Support

Representation ID: 19698

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

We strongly support the proposal in paragraph 9.70 to encourage and support farm shops and farmers' markets. However, this support needs to be conditional on these terms being used with integrity. It is currently possible, and there are many examples of, farm shops being sourced largely, if not entirely, from the same wholesalers as village shops, and having little or no connection to neighbouring farms (there is an example close to Winchelsea). Farmers' markets can include suppliers who are not local. Customers expect farm shops to sell the produce of neighbouring farms and farmers' markets to sell food from within a few miles. Abuse of the terms farm shop and farmers' market will undermine these facilities. In return for support, farm shops and the organisers of farmers' markets need to observe a code of best practice to ensure they are bona fide.