As producers in the North East look to increase local consumption of their food, a new representative body has been set up after a sizeable lottery grant.
North East of England Farmers’ Markets (NEEFM) will look to promote local food and drink in the region on the back of £98,000 of lottery funding and a further £9,000 raised via the North East England Investment Centre.
NEEFM will bring together farmers' markets operated by local authorities, producer groups, private businesses, community groups and social enterprises.
The new body hopes to increase the diversity of produce available on farmers’ markets and promote the co-operation of markets in the region.
The first six members of the body are markets in Darlington, Hartlepool, Durham, Morpeth, Newcastle, Alnwick and Ponteland.
FARMA, the National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association, has announced it will be supporting NEEFM with a programme of research and training through the Making Local Food Work programme.
All the farmers' markets involved in the group are FARMA certified and delighted to be working together to pursue their common aims.
NEEFM chairman Nic Best said: "NEEFM is very much a practical resource and this funding will be used to champion farmers’ markets across the whole of the North East. We want to give them a stronger voice to actively promote their benefits and encourage consumers across the region to buy, eat and cook with food from their local farmers' market."
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