Grocery shoppers across the United States face an ongoing predicament in securing food for their household — market fluctuations. Prices have become a guessing game for consumers due to inflationary pressures, supply chain issues, weather conditions and other economic factors. Many customers have no choice but to accept rising costs, often forced to cut back on other expenditures to keep food on the table.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Price Outlook for 2025 projects a 2.2% increase for all food prices, with grocery prices expected to rise by 1.3% and restaurant prices by 3.6%. Fresh fruits are predicted to rise 0.7% and farm-level vegetables by 1.4%.
Retail egg prices rose by 8.4% in Dec. 2024 with prices continuing to fluctuate each month. Farm-level egg prices are expected to increase 45.2% in 2025.
Consumer-supported agriculture (CSA) is a system where consumers can support their local farms by purchasing a share of the season’s harvest. CSA programs provide a dependable supply of locally-sourced food at stable prices, a stark contrast to grocery stores composed of volatile goods often produced overseas.
James Klett, co-founder of Fairgrown Farm, a CSA in Hopewell Township, revealed that eggs have been a hot topic among customers due to rising inputs and the impact of recent detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The farm is currently taking a loss on their eggs, as winter shares were sold in advance.
“We care a lot about our members and we’re gonna honor the deal that we made to them,” Klett said. “Right now we’re actually buying eggs for $7.50 a dozen and selling them for $6 a dozen so every dozen eggs that we sell, I have to pay $1.50 out-of-pocket as the farmer.”
Klett has not yet witnessed a significant surge in interest compared to the pandemic when there were a lot of supply chain issues, but his customers are still concerned about grocery prices and the reliability of food in the future.
“The value that we can bring is that consistency,” Klett said. “As local farmers, we’re resilient. We’re gonna do the same thing year after year. We’re near people and we’re not going to have the same sort of supply chain issues.”
CSAs provide an incentive for healthier eating habits because members aren’t as tempted to buy less nutritious food at the grocery store since they already have a weekly box of fresh produce that they want to make the most of.
According to the USDA, the summer and fall of 2024 experienced abnormally high temperatures, especially in California following natural disasters like Hurricane Helene and Milton. This is significant because California is the nation’s largest agriculture producer, accounting for 11% of the nation’s total output.
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency reported a $22 million loss for California’s vegetable and pulse production during the summer of 2024, 27% higher than the same period in 2023. Unfavorable growing conditions caused significant price increases for critical crops like lettuce, carrots, onions and tomatoes.
“California’s weather streams have really jacked up a lot of prices for a lot of things,” said Robert Hayton, a three-year member of Fairgrown Farm. “The CSA here seems a little more dependable…we get vegetables from the beginning of May to the end of November and the amount that we pay per week is much better than buying it from the store.”
A second CSA option for Hopewell Valley residents is Chickadee Creek Farm. Founded by Jess Niederer in 2010, it differs slightly from traditional CSA models in that it’s “market-style.” Customers still pay upfront, but have the flexibility to debit from their balance at the farmers market, selecting preferred produce rather than receiving a fixed assortment.
“When our customers come to the market to select what they would like from us, they can also visit those other local businesses, local bakers, local ranchers, and get whatever they want from those vendors as well,” Niederer said.
The short distance between CSAs and customers unlocks health benefits as well, as the fewer food miles between harvest and the end consumer helps retain more nutrients.
Niederer recalled a group of three customers who explicitly mentioned wanting to sign up because the “world is kind of on fire” and they wanted to support something that they trusted. Although this sample represents just a small percentage of the farm’s customer base, it was still gratifying for Niederer to hear.
Cherry Grove Organic Farm, located in Princeton, NJ, is another market-style CSA option for those seeking fresh produce. Farmer Matt Stuehler, along with Mary Stuehler and Chris Thern, started the farm in 2002.
Members have a choice between three different share sizes and receive additional funds ranging between 20% to 30%, depending on their monetary contribution. They are able to shop from what’s available at the barn market on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and their balance is deducted each time they check out.
Stuehler explained that the price of their CSA shares never change amid rising input costs, but they have needed to raise prices of individual produce. The primary benefit of Cherry Grove’s CSA is its freshness, according to Stuehler.
“It’s really unbelievably different what a carrot tastes like that’s harvested 24 hours ago versus the bag of carrots and that’s across the board of all the vegetables,” Stuehler said.
While grocery stores may offer lower prices at times, quality is a contributing factor. When shopping at Stop & Shop, Stuehler pointed out that he often sees kale that is much smaller and wilted compared to the farm’s, yet priced the same. He added that produce harvested just a day ago holds added value, yet the farm manages to keep prices reasonable.
Trenton is designated one of New Jersey’s 50 food deserts — communities with limited to no access to affordable and nutritious food. A 2023 survey by the Trenton Health Team found that 74% of respondents were food insecure.
Statewide, the USDA estimated in 2022 that 10.7% of New Jersey residents were food insecure, with significant disparities of 20% among hispanic and black individuals, compared to 6% among white individuals.
This is concerning given that, according to the United States Census Bureau, 43% of Trenton’s population identifies as Black and 44.3% as Hispanic or Latino, underscoring the urgent need for greater food access in underserved communities.
CSAs like Fairgrown help bridge this gap by partnering with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to distribute produce to food banks across the state through a network of 37 farms.
“Last year, we were able to get 200,000 pounds of Jersey fresh produce into the hands of people in need completely free to them for these food banks, which has been really incredible,” Klett said.
Chickadee Creek Farm also plays a role in expanding food access by participating in the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which helps low-income people access fresh, nutritious produce from local farmers.
CSAs, while they offer price consistency, are still a large financial commitment. They aren’t a quick fix to rising grocery prices. You also receive more produce then you would at the grocery store, so it’s important to plan your weekly meals to reduce food waste, according to Ricardo Kairios, a New Jersey community nutritionist and new Fairgrown Farm member.
“CSAs to me are an opportunity to support local agriculture and farmers,” Kairios said.
If you’re facing food insecurity, don’t let the membership prices of local CSAs discourage you as there are options available to help you access fresh produce. Jersey Fresh allows you to search for local CSAs and farmers markets that accept WIC & Senior FMNP Checks and SNAP benefits.
Supporting local agriculture is more important now than ever, as it not only ensures a steady supply of fresh produce but also strengthens the community in times of economic uncertainty.
“If we continue to just buy food from the grocery store that is shipped in from everywhere, sure that might make sense when it’s super cheap… but when you have fluctuations in global markets… if those farms went out of business, you lose your local economy, you lose your local food source,” Klett said.
