Local News | From Clonakilty

At the February meeting of Clonakilty Town Council, Cllr. Anne Cullinane congratulated the Clonakilty Farmer’s Market on it’s recent award of the “Farmers Market Good Practice Standard”.
By achieving the Good Practice Standard the Farmers Market undertakes to hold markets regularly; to stock a substantial proportion, ideally 50% of local produce from the county or neighbouring counties; to accommodated seasonal and local garden/allotment produce, as well as compliance with food safety/labelling rules and criteria as good governance.
At the meeting Cllr. Cullinane urged the bye law sub committee to concentrate their efforts on finding a permanent home for the Clonakilty Farmers Market. “The Market not only creates employment locally but it is also good for Tourism in our town.” said the Councillor.
The pilot Standard is voluntary and denoted by a flag/banner, which the Clonakilty Farmers Market will have on display soon. It is supported by An Bord Bia with whom the Market are now registered.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr. Cullinane said “The Clonakilty Farmers Market will be officially launching their flag on Friday, 2nd April 2010. There will be some well known Food personalities there on the day.”
In relation to the location of the Famers Market, the councillor had this to say: “I understand the bye law committee are currently working on the issue. There is a new EU directive in place on service provision and freedom of trade, which will have implications for casual trading, and this will have to be taken account of when drafting the bye-laws. Emmet Square is being looked at as the location, but personally I would love to see the Market back in it’s original place between Connolly St. and Rossa St. This is not possible at present as it would interfere with the fire brigade service.” continued Cllr. Cullinane.
Recently fingerpost signs were erected in the town, indicating the site of the old Fish Market and Shambles. “I would love to see Rossa St. pedestrianised, but am advised that this would not be practical. However, if it was just for Market Day, I think it would be a welcome attraction. There would be great benefits to be reaped by all businesses in the town, as can be seen in Skibbereen, Bandon and Midleton where the Farmers Markets have gone from strength to strength.”
The councillor concluded by saying: “All our Tourism/Historical brochures and websites refer to Clonakilty as a Market Town. It frustrates me to see that we have not yet resolved the matter of location. Let’s make it happen in 2010.”

Notes: There are just 34 Markets operating to the Standard nationally.
Trevor Sargent TD, Minister for State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with responsibility for Food and Horticulture, launched the pilot Good Practice Standard for Farmers’ Markets in 2009.
He established a group, representative of the main stakeholders, to examine and draw up best practice guidelines with the aim of increasing the profile and level of sales of farm produce at Farmers’ Markets. The Group comprised people from the Irish Food Market Traders Association; CoCo Markets; Irish Farmers Association; An Taisce; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; An Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
One of the commitments under the Programme for Government is to encourage more direct selling between farmers and consumers by restoring and promoting farm shops and a national network of farmers’ markets and country markets.

Submitted by Ann Cullinane on Friday, February 12th, 2010