Michigan Farm to Family: CSA
To find a CSA near you, click here.
To support our program, click here.
About
Michigan Farm to Family: CSA is a statewide nutrition incentive program that makes Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm shares affordable for households using SNAP.
Traditional CSAs typically require an upfront payment, which can be a barrier for families with limited incomes. Michigan Farm to Family: CSA reduces that barrier by supporting a weekly payment model and lowering food costs which makes fresh, seasonal, Michigan grown produce more accessible to program participants.
Increased access to locally grown foods also helps strengthen nutrition security and support local food systems. Simultaneously, participating CSAs expand their customer base by providing critical food resources to their community.
Overview
- Michigan Bridge Card (SNAP) users sign up for the program with a participating CSA farm.
- Each week, CSA farmers pick fresh, seasonal produce and prepares farm boxes based on what is ready.
- Participants use SNAP to purchase their weekly farm box at a reduced price.
- Michigan Farm to Family: CSA pays the remaining balance directly to the CSA farmers.
Partners
The program operates in urban, suburban and rural communities across Michigan and relies on local partner networks, including:
- Local CSA farmers
- Multi-farm CSA aggregators
- Health care systems
- Community organizations
- Retailers and food hubs
- Food pantries and farmers markets
Impact
Since launching in 2019, Michigan Farm to Family: CSA has expanded from one to 24 communities. As of 2025, the program has distributed over 270,000 pounds of fresh produce through 27,000 farm box shares to more than 2,000 households statewide.
Oversight
Michigan Farm to Family: CSA is driven by a multidisciplinary team dedicated to:
- Program management and operations
- Fiscal and regulatory compliance
- Incentive reimbursement systems
- Evaluation and reporting
- Multimedia communications and outreach
- Technical assistance for farms and community partners
Funding
Michigan Farm to Family: CSA is supported by Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, project award no. 2020-70030-33178 and 2021-70034-35327, from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, State of Michigan, and Michigan Fitness Foundation.
Press
- Taste the Local Difference: “Farm, Families and Fresh Grown Food”
- Food Tank: “Michigan CSA Program Brings Local Food to SNAP Families”
- From Common Ground: “Innovative program makes CSAs accessible to Michigan families”
- Michigan State University Broad College of Business: “11 Spartan nonprofits to support this giving season”
- Michigan Agriculture Magazine (archived): “Michigan Farm to Family: CSA Provides Access to Farm Fresh Food”
Journal Articles
- National Library of Medicine: “Employing a Community-Involved Process to Incorporate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education into Community-Supported Agriculture Sites”
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: “Benefits of Nutrition Education in Local Community Supported Agriculture Sites: A Case Study”
Contact
To learn more about this program, email us.
