The COVID-19 pandemic brought awareness and attention to community supported agriculture (CSA), as it proved an antidote to food access issues during a period of crisis and concern for public health and safety. As a result, CSA enrollment surged early in the pandemic and communities leaned heavily on farmers and resilient local food systems. With the start of the pandemic 3 years behind us, it is an interesting time to debrief on the experiences of CSA farmers during the pandemic - specifically how they used and adapted the CSA model amidst changing market conditions throughout the pandemic - and how CSA farmers are faring as the pandemic wanes. Alicia Baddorf, an M.S. candidate in Community Development at the University of California, Davis, conducted research with CSA farms in Northern California to answer these questions. In this session, she will share findings from surveys and interviews and share high level takeaways from the research.

Alicia Baddorf is a candidate for an M.S. in Community Development at the University of California, Davis, where she conducted research on the experience of Northern California CSA farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alicia is now the Sustainable Supply Chain Coordinator for the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP), a program of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Alicia has experience with farms and food hubs, including educational program development, farming, and the management of sales, CSA programs, and marketing.