The Wednesday Santa Monica Farmers Market is being put on wheels. Starting today, a month-long pilot program involving the Rand Corporation and the Santa Monica Farmers Market, will bring local, farm fresh groceries directly to the offices of Rand employees. Offering participants the ability to pre-order baskets packed with the best seasonal produce available at the market, the next three weeks will determine the logistics and the viability of a community supported agriculture program to other groups and business in Santa Monica.

Community supported agriculture (CSA) is socio-economic model of food production which links local communities with small, local farmers who utilize ecological or organic farming methods. Bypassing large corporate farmers, consumers at local farmers markets can often find product varieties that are often not sold in commercial supermarkets. Specifically, CSA programs reward local farmers who help increase the quality of food and care given to the land, by guaranteeing income through weekly produce delivery.

This week, avocados, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, beets, and a variety of fruits were packaged and delivered by van to close to 100 Rand employees at the Rand Corporation headquarters in Santa Monica. The Rand Corporation, a non-profit association dedicated to conducting research and analysis on complicated social issues, is evaluating a community supported agriculture program as a way to encourage better nutrition while providing greater access to fresh produce.

For farmers, the program offers new opportunities for expansion. Allowing individuals who normally work during market hours the ability to leave their office with a bag of locally produced, nutritious food, Rand will continue to research the benefits of such a program on nutrition, public health, and local farms.