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An Organic CSA Keeps the Doctor Away

An organic CSA, featuring strawberries, asparagus, green garlic, chard, and microgreens

It’s been said by nutritionists, gardeners, cooks, and our mothers: food is medicine.

We subsist on, and consist of, countless vitamins and minerals, but meeting your daily intake requirement of these is just scratching the surface. When you make a conscious choice to take in healthy whole foods, you’re giving your body the tools to better prepare you for the risks of life.

Our internal systems are constantly working to protect us from ailments of both the external world and our systems’ own entropy. Well-nourished bodies can recover easier from illness and heal faster from injury. They even spend less time at the hospital because they get sick less often to begin with.

Can we prove this?

In 2018, the University of Kentucky studied two years worth of medical claims information. They are a self-insured institution, and offer robust medical services to both their employees and the greater community.

During this time, the University of Kentucky also offered their employees cost-share vouchers for a certified USDA organic Community Supported Agriculture share (CSA) as a workplace benefit. This made fresh, local, organic produce readily available to voucher recipients for 20-22 weeks of the year, delivered right to their place of work.

The study compared medical claims of CSA Members to the medical claims of the average Kentuckian. What they found was this:

  • CSA members saw a decrease in annual doctor visits. The average Kentuckian goes to the doctor 7.48 times in a year. CSA members only go to the doctor 2.03 times. That’s almost a quarter of the number of annual visits.
  • CSA members saw a decrease in monthly pharmacy expenditures. While the average Kentuckian spends roughly $34 at the pharmacy a month, CSA members only spend around $17.
  • CSA members reported a greater intake of fruits and vegetables daily. The average Kentuckian only takes in 5.76 servings of fruit and vegetables every day, while CSA members take in 7.22. Note that many of these servings CSA members are receiving are organic!
  • CSA members reported that their overall perception of their own health was improved. The average Kentuckian reports their perceived health at a 3.27 out of 5. CSA members report feeling better, rating their health a 4.15 out of 5.

These workplace CSA vouchers are facilitated by the Kentucky Farm Share Coalition, a workplace wellness CSA program partnering with employers to offer their employees this awesome health benefit! It’s a beautiful program that benefits everyone involved:

  • Employees get to feel better and spend less time and money on doctor office visits
  • Employers get healthier employees and less sick time off.
  • Local farms receive more CSA members, which bolsters their growing season and the success of their business.

Being Proactive About Workplace Wellness

If you are a business owner, HR director, or are otherwise curious about CSA shares as a workplace benefit, visit KYFarmShare.org to learn how you can support your employees and the local food system through CSA vouchers.

As an individual, do you feel inspired? Head over to our CSA page to learn about if an organic Elmwood CSA is in your future.

CSA Workplace Vouchers
About Elmwood CSA

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