Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 532: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress made in relation to the programme for Government proposal to encourage more direct selling from farmer to customer by restoring and promoting a national network of farmers' markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28586/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently funding a 3-year research project on examining effective structures for Farmers' Markets in Ireland under the Research Stimulus Fund Programme. The project, which is being undertaken by the Centre for Cooperative Studies and the Department of Food Business and Development, University College Cork, will seek to establish how farmers' markets can best be structured to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of small farmers and to enhance product quality. It will examine structures in Ireland and draw on experiences of other countries to recommend ways of improving the effectiveness of farmers' markets in Ireland.

An Bord Bia, in co-operation with Invest Northern Ireland, has published a comprehensive information guide on the operation of farmers markets and lists over 140 markets currently in operation throughout the island. Following qualitative and quantitative research into local food undertaken by Bord Bia, a guide entitled "Selling through Farmers' markets, Farm Shops and Box Schemes in Ireland" was produced last year to provide practical and in-depth advice for small food producers.