[PDF]Urban Farmers Market Toolkit

Urban
Farmers'
Markets in
Wales




RCMA Social
Enterprise Ltd.




Starting them -
managing
them

A practical
toolkit




June 2006



RCMA Social Enterprise Ltd.




Farmers' Market Toolkit in Wales



Contents

1. Introduction 1

1 .1 What makes farmers' markets distinctive? 1

1 .2 Farmers' markets in an urban setting 2

2 The Welsh context 3

2.1 Farmers' markets in Wales - rationale and benefits 3

2.2 Local food - a growth area 4

2.3 Extending the benefits of farmers' markets 5

3 Starting a Farmers' market 6

3.1 Market Rules 6

3.2 Finding producers 6

3.3 Linking up with other farmers' markets 7

3.4 Surveys of producers and potential producers 9

3.5 Budgeting for the start-up phase 9

3.6 Market Certification 12

3.7 Relationship with Stallholders 13

3.8 Identifying potential consumer interest and concerns 14

3.9 Stakeholders 15

3.10 Identifying potential Market sites 16

4 Running a Farmers' market 20

4.1 Physical set-up 20

4.2 Managing the Market 21

4.3 Financial Administration 22

4.4 Preparing a Business Plan for the Market 22

4.5 Dealing with your Local Authority 23

4.6 Marketing, Publicity & Promotion 24

4.7 Management structures, Legal issues and administration 30

4.8 Using education activities to link with the local community 33

5 Financial support 35

5.1 Funding 35

5.2 Commercial sponsorship 36

6 Other useful resources 38

6.1 Training 38

6.2 Media relations / news releases 38

6.3 British Food Fortnight 38

6.4 Information for producers 38



Farmers' market Toolkit DRAFT RCMA SEL Ltd Dec 2006



Farmers' Market Toolkit in Wales



7 Outline business plan for Newport Farmers' marketError! Bookmark not



defined.

7.1 The pilot phase November 05 - April 06 39

7.2 Market surveys 39

7.3 Summary 40

7.4 Management, ownership and decision-making 45

7.5 Location, equipment & related infrastructure: 45

7.6 Marketing 46



Prepared by :

RCMA Social Enterprise Ltd
www.riversidemarket.orq.uk

Principal authors:

Steve Garrett and Simon Michaels of RCMA Social Enterprise Limited
With thanks to:

Tony Griffiths, Welsh Assembly (Agrifood Division)
The Good Food Co-op



Farmers' market Toolkit DRAFT RCMA SEL Ltd Dec 2006



Farmers' Market Toolkit in Wales



1. INTRODUCTION

Farmers' markets have been one of the success stories for the food and drink sector in Wales over
the past five years and this trend looks set to continue as the demand for fresh, local produce rises
in line with a growing awareness of the importance of fresh food as a part of healthy living. At the
same time, more and more people are getting disillusioned and bored with shopping in
supermarkets.

Whilst a number of farmers' markets have become well established in Wales, we believe there is
still scope for developing more such markets in many new locations. In a break from the past a
number of markets are now being considered and set up in predominantly urban environments.

The purpose of this 'Urban Farmers' Market Toolkit' is to provide a checklist of considerations and
practical advice to help local groups or agencies to launch successful farmers' markets in Welsh
towns and city locations and to help ensure that they grow in a sustainable way.

The Toolkit has been 'road-tested' alongside the development of a new pilot farmers' market in
Newport, South Wales, and is also informed by the authors' eight years experience of developing
and running the award-winning Riverside Real Food Market (a successful farmers' market - the
largest in Wales - in a culturally diverse inner-city community close to the centre of Cardiff). The
experiences gained from the development of these two markets, and information gleaned from
numerous other markets in operation throughout the UK, offer practical insights into what works,
and what doesn't, when setting up a new farmers' market in an urban setting.

The Toolkit aims to coordinate and present information in what we hope is a clear, logical way and
to provide useful pointers and advice, which will be of practical value to any individual or group
considering setting up or already running a farmers' market. Where relevant, this study also draws
on the pioneering 'Farmers' Market Tool Kit' produced in 2004 by The Countryside Agency in
collaboration with East of England Development Agency, and we are grateful to them for
permission to quote from that report.



1.1 What makes farmers' markets distinctive?

At farmers' markets, food is sold by the producer directly to the public in a location as local as
possible to where it was grown or processed, in this way helping to keep every pound spent
circulating in the local economy for longer. There may or may not be a limit set by the market
organisers on the distance from the farm or location of production to the Market, but the food must
be sold by the people producing it. No bought-in produce is permitted without it having been
processed locally into another product using local ingredients. The core criteria of: own produce,
sourced as locally as possible and traceable - are what set farmers' markets apart from other
markets.

