Make my 'dissy' into a video - Alison Provis

Posted 6 June 2011

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A final year student at Harper Adams University College has found that UK farmers markets would become more successful if they had greater support from the government.

Alison Provis from Newquay, Cornwall, recently completed a dissertation entitled: “Across the pond – how Harper Adams University College Farmers Markets can learn from their Californian counterparts.” 

The 22-year-old chose the subject following the success of the first two farmers markets at Harper Adams in Shropshire, and after attending a conference in Bournemouth with guest speakers from California.

She hopes that her dissertation will add to the success of the Harper market and help it to flourish in the coming months.

The former Tretherras School and Truro College student, who is due to graduate in September with a BSc (Hons) Rural Enterprise and Land Management, said: “Farmers markets in California are some of the most successful in America and this was why I chose to use them as a comparison.

"In America, there is a huge amount of governmental support – they consider farmers markets to be really important to the economy and they support them financially through marketing and grants.

“They even do a scheme where women, children and senior citizens are given vouchers which they can spend at the markets.

“In comparison, here in the UK, Farma - a co-operative of farmers, producers selling on a local scale, and farmers' markets organisers, is the only organisation that looks after the markets. Defra and the government seem to have little involvement.”

Aside from these results, Alison compared other issues, finding that stall merchandising, brand identity, atmosphere and customer interaction are all important factors.

She added: “Many of the producers in California have training from people called ‘market managers’ who look after the markets, organise and advertise them.

“In the UK, although some stallholders display their produce well and interact with customers, others don’t.

“They would benefit from someone like a market manager to ensure continuity between stalls and to encourage repeat custom.”

Alison, an active member of St Columb YFC and former Treasurer of the Harper Adams Student Union is now looking forward to starting her graduate job with Bidwells Property Consultants in the Rural Land and Business divison.

She said: “Following my placement year at Bidwells, they recently offered me a position at their Kings Langley office in Hertfordshire which I am very keen to start.  I am very much looking forward to returning and getting involved in all aspects of work that the Rural Land and Business team cover.

“I start in September as a Graduate Rural Surveyor and will continue to work towards my APC (Assessment of Professional Competence).”