BOULDER, Colo. — With uncertainty over the tariff's impact on grocery prices, shoppers in the Denver metro are taking advantage of locally grown produce and meat.
The start of farmers market season could boost growers as customers look for the best deal.
Saturday marked the start of Boulder County Farmers Market's 39th year.
“We're really invested in bringing local food to our local eaters, and we're really excited to be working with about 175 small food businesses this season across all of our markets,” said BCFM Executive Director Mackenzie Sehlke.
Sehlke told Denver7 that pricing for local produce and protein tends to stay pretty consistent.
“Now more than ever, I think it's going to be a good value to be doing that kind of shopping,” she said.
With President Donald Trump imposing a new baseline 10% tariff on imports from almost all countries, shopping local could ease some of that uncertainty.
“We are going to see less supply chain uncertainty during local food seasons compared to what we're seeing in natural groceries,” said Sehlke.
That doesn’t mean that local producers are completely exempt from the effects of the tariffs.
“We won't see those big grocery price increases unless things like the cost of the jars that some of the preserved foods are going in go up significantly or if someone has to make a machinery investment,” said Sehlke.
If you're looking for tropical fruits and veggies, Sehlke said you most likely won’t find things like papayas at local farmers markets and recommends finding substitutes.
The Boulder County Farmers Markets saw around $10 million in sales last year.
“When folks are shopping at farmers markets and farm stands and CSAs, they are paying their neighbor for food grown in their community. And that's a public benefit in a lot of different ways, including an economic benefit,” said Sehlke.
As we head into another summer of farmers markets and sunny days, growers are ready for what's to come.
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