Illinois program compares costs at farmers market

Not all farmers markets are created equal. Therefore, prices are also not the same. There can be disparities between rural and urban markets.

“I think it helps the vendors,” said Lamczyk, a University of Illinois Extension local food systems educator. “If you’re selling around St. Louis, the Metro East or Champaign, you’re going to command a higher price than, say, Harrisburg or Benton. If you travel outside your comfort zone, it could be a little more money.”

This is the second year for the program, which is in cooperation with the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee.

IN ILLINOIS, prices are gathered Monday through Friday at about 20 markets across the state, both rural and urban.

Springfield-based University of Illinois Extension educator Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, who oversees the program in Illinois, said it provides farmers with a means to compare prices.

“Pricing can be complicated,” she said. “When farmers look at a budget, they like to know what to charge. They can go online and see this data from across these three states.”

Cavanaugh-Grant and fellow Extension educator Bronwyn Aly are conducting a study that will help them compare prices between markets of different sizes, regions and times of year.

“This way, vendors know what their prices are and what their competitors are doing,” Cavanaugh-Grant said. “What you can sell a tomato for in Oak Park and what you can sell one for in Mt. Vernon are different.”

The survey includes only fresh fruits and vegetables. Other items sold at farmers markets — such as meats, plants, crafts and processed goods — are not part of the program.

“We just do fruits and vegetables,” Lamczyk said. “There’s a set list of things. Peaches aren’t even included on this, because they’re special to Southern Illinois. No spices, bedding plants, fried pies or frozen meats.”

The high and low prices from each week’s survey are posted on the website the following week. There is continuity in pricing on many items, but big price swings in others.

A recent report listing produce sold at the market at Orland Park in Cook County showed the price of cucumbers varying from 25 cents to 75 cents each, and onions ranging from 75 cents to $1.50 per pound.

“This is a small market in Benton,” Lamczyk said. “Everyone looks around and sees what everyone else is charging because they don’t want to have a problem of undercutting each other. But, in bigger markets, where there are 30 to 40 vendors and you have the labor force or quantity vs. quality, you can command a higher price.”

The prices may be found on the Extension website: http://web.extension.illi

nois.edu/smallfarm/cat139_4272.html.

One thing organizers are taking a close look at is publicity. That is something that will be addressed later in the year when they evaluate the program. While vendors may be more likely to access the Extension website, many customers may not be aware of it.

“OBVIOUSLY, WE can always do a better job of marketing,” Cavanaugh-Grant said. “We talk about it to our farm-market managers. We had a workshop on it this past winter. But, it can be frustrating. We’re always open to ideas.”

Lamczyk sees an added, personal benefit to the program, one not directly related to pricing.

“This gives me the opportunity to go and visit with vendors,” he said. “By talking to those who sell frozen beef, for instance, I can learn about livestock problems. It’s an opportunity for me to see people and help answer their questions.”