Sustaining Farmers Markets in Rural Areas

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Sustaining Farmers Markets in Rural Areas

• Michael Gleeson
• Rural Development Officer

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Outline

• Background
• Establishing Farmers Markets in Clare
• 4 key issues
• Sustaining a Farmers Market
• General
• Traders
• Support Agencies Policy Makers
• Food Fad or Food Future?

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Background

• EIRÍ is the Community Partnership operating the
  Social Inclusion programme for West Clare
• Core funded through Pobal and the Dept. CRGA
• Target Group Low Income Farming Families
• Need for a low cost outlet for added value farm
  produce

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Background (2)

• Alternative Food Economy Study (2002)
• Kilrush Farmers Market (2003)
• Local Food Economy Support Network Study funded
  by RRD (Clare LEADER) (2004)
• Recommended actions
• Local food forums networks
• Food business incubators
• Cooperative Distribution
• Farmers Markets

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Farmers Market Project (2005)

• Funded by Rural Resource Development Ltd (Clare
  LEADER)
• Targeting 1 Farmers Market in each area

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Establishing Farmers Markets in Clare

• 4 key elements
• Physical Location
• Central, visible, parking
• Core of dedicated producers
• Structure
• Rules, Terms Conditions (Ted Murphy Darina
  Allen)
• Insurance
• An inability to take no for an answer
• While keeping key people on-side

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Sustaining Farmers Markets
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Sustaining Farmers Markets (General)

• Integration with the Local Community
• Eigse Mrs. Crotty, Credit Union Santa
• B.O.C., Scouts, Womens Project, Community Garden
• Structure, Support Terms and Conditions
• Be flexible and inclusive
• Decency before Dogma!!

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Sustaining Farmers Markets(Traders)

• Treat your customers as co-producers
• Produce what customers want, not what you think
  they should want
• Traditional produce goes well in rural Farmers
  Markets
• Variety on individual stalls
• Accept that a full time income is unlikely from 1
  rural Farmers Market
• Enjoy the social side of the market

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Sustaining Farmers Markets(Support Agencies)

• Training supports for prospective and existing
  Farmers Market members
• Small-scale grant aid for start-ups
• Local Authority Support
• Designate 1 person in each LA as a Farmers
  Markets development/support officer.
• Sustainable Farming should be at the core of
  all future agricultural courses

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Food Fad? gt Food Future!

• The Farmers Market movement is one of the few
  totally good news stories today
• The experiment has worked. Its time to place
  Farmers Markets back at the core of our local
  food economies
• We are part of a global movement to protect and
  recover quality, regional, artisan and speciality
  foods
• Well done!!