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Farmers’ Markets Conference - Food Fad or Food Future?

Radisson SAS Hotel, Athlone - 1 Day Conference: Monday 2nd July, 2007

There are currently over 120 Farmers’ Markets across the island of Ireland, and they’re enjoying unprecedented popularity in the media and attracting larger crowds than ever. Top celebrity chefs are waxing lyrical about the culinary benefits of local, seasonal produce, and food journalists are championing the cause of buying direct from producers, in context with mounting disdain for supermarket profiteering. 

However, while the key principle of local produce sold by the farmer or principal producer is clear, regulation is inconsistent and confused. Questions of quality, integrity and accountability will remain until a comprehensive set of standards is agreed and enforced. Consumer trust hinges on these questions, and they are critical issues to be addressed at this pivotal event. High on the agenda you will also find practical examples of how to set up a Farmers’ Market in your area, and different models will be compared and contrasted. 

Join stallholders, farmers and growers, LEADER companies and rural development organisations, county councils and tourism authorities to learn from new case studies across Ireland and the UK, hear the latest trends of today and debate the development of Farmers’ Markets for the future. 

Topics covered include:

* Farmers’ Markets: Where do we go from here? (Darina Allen, Ballymaloe Cookery School);
* Sustainable Markets in Rural Locations (Michael Gleeson, EIRI Corca Baiscinn, Kilkee, Co. Clare)
* Origin Markets: Insights and Evaluation (Kate Burns, First Western)
* Certification & Accreditation (Gareth Jones, Farmers’ Retail & Markets Association)
* Support & training resources available for producers (Eilish Broderick, Rural Food Company Training
  Network and Sean McGloin, Western Organic Network)