Now in its 50th season, the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market draws hundreds of vendors each Saturday from May to October, as shoppers buy flowers, baked goods, spices and produce. It’s a festive atmosphere with street musicians on the corners and families and their pets threading through the crowds.

Video above: Downtown Winter Farmers’ Market returns for 20th season

But amidst the vibrancy of one of America’s largest farmers' markets is an undercurrent of anxiety.

President Trump’s tariff hikes, a global trade war in response, falling commodity prices and inflation have strained farmers’ budgets.

Investigate Midwest spoke with more than a dozen vendors on a recent September morning. Some said their reliance on U.S.-grown goods had insulated them from the latest tariffs. Others po

See Full Page