Farmers' markets provide the public with good quality food that is fresh, relatively local and sold at
a price, which is fair to both producer and consumer. They provide an opportunity for small-scale
producers to sell directly to the consumer. Customers are able to ask questions about the
production of their food, or how to prepare and store it, and to obtain truly knowledgeable
responses. In addition farmers' markets provide other potential benefits, all of which meet
sustainable development aims - environmental, social, and economic:

• reduced 'food miles', support of local food economies, and reduction of the effects of long-
distance food transport including traffic pollution and food packaging;

• increased communication and understanding between farmers' and consumers; creation of
a social atmosphere and improved community spirit;

• revitalised villages or town centres and increased custom for other retailers; keep every
pound spent circulating in the local economy for longer - the multiplier effect

• lower costs for better-quality, fresher food for consumers;



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Farmers' Market Toolkit in Wales



• support for environmentally-friendly farming practices and higher margins for small
farmers'.

1.2 Farmers' markets in an urban setting

In the past, several farmers' markets have been started or supported by local authorities, because
the markets are seen to meet several areas of their policy priority, particularly within the context of
sustainable development. These benefits are seen to include:

• Increased social equity, making better-quality food affordable and accessible for more
people, whilst ensuring a better profit margin for small producers. The local economy is
stimulated by provision of new marketing opportunities for small enterprises

• Encouraging participation and interaction between people from different walks of life

• Revitalising town centres and attracting additional custom for other businesses

• Rediscovery of a more social form of shopping

• Protection of the environment, by minimising food miles and packaging waste

Mechanisms and levels of support from local councils for farmers' markets varies significantly in
Wales from authority to authority, but in principle there is the potential for some level of Council
support or cooperation in each area.

For example, Cardiff Council provided a small amount of seed funding for the Riverside Market at
an early stage which enabled the organisers to purchase basic equipment and subsidised the initial
cost of running the Market for a trial period. At a later stage, Council support was crucial in gaining
permission to locate the Market on Council-controlled land adjacent to the River Taff. Cardiff
Council also drew up a special 'licensing agreement' for a (renewable) period of three years, which
outlined basic rules and responsibilities on both sides and enabled RCMA to bypass the high
license fees, which are normally charged to producers in that location (primarily fast-food vendors
which locate there when there is a match at the nearby Millennium Stadium)

In the case of Newport, the city centre manager invited RCMA to run a pilot farmers' market in a
central location for an initial period of six months to see whether it was something that would be
supported by local people and viable in the long term. In addition to sorting out all planning and
licensing details and providing an on-site electricity supply, Newport Council took responsibility for
all marketing and publicity (examples of this later). Newport Council also provided a subsidy for
the launch period which enabled RCMA to cover the costs of running the Market while offering
stallholders a low enough rental to encourage them to try it out.



Riverside Real Food Market, Cardiff




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Farmers' Market Toolkit in Wales



2 THE WELSH CONTEXT

2.1 Farmers' markets in Wales - rationale and benefits

The farmers' market 'movement' more or less began in the UK with Bath Farmers' Market, which
was established in 1997. Since then the growth has been exponential, with over 500 in the UK
today, with a combined annual turnover of approximately £166.3 million. A recent survey indicated
that 70% of markets described themselves as 'thriving', and 60% said their business was
expanding.

In Wales, farmers' markets are currently found at:

South East Wales: Abergavenny, Barry, Caerphilly, Caldicot, Chepstow, Cowbridge, Merthyr
Tydfil, Monmouth, Newport, Penarth, Porthcawl (Bridgend), Riverside farmers' market (Cardiff), St
Fagans farmers' market (Cardiff)' & Usk.

West Wales : Aberaeron, Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Fishguard, Haverfordwest,
Lampeter, Llandovery, Mumbles (Swansea), Penclawdd, & Sketty (Swansea).

North Wales : Bangor , Celyn, Colwyn Bay, Corwen, Glyndwr, & Wrexham.

Mid Wales: Brecon, Knighton, Llandrindod Wells, Welshpool



Some other Markets were set up but have failed to survive, for reasons which we will look at in
more detail later.

Farmers' markets have attracted funding support from various statutory and voluntary sector
agencies because of the breadth of the benefits which they bring.

