Timmins farmers on why it's still important to support local amidst rising inflation
As inflation continues to take a toll on grocery prices, people at the Halloween-themed Mountjoy Farmers Market in Timmins this Saturday may have noticed that it has also been putting pressure on local farmers.Children arrived in costumes for Mountjoy Farmers Market Halloween-Theme market on Oct. 1/22. (Supplied)Vendors at the market told CTV News that while they are trying to keep products within the same general price range as previous years, rising backend expenses are making that challenging.
"For example, my organic turkey feed, last year, was $900 a ton and this year is $2,000 a ton," Marcel Forget, owner of Rubber Boots Farm, said.
"On top of that is my fuel to drive back and forth to the abattoirs, so there's definitely a reflection in the increase in prices."
Forget said the smaller farms in this region lack the ability to absorb those extra costs, compared to larger producers that supply franchise grocery stores.
Plus, Sarah Graham of the family farm Graham Acres, said working in the north already comes with some extra expenses, in terms of relying on southern Ontario services to bring products to market.
And so rising supply chain costs have to be passed down to customers in some products, she said.
"(For) our sausage and pepperettes, we've had to raise our prices, just because the cost of producing them has gone up," said Graham.
"Other than that, we have pretty much stuck to the same ballpark prices, when it comes to our veggies and everything."
The owner of Smooth Rock Falls grocer Sunrise Orchards and Produce, Marion Veens, said southern farmers have been willing to adjust the pricing of produce that otherwise would be difficult to find at a northern market, so that people in the region can have access to food that's more difficult to grow up north.
Veens said that's a result of long-time relationships in the agriculture industry, recognition of higher costs of living in this region and a willingness to make sure people can have quality food.
"We're all in this together," said Veens.
"We just want to get people to our local farmers markets, right to the farms, to support local farmers. This is how it should be."
To that point, Graham said, the difference between markets in northern Ontario and those in larger southern cities, is that other farmers markets may look to charge people a premium for a small town experience. Whereas here, she explains, customers from down south have found that northern markets don't look to price gouge, but to provide locally-grown food at an affordable cost.
Graham adds that though some products may be more expensive than what people may find in a grocery store, there is peace of mind that the money is staying within the community.
She said that could be part of the reason why more people seem to have been coming out to local markets this year.
"It makes sense for the people to come here because the prices are fair, the product is good and you know that you're supporting local people, within your community," Graham said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.