To date, the primary focus of sustainable agriculture (SA) has been on
farm-level production and organic food marketing. This obscures the reality
that SA is THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL PARTICIPANTS in our food system.
Community projects are needed to give expression to traditional SA concerns
for rural community development, social responsibility, and improved quality
of life.
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA) is a concrete way to address these
concerns. The reality, however, is that despite the consumer's expressed
concern about the environment and a preference for local produce, factors
such as price and convenience outweigh environmental and sustainability issues.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN SURVEY:
ANYONE who has been a PAST or is a CURRENT CSA PRODUCER or CSA CONSUMER.
WHY YOU?
Your participation and input will be very valuable in pulling together a
HANDS-ON, GRASSROOTS perspective to the barriers to participation in CSAs
faced by both producers and consumers. This survey will add to the growing
body of CSA related academic research taking place across Canada and the
United States.
WHO AM I?
I am, Sylvia-Linda Kaktins, a graduate student at the School for Resource
and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada.
Should you require verification of the legitimacy of my research, you may
contact my supervisor, Dr. R. Martin (rmartin@cos.nsac.ns.ca); or my
advisors, Dr. K. Beesley (kbeesley@cox.nsac.ns.ca) or Dr. K.Scott Wood
(kswood@is.dal.ca).
HOW TO PARTICIPATE: There are two ways:
1) The QUICKEST and EASIEST way is TO PROCEED TO MY HOME PAGE
(http://www.brandonu.ca/~sylvia/home.htm) and take THE SURVEY. This will
take 15 MINUTES of your time (plus or minus depending on the Internet
traffic) and will add significantly to the academic research currently
taking place. As well, you will earn my undying gratitude (HELP!!).
2) If you are unable to access the Internet, YOU MAY STILL PARTICIPATE, in
the following manner:
A) UPON REQUEST, I can provide you with an EMAIL, shortened version, of the
survey. To participate, send me an EMAIL request and let me know if you
need the PRODUCER or CONSUMER edition.
B) I can forward a hard copy for you to complete and return. Again,
provide me with your mailing address and whether you need a PRODUCER or
CONSUMER survey.
PLEASE FEEL FREE!!!!!! to forward this information/request to any other PAST
or CURRENT CSA producers and consumers. PRODUCERS, please CIRCULATE this
request among your members.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING AND TAKING THE TIME TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY AS
WELL AS SENDING THIS REQUEST ON TO OTHERS.
Any questions, please contact me. A summary of the results of this survey,
will be made available upon request for those who participated in the survey.
Sylvia-Linda Kaktins
kaktins@brandonu.ca
1-204-571-0586 (Home)
1-204-727-9772
Address: Dept of Geography
Brandon University
Brandon, Manitoba
R7A 6A9