By emphasising the range of benefits (and matching the type of benefit to the priorities of particular
funders), Cardiff's Riverside Market, which was set up by volunteers as an independent
organisation, has attracted seed and development funding and support from a wide variety of
agencies including: Cardiff County Council - Economic Development; Environment Wales; New
Opportunities Fund - Enfys Programme; Shell Better Britain Campaign; Welsh Development
Agency - Agrifood Division; The Prince's Trust; Awards for All (National Lottery);

Cardiff Council has recently produced a Food and Health Strategy in which they emphasise the
importance of increasing the availability of fresh, locally produced food and the positive impact this
can have on health and the local economy. Some other local authorities in Wales are coming to
similar conclusions, with the result that there is a strong interest at local authority level in
developing and supporting local food initiatives, including farmers' markets. There is also evidence
of strong consumer interest in market shopping, and the beginnings of a backlash against
supermarket shopping, with its inevitable uniformity and compromised quality (especially
freshness, because of the great distances that much of their food has to travel). In addition, an
increasing number of health agencies in Wales at the present are recognising the links between
food quality, health and general well being..

The upshot of all this interest is that new farmers' markets have a realistic possibility of attracting
seed or start-up funding from a wide range of different sources; it is a question of being creative in
the fundraising process!

Organisations with a current interest in; possible sources of information and support for farmers'
markets include: Farmers' Markets in Wales; Friends of the Earth (FOE Cymru); Food Standards
Agency Wales; Health Challenge Wales; Soil Association; Wales Food Alliance. Private trusts, such
as the Esmee Fairburn Trust, and local sponsorship (as achieved in Edinburgh) are also potential
funding sources.



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Farmers' Market Toolkit in Wales



2.2 Local food - a growth area

Projects throughout the UK, and in other countries, are demonstrating how the development of
local food systems can strengthen the local economy, conserve the distinctiveness of the
landscape, protect rural employment, and contribute to better nutrition and access to fresh food
for local communities.

There has been a significant growth in interest and business opportunities for local food producers
over the last ten years. In a survey by the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) in 2005, seven out
of ten consumers said they want to buy local foods and 50% say they want to buy more than they
do now. Freshness is cited as the main reason for this demand, but perceived taste, reputation,
product integrity, provenance, and traceability all rank high on the list. Consumers also want to
support their local producers and retailers, as well as the local economy and jobs. However, one in
five in the survey who were not buying local food said it was generally too expensive and often
higher in price than similar alternatives.

The majority of consumers (63%) expect 'local food' to come either from their county or to be
produced within 30 miles of where they live or buy it. 33% of consumers see supermarkets as the
place where they would expect to buy local food, followed by farmers' markets (23%) and farm
shops (17%). Who, or where, the food is bought from is a more important indicator of local food for
37% of consumers, particularly those who associate 'local' with unprocessed products such as
eggs or red meat. The growth in local and organic direct delivery schemes to consumers reflects
this trend.

Some Producers and Supporters at Riverside Market




Numerous innovative schemes have been developed across the UK at a local level, linking better
health to the accessibility of fresh, nutritious food. Many schemes are addressing the need for
better food access by creating closer links between producers and consumers. This key feature of
the sector - the creation of short supply chains - is now scaling up with collaborative groups of
farmers working together to begin to meet the demands and contract requirements of larger
consumer clients. (See the Soil Association website on www.localfoodworks.org , The Countryside
Agency's www.eat-the-view.orq.uk or the Sustain site at www.sustainweb.org for more
information).

Local food can also be a tool in supporting and promoting appropriate change in local landscape
management. In practical terms this can result in linkages between tourism, education and local
food production which benefit all sectors. In Pembrokeshire for example, a local produce 'mark'
has been established, allowing participating producers and food outlets such as restaurants to
denote their use of locally sourced produce.



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Farmers' Market Toolkit in Wales



Contact with the consumer encourages farmers to review what they produce in direct response to
demand. It gives them confidence in more specialised production and helps them to identify niche
and new markets that can lead to diversification and product development.




Organic vegetable producer at Riverside Market



2.3 Extending the benefits of farmers' markets

Alongside the basic task of running and sustaining a farmers' market itself, it is usually possible to
create a programme linking a farmers' market to educational or outreach activities in the local
community. Ideas might include working with teachers to produce educational materials which fit
with the requirements of the curriculum, or organising visits to the market and possibly to some of
the stallholders' farms. Applications for funding to support this kind of activity could include support
to cover a farmer's time (e.g. for a farm visit), for somebody to co-ordinate the programme, and to
cover the costs of creating and distributing educational materials. It's important to consider costs to
the schools such as transport for pupils and additional staff for supervision on visits if required.

This type of activity is a good way for farmers' markets to reconnect the consumer and the
producer. Although school pupils are not generally customers, their families could well be,
especially if their children become enthusiastic. Children are our customers of tomorrow, and what
better way to establish sustainable shopping habits. An activity like this could also generate some
good publicity, which can only help the health of the market. Riverside Market, for example, runs a
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