Early Harvest Shifts Southern California Produce Schedules

Key points

• Southern California farmers markets are seeing summer produce arrive weeks ahead of traditional schedules due to warm weather.
• Restaurant operators are restructuring seasonal menus early while preparing for potential supply gaps later in the summer.
• Direct market sales provide crucial cash flow for local family farms navigating high operational and irrigation costs.

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Sources and methodology

Reported from the public datasets below.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) - Consumer Price Index, food away from home
• Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) - Food services and drinking places series
• U.S. Census Bureau - Monthly Retail Trade, food services

All sources Foodie Pundit reports from

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