A MEAT marketing survey involving more than 3,000 farmers and specialist producers in Devon and East Cornwall could lead to better prices for their produce.
Caradon District Council and Devon County Council are working closely with Meat South West on a project aimed at improving the situation of farmers with specialist, organic or small numbers of stock, many of whom sell their produce through farm shops and farmers? markets.
The producers would work with a meat processing plant to ensure the final product was packed and displayed with maximum customer appeal.
Cllr Kath Pascoe, Caradon District Council?s supporting the rural community and economy portfolio holder, said: ?Apart from helping farmers to save on costs, the scheme would advise them on ways of adding value to their products, so that they are more in line with the busy lifestyles of today?s consumers.
?With the meat processing unit offering assistance with research and marketing aspects of the business, farmers would be free to concentrate on what they do best, which is producing high quality meat.
?But before we can put any of this in place, we have to be able to prove that there is a demand for the service to be able to tap into the necessary funding. That?s where the survey comes in. We need as many people as possible to respond.?
Cllr Derrick Spear, Devon County Council?s economic regeneration portfolio holder, said producing meat for sale was a complex process.
?Farmers retailing small amounts of meat sometimes find it difficult to book space with abattoirs and can face prohibitive costs for other parts of the process.
?We?re looking at ways of bringing these farmers together, possibly through a facilitation service, so that some of the costs can be shared or reduced,? he said.
Farmers in Devon and East Cornwall are being asked to return the survey by February 21.
All questionnaires returned by the deadline will be entered into a free prize draw for a day of specialist farm business by one of Agri-Bip?s leading consultants.
If there are any farmers in Devon or East Cornwall who do not receive a questionnaire but would like to take part in the survey, they should contact Dan Meek on 01392 383404.