For both the eater and the farmer, rising costs are putting pressure on our food system. You have probably seen food prices rising at farmers markets and stores, and maybe questioned how your grocery bills keep growing, even as you try to moderate your spending. Inflation has touched nearly every aspect of life, with the cost of food in particular increasing 10% over the last 12 months. And farmers are feeling the impact, too.
“One of our goals when we started this business was to be an affordable option for people,” says Joy Dolcini of Farmer Joy, a small pasture-based ranch in Chileno Valley. “We try not to raise our prices too much, but then we end up eating the extra costs.” Humane animal farmers at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market are grappling with raising high-quality meat and eggs and keeping their small businesses afloat, while maintaining prices that are accessible to as many shoppers as possible.