National Agricultural Law Center hosts webinar on community supported agriculture
Feb. 9, 2026
By Ramie Parsons
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Webinar explores community supported ag business model for producers, consumers
- Program will address CSA formation, contracts, liability, labor and federal programs
- Free registration available online
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The National Agricultural Law Center will host an upcoming webinar, “Community Supported Agriculture: A Field Guide for Producers and Consumers,” on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, from noon-1 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. to noon CST.
As interest in local food systems continues to grow, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a business model that allows consumers to financially support farms by purchasing a membership in advance of the growing season in exchange for a share of the farm’s harvest. While CSAs can strengthen producer–consumer relationships and provide farms with early-season capital, they also raise a number of legal and operational considerations.
This webinar will provide an overview of the legal issues commonly associated with operating or participating in a CSA. Topics will include CSA formation, contracting with members, limiting liability, labor considerations, add-on products, and participation in federal programs. The program is designed for agricultural producers considering CSA as a business model, as well as consumers interested in understanding the legal structure behind CSAs.
The program will be presented by Emily Stone, staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center. Stone will walk participants through the legal framework surrounding CSAs and discuss practical strategies for addressing common challenges that arise in these arrangements.
“CSAs offer meaningful opportunities for producers and consumers to share in the rewards and risks of agricultural production, but those arrangements should be grounded in a clear understanding of the legal issues involved,” Stone said. “This webinar is intended to help participants better understand how CSAs operate and how to manage potential legal concerns.”
“Local food systems continue to play an important role in agricultural markets, and CSAs are a key part of that landscape,” said Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center. “This webinar reflects the center’s ongoing commitment to providing producers and consumers with practical, legally grounded information to support informed decision-making.”
Stone focuses on agricultural and food law issues related to farm business structures, local food systems, and regulatory compliance. She earned her juris doctor, cum laude, and an LL.M. in agricultural and food law from the University of Arkansas School of Law, following a bachelor of science in agricultural communications from Auburn University. During law school, she served as editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Journal of Food Law & Policy and gained experience with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Tyson Foods’ Law Department, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the General Counsel.
Additional information about the webinar, including registration details, is available on the National Agricultural Law Center’s website.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the National Agricultural Library, a subsidiary of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. For information about the NALC, visit nationalaglawcenter.org. The NALC is also on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn as @nataglaw.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land-grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Ramie Parsons
National Agricultural Law Center
rparsons@uark.edu
479-575-7646