Produce prices in the Midwest and Great Plains are influenced by the scale of operations, transportation, and growing season length. While consumers often pay more for local food, the reasons lie in production and distribution structures rather than quality alone.
Courtney Long, food systems program manager at Iowa State University Extension, said scale is the primary factor. Larger farms invest in equipment and technology that streamlines harvest, washing, packaging, and distribution. A large green bean operation may harvest multiple rows at once, while small farms rely on manual labor. Kevin Marshall of Indigo Acres in Oklahoma noted that labor makes up about 70% of expenses, adding that employees require training to manage plants and specialized tools.
Zoami Sosa, who operates Farmstand in northern Iowa, said pricing is set on consumer willingness to pay rather than hours of labor. She estimated heirloom tomatoes would cost around US$20 per pound if all labor was factored in, but they sell for about US$4 per pound.
Transportation further differentiates small farms from larger operations. Michelle Miller of the University of Wisconsin explained that fuel and labor are optimized with full truckloads. Since the oil crisis of the 1970s, long-distance full-truck distribution replaced regional models, favoring large-scale producers. Food hubs have emerged as an alternative, aggregating products from smaller farms for bulk sales to retailers, schools, and restaurants. Indigo Acres, for example, delivers through the Oklahoma City Food Hub rather than directly to multiple buyers.
Imports add another layer of competition. Nearly 60% of fresh fruit and 35% of vegetables consumed in the U.S. are imported. Between 2003 and 2007, import shares of asparagus, avocados, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, raspberries, snap beans, and tomatoes rose by more than 20%. Many of these products come from countries with lower labor costs and longer growing seasons.
Season length also impacts pricing. Miller pointed out that Mexico produces crops like green beans year-round, whereas Midwest growers may only produce one or two crops annually. To extend their season, some U.S. farmers use greenhouses, hydroponics, or hoop houses. At Bridgewater Farm in Iowa, Tyler Raasch manages a dozen hoop houses and employs over a dozen staff to supply farmers' markets, CSA shares, and restaurants. He said high tunnels allow earlier harvests of crops such as carrots, beets, and broccoli.
Marshall of Indigo Acres emphasized the difficulty of explaining to customers why his produce costs more than supermarket alternatives. He noted that locally grown produce is fresher and avoids long-distance shipping. Farmers like Raasch and Sosa added that consumer demand, diversity of crops, and community support determine whether small-scale operations remain viable.
Source: IPM News