Angela Toomer of Little Rock, Ark. completed her University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service Capstone Project with Heifer International, conducting an impact evaluation of Heifer USA’s workplace Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model.
The workplace CSA offers Heifer employees the opportunity to purchase a weekly box of produce grown by smallholder Arkansas farmers. The CSA project is designed to provide rural farmers with access to consistent and profitable markets, while strengthening the local economy by keeping Arkansas food dollars within the state.
Using interviews and a survey, Toomer measured changes in employee diet during CSA participation and found that employees participating in the CSA ate more fruits and vegetables during the CSA season. Fruit and vegetable consumption increased from 1-2 servings per day before the CSA season to 3-4 servings per day during the CSA season. Employees also tended to cook at home more often, as opposed to, for example, eating out at restaurants, while receiving the CSA boxes weekly.
In addition, Toomer measured baseline health biometrics for the first year of the study to learn whether CSA participation was correlated with improved health. Using anonymous data collected by Heifer’s wellness company, Toomer analyzed Body Mass Index (BMI), LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels before and after the first year of the workplace CSA. Though health changes have not yet been found, these initial measurements will be useful for Heifer in continuing to monitor health changes related to CSA participation.
“I am really excited about the study results. It helps Heifer USA staff to continue to refine the workplace CSA model for farmer groups to replicate not only here in Arkansas but also across the country,” said Ben Wihebrink, director of operations at Heifer USA. “Securing markets is one of the hardest parts of being a small-scale farmer. Helping farmers secure workplace markets and make a change in community food consumption is a wonderful thing.”
It is crucial to find creative and effective solutions to widespread health problems in both Arkansas and the nation. According to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, over half of Americans have one or more preventable diseases related to poor diet quality, such as obesity and heart disease. Companies and organizations can benefit from putting into place programs that make employees healthier and more productive. The results of this study suggest that workplaces should consider offering a CSA to employees alongside an effective wellness program.
About Heifer International
Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. For more than 70 years, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in more than 30 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self-reliant. For information, visit www.heifer.org, read our blog, follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @Heifer or call 888.5HUNGER (888.548.6437).
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