming organizations in Michigan. Our intent is that the partnerships will help identify smaller volume CSAs who have added or will add SNAP EBT as a method of payment in their operation. Included but not limited to are the Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA), The Groundwork Center's 10-Cents-A- Meal program, Team Nutrition, The Michigan CSA Network, Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS), Taste the Local Difference and Local Harvest and State Agencies that serve people with SNAP.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Model 1: Deliveries: We surveyed our Michigan Farm to Family CSAs to identify which have the capacity/desire to make deliveries. For those with the capacity, the delivery incentive is included in the budget of each MOU. Deliveries will begin in July 2022, as CSAs start up their new season. Deliveries are essential to address food access. Model 2: Partnerships build gradually. As a start, CSAs reached out to local Head Start agencies to offer their families the opportunity to join the CSA and have access to fresh produce at a very low price. We learned that in smaller communities where there are CSAs, people know each other and have relationships with local leadership to help promote CSAs and Michigan Farm to Family. At the same time, MFF staff is exploring possible connections and partnerships at the state or regional level. Year Two will focus on partnership building with Head Start or the Great Start Collaborative or other state-administered food programs for SNAP-eligible people. We aim to create systematic referrals and easy connections of families to CSAs. Model 3: The Farm Direct model for a CSA is one where a smaller volume of shares are sold, thus incentives issued by a CSA. It is a good fit for new or expanding CSAs because it provides a sure revenue stream, stability, lowering the financial risk to the small CSA. In year two we are starting with two Farm Direct CSAs. A cut off-of less than 10 shares per week sold is the threshold that determines if a CSA should be a Farm Direct CSA. Recruitment of more CSAs is ongoing. We are collaborating with other statewide local food partners to promote Michigan Farm to Family: CSA.
Publications
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