Nick Lowrey, South Dakota News Watch
Ian Caselli, a small-scale farmer from Sioux Falls, said his business selling produce directly to consumers has risen by 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Courtesy Ian Caselli
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting fears over the stability of the American large-scale food production industry have pushed more consumers toward locally grown and raised meats and vegetables, and so far, South Dakota producers of homegrown foods have been unable to keep up.
Demand for locally grown food soared as consumers began to worry that fresh vegetables and meat would become scarce when the coronavirus caused outbreaks among meat-processing plants and farm workers.
Small-scale farmers who sell produce or livestock directly to consumers in South Dakota, such as Ian Caselli of Sioux Falls, have reported increases in sales of up to 25%. “That is huge; it really lets us focus on the future,” Caselli said.
Rhoda Burrows, a horticulture specialist with the South Dakota State University extension service, said many vegetable and fruit producers who sell directly to consumers around the state have reported hefty increases in sales.
National data also show that demand for locally produced food is growing and has been for years. About 167,000 farms were estimated to have made about $8.7 billion in sales within local markets nationwide in 2015, according to the latest USDA survey on local food practices. In 2012, USDA data show 163,000 farms made an estimated $6.1 billion worth of local sales.
South Dakota has also seen growth in the number of small farms, Burrows said. Data from the 2017 USDA National Census of Agriculture show that while the number of larger, commodity-scale farms had shrunk since 2012, the number of farms that were 50 acres or smaller had increased.
“So, what we’re seeing is a switch from commodity-level, large-scale operations toward smaller, market garden-type operations,” Burrows said.
South Dakota’s local growers say they were struggling to keep up with demand for their products before the pandemic. Restaurants were buying more fresh vegetables, eggs and meat from local producers because they were looking for better quality ingredients. Demand from everyday consumers has been steadily increasing as millions of Americans became more aware of, and interested in, where their food comes from.
“The local food movement is growing every year,” Caselli said. “We’re starting to value our food more.”
Stephanie Peterson, shown here with a pair of the hens that produce eggs sold by Peterson's business, Fruit of the Coop, says that strengthening local food production and food systems could provide a safer, more reliable food supply in South Dakota. Photo: Courtesy Stephanie Peterson
Continued on Part 2 - Online subscription or higher required to view
