Exploring member trust in German community-supported agriculture: a multiple regression analysis

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Economics
• Consumer Behavior
• Sociology of Food

Background:

• Declining consumer trust in conventional agriculture due to opaque value chains and food scandals.
• Growing consumer interest in community-supported agriculture (CSA) for transparency and connection.
• Unclear factors influencing trust between CSA members and farmers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and compare factors predicting member trust in CSA and its farmers.
• To understand the drivers of trust in localized, value-based food systems.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative study involving 790 CSA members in Germany.
• Multiple regression analysis to determine predictive factors of trust.

Main Results:

• Trust in CSA farmers significantly predicted by reputation, information supply, direct social interaction, and duration of membership.
• Certification status and attitudes toward organic certification did not significantly predict trust.
• Producer transparency is a key signal of trustworthiness.

Conclusions:

• Willingness to be transparent is more crucial for building trust than formal certifications.
• CSA principles can inform a transition to more regionalized, value-based food systems.
• Restoring integrity in agriculture can be achieved through enhanced transparency and connection.