VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Farmers market prices across Central New York remain stagnant amid grocery inflation
Madison Hricik: As summer heat reaches Upstate New York, local farmers, artists and craftspeople are bringing their one-of-a-kind products straight to our neighborhoods. Locally sources groceries, baked goods and gifts are spotted in Ithaca and Camillus, all in the name of shopping locally. I took a look at how these markets might be a better choice for your wallet.
Hricik: Vendors at the Ithaca Farmers Market know direct-from-farm prices are low right now —much lower than they’ve been compared to chain grocery stores. Courtney Sullivan has been a vendor at Ithaca Farmers Market since 1999, and she says she hasn’t seen any vendors make big changes in their prices.
Courtney Sullivan: It might have seemed like prices were high at the market like five years ago for that stuff, but prices haven’t really dramatically spiked here because it was always kind of an honest representation of what it costs to produce the food.
Hricik: The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported a nearly 24% increase in groceries over the last four years. It’s the second-highest inflation rate. It’s impacting eggs, meat and dairy products, but Sullivan says that ‘honest representation’ is how farmers make livable wages. Farmers markets also allow families using government food aid to save some money shopping locally. Downtown Syracuse Executive Director, Merike Treier, says it’s a ‘win-win’ for everyone.
Merike Treier: They’re able to not only when they swipe their cards for tokens, we’re actually able to match those dollars up to $50 with money that we can then give to our patrons, more to spend here and have their dollars go further.
Hricik: Farmers markets in Central New York are open on different days, allowing customers to go visit whenever convenient for them — and letting farmers go to multiple vendors. But Sullivan says whether it be in Ithaca, Camillus or Syracuse, these markets allow people to experience what’s in their backyard.
Sullivan: It’s more like, just getting people to be in relationship with the market and know that every little bit that they purchase, like, whether it’s prepared food, or, you know, fresh strawberries, that they’re buying within 30 miles of the farmers market.
Hricik: Farmers markets across the Central New York region are open now until mid-October.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — They start setting up at 6 a.m.
Local vendors participating in the Downtown Syracuse Farmers Market only have about 90 minutes to set up their spot before Clinton Square opens up Tuesday morning. The same routine happens every Tuesday from June 10 through mid-October.
The warmer months bring farmers markets across Central New York, though downtown Syracuse’s is one of the more popular.
“We found that consistency is key as far as when people know about the Downtown Farmer’s Market,” Downtown Syracuse Farmers Market Executive Director Merika Treier said.
Produce like apples, strawberries, legumes and spices are just a small part of what’s sold at these local markets. Baked goods, dairy products, meats and even alcohol are all sold at individual booths across all the Central New York markets.
Other markets, including the Ithaca Farmers Market, have been open since May, but have a slight uptick in traffic as the weather gets warmer.
Farmer’s markets in Central New York
- Camillus: Mondays 1-6 p.m.
- Downtown Syracuse: Tuesdays 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Baldwinsville: Tuesdays 3-7 p.m.
- Bayberry Plaza: Wednesdays 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Fayetteville: Thursdays noon-6 p.m.
- Skaneateles: Thursdays 3-6 p.m.
- CNY Regional Market: Saturdays 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Ithaca Market: Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
All of the markets are focused on uplifting local businesses and farmers, instead of relying on groceries from mass-production-based stores like Wegmans, Giant or Aldi. Though the major grocery stores are less likely to sell out of products, inflation rates have made it more expensive.
“It might have seemed like prices were high at the market like, five years ago,” Humble Hill Farms owner Courtney Sullivan said. “Prices haven’t really dramatically spiked here because it was always kind of an honest representation of what it costs to produce the food.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported a 23.6% increase in the average grocery bill from 2020 to 2024 — the second-highest inflation-based change over the last four years.
New York state also allows for families reliant on the Electronic Bank Systems to successfully shop at these local markets. Treier said this system provides a “win-win” between the farmers and the families reliant on government food assistance, because it allows families to still shop locally and maintain their budgets, too.
“Anyone who utilizes the EBT … they’re able to not only, when they swipe for tokens, we’re actually able to match those dollars up to $50,” she said. “With money that we can then give to our patrons, more to spend here, and have their dollars go further.”
Sullivan said that farmers rarely fluctuate their prices. It takes practice, and some farmers will plan out for months to determine what works best.
“This isn’t like a bargain market,” Sullivan said. “This is like a quality market. And there are farmers that have really mastered the right temperament to really manage labor and create a movement.”