What This Story Is About
Farmers and producers are having a shortage of produce due to dry weather conditions, and are also having to sell at higher costs due to economic factors.
Why It Matters
Transportation costs is one factor making it harder to ship produce, affecting the quantity and quality of crops farmers are selling.
What Happens Next
Local farmers are working together to share produce, as well as make costs more affordable for consumers.
For Context
With rising transportation costs and economic factors, farmers and producers are being affected, especially if they need to get extra produce shipped from another state or area. Local farmers are struggling with not only having to upcharge on produce, but having a lower quantity due to dry weather conditions in South Central Kentucky.
SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. (WBKO) – Farmers and producers are currently experiencing a shortage of produce, as well as higher marketing costs that are affecting consumers.
South Central Kentucky has been experiencing lots of dry weather conditions this year, which is a main contributor in the shortage of produce for farmers in the area.
Economic factors such as rising transportation costs have impacted farmers who rely on shipping certain produce from other states, leading to consumers having to pay more for fruits and vegetables.
Along with transportation costs, other economic factors have made prices for produce overall higher as well.
Owner of Howard’s Harvest Market Derek Howard says higher costs have affected his business. Regardless of the impact, Howard is working to continue making produce affordable for consumers.
“We try to not be too selfish with that. We try to only go up the amount that we’re pushed to go up,” said Howard. “We don’t really like to try to get crazy expensive just because, oh, it’s harder to find pumpkins, you know.I told somebody the other day they came in and they wanted like 10 pumpkins and I try to make a little bit better deal for those kind of people. You know, we do those things still.”
Howard says the more local production that takes place, the less farmers have to worry about rising transportation costs.
“Hopefully the local market is better by having that option rather than just always depending on somebody in California or Florida to grow everything that you have,” Howard said. ”There we have the ability to affect our local people and save some money for people that are buying and also give some money to people who are growing.“
Howard says the community is working together and supporting each other through figuring out a way to create more produce to be able to provide for consumers.
“Probably somewhere in the grand scheme of things, I feel like everybody’s trying to work to do the best they can to produce enough and to have enough that everybody is able to share some of that burden.”
To show support for farmers and producers in the area, consider shopping locally at the following places:
Howard’s Harvest Market
Located at 170 Johnson Road, Scottsville, KY, 42164
The Local Good General Store
Located at 135 E. Main St., Scottsville, KY, 42164
Jackson’s Orchard & Nursery
Located at 1280 Slim Island Road, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
Chaney’s Dairy Barn
Located at 9191 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
Community Farmer’s Market
Located at 2319 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
Grant’s Farm Produce
Located at 5690 Louisville Road, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
3H Farm’s Market
Located at 606 Gotts Hydro Road S., Bowling Green, KY, 42103
Delafield Co-Op Market
Located at 1005 Boatlanding Road, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
The Crop Shop
Located at 11845-11869 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY, 42101
Habegger’s Amish Market
Located at 415 Perrytown Road, Scottsville, KY, 42164
Just Piddlin Farm
Located at 10830 S. Morgantown Road, Woodburn, KY, 42170
Whispering Pines Market
Located at 2445 Old Franklin Road, Scottsville, KY, 42164
Bowling Green Farmers Market
Located at 1751 Scottsville Road, Bowling Green, KY, 42104
Franklin-Simpson Farmer’s Market
Located at 304 N. Main Street, Franklin, KY, 42134
Allen County Farmer’s Market
Located at 106 E. Public Square, Scottsville, KY, 42164
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