Scottish Association of Farmers' Markets
Algo Business Centre, 24 Glenearn Road, Perth PH2 0NJ
Chairperson: Sally Crystal Contact: Audrey Fenton
Tel: 01738 449430 Fax: 01738 449431 E-mail: safmcontact@aol.com
Exhortations to the farming industry to “get closer to the market” have been taken literally by a number of producers who regularly participate in the series of farmers’ markets now held throughout Scotland.
Since the first was staged in Perth in the late 1990s, these markets have become a regular feature of High Street shopping in many towns and cities. It is now anticipated that their success will encourage expansion of the concept with more individual farmers becoming involved in the practice of direct marketing.
Although not all farms can take advantage, for many family farms, particularly those producing specialist or niche products, direct marketing can provide an additional source of revenue...part of a strategy to combat the erosion of overall farm income.
Direct marketing is concerned with shortening the food supply chain, cutting out the middleman and making more from the end price. There are various routes - farm gate sales, box schemes (usually organic), farm shops, mail order, telesales, E-commerce - but farmers’ markets offer immediate access to a receptive audience keen to purchase locally produced, quality food perceived to be “natural” and “straight from the farm.”
These are obvious selling advantages; but importantly, markets will need to ensure that their participating farmers offer produce that the customer wants, properly presented, packaged and labelled, that quality is retained and that the price is right.
If farmers’ markets are to expand and progress to become an integral part of the industry, then they require direction, common high standards and a marketing strategy.
To address these issues, SAOS was instrumental in the establishment of the Scottish Association of Farmers’ Markets.
The Association - owned and managed by the markets - has a number of functions including the promotion of the concept of farmers’ markets in Scotland; representation to various agencies including SERAD, COSLA, Scottish Enterprise and NFUS; and the provision of a forum for the exchange and dissemination of best practice.
The Association also provides advice in establishing new markets and developing existing projects; co-ordinates individual market activities and provides model rules and regulations plus a nationally agreed code of practice for market organisers including health & safety, environmental and regulatory considerations.
Training on preparation, packaging, presentation and pricing is also available to producers.
The Association, financed by a mix of private and public funding, has recently launched a web-site - www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk - which presents networking opportunities and the prospect of the formation of category groups and other avenues for direct selling.
Although in the early stage of development, the web-site brings tangible commercial advantage to participating markets and producers.
SAOS Project Manager Douglas Watson: “By accrediting farmers’ markets under an umbrella co-operative organisation, both producers and consumers will benefit. Guidance, promotion, standards, timing, continuity, freshness, range of product, are the key factors which will take farmers’ markets to new levels - supporting the local rural economy and providing consumers with a worthwhile shopping experience.”