A number of people have commented about a recent headline article in the Sunday Times under the banner heading “Revealed: How Farmers’ Markets sell “Supermarket” Foods”. The article describes how farmers’ markets were supposed to put integrity back into the food chain but not all farmers’ markets are what they seem. Examples are given under what is described as a “farm bluffer’s guide” indicating that there is a practice of tearing off labels saying Spanish or Grown in Argentina or “gassed and stored for the best part of a year by Tesco” and replace sticker giving the name of a quaint sounding farm or locally grown. In this way supermarket tomatoes which retail at £2.76 per kg can be sold as farmers’ market tomatoes for £7.69 per kg.

The Sunday Times article states that there are now 550 farmers’ markets across the country with an estimated income of more than £220 million a year.

NABMA members will know that the National Farmers Retail and Markets Association “FARMA” has a certification process for farmers’ markets but this certification process is a voluntary one and less than 200 farmers’ markets are currently subject to certification.

Farmers’ Markets have become an important part of the market offer in many areas but it is important that the attraction and status of farmers’ markets are not undermined. NABMA members will recall that car boot sales started originally to raise funding for voluntary organisations and they are now a very different proposition and in a number of places cause significant problems because of the lack of proper regulation. It would be tragic if farmers’ markets suffered in the same way.

The article in the Sunday Times indicates that it is important that any NABMA member authorising or organising a farmers’ market needs to make sure that it is regulated in an effective way. One way of achieving this is to insist on the certification approval given by FARMA but if such certification is not available then it is necessary to seek separate assurances about the sourcing of the produce to be sold at the farmers’ markets.

It is important for the integrity of the markets industry generally that the concern expressed in the Sunday Times is not ignored.