State: $1.3M Spent at South Dakota Farmers Markets in 2013

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — State officials say South Dakota's farmers markets are a small but growing part of the ag economy.

The Agriculture Department says sales topped $1.3 million at the 60-plus markets in the state last year.

The department worked with 12 of the operations to determine gross sales, pricing of products and conduct a customer survey.

Markets in the study were open for 18 weeks on average during the growing season. Nearly half of all customers reported spending $10 to $20 on each trip, while 29 percent spent less than $10 on each visit.

Fifty percent of customers bought fruits and vegetables at the market, 21 percent bought baked goods and 16 percent took home processed or prepared foods such as jelly, salsa or pot pies.

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