Tractor highlights issues

10:06am Thursday 23rd August 2007

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Herefordshire Farmers Market Group had a tractor in High Town at its most recent market to highlight the cost of producing food and emphasise it is business as usual for the county's food and drink producers, despite the July floods and foot-and-mouth restrictions.

Brought into High Town by L Evans and Son (Hereford) Ltd from Canon Pyon, the CASE CVX 160 tractor, which costs £70,000 to buy, attracted a lot of interest from people attending the popular farmers market.

David Griffiths, chairman of the Herefordshire Farmers Market Group, said: "This tractor was brought to the farmers market today so that our customers can see the machinery that is needed by the farmers to cultivate the fields to grow food for their tables.

"We wanted people to be aware there are all types of expensive machinery needed to do cultivating and harvesting before farmers can then sell their produce to the public," he added.

Mr Griffiths, who runs a nursery in Bodenham, said the farmers market was growing in popularity all the time and three new stallholders were joining from next month selling Mediterranean foods, smoked salmon and plants.

To be part of the market, all producers should be within 30 miles of the markets and items sold will have been grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed by the stallholder.

Mr Griffiths said: "We want to stress Herefordshire is open for business and the county's locally grown produce is available to buy at our regular markets, which not only helps to save the environment by reducing food miles but also benefits the county's economy by supporting its farmers," he added.

Farmers markets are held throughout the county, run in partnership with Herefordshire Council.

Jeff Owen, Herefordshire Council's manager for markets, fairs and street trading, said: "The farmers markets are popular and we would encourage people to keep on coming and supporting our local producers."

Hereford's High Town market takes place on the first Saturday and third Thursday of every month, in Ross on Wye market place, it is on the first Friday of every month and Leominster's Corn Square is the venue on the second Saturday of every month.