Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a growing trend around the world that facilitates a direct connection between consumers and the people growing their food. CSA members are community members that pay in advance for a full season of fresh produce from a local grower. This helps growers pay up-front costs at the beginning of the season, while members enjoy the satisfaction of knowing how their food is grown and savor fresh food weekly. This direct agriculture connection could potentially improve on-farm incomes while promoting local economic development in rural communities.

A new workshop called Community Supported Agriculture: Introducing Models and Production Methods will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 2008. This program is sponsored by University of Illinois Extension and Western Illinois University, and will be held in the McDonough County 4-H Auditorium at the University of Illinois McDonough County Extension Office located at 3022 West Jackson in Macomb. The cost for the program is $15 and includes resources, refreshments, and a lunch. Participants will learn about CSAs and multi-producer CSAs and what makes them successful. Three area growers will share their experiences as owners and operators of a CSA.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, thereby obtaining more specific details about CSAs than one can obtain from published information. In addition, New Generation Cooperatives will be discussed to illustrate how they can help producers and rural communities reach up the value-chain. To assist growers considering these unique production systems, production issues such as scheduling and rotating crops, managing pests with multiple control tactics, and protecting people and the environment will be addressed.

Pre-registration is required for this program by Thursday, January 3, 2008. Please call the University of Illinois Extension Office in McDonough County at (309) 837-3939 for more information and to register.