FARMERS, smallholders and specialist meat producers in West Devon and East Cornwall could be in line to benefit from a new processing plant and co-operative, designed to help them secure better prices for their products.

Caradon District Council has already been in talks with a group of farmers about the possibility of such a scheme and is now gauging support for the idea from the wider farming community on both sides of the border.

Sarah Prattent, Caradon's grants officer, said the scheme would be of particular benefit to farmers and smallholders who produced smaller amount of organic or specialist meat.

Ms Prattent said: 'The co-operative would give them the clout to gain better deals when purchasing abattoir services, while the meat processing unit would carry out research and product development to help them find real alternatives to selling through supermarkets and get fairer prices.'

She said the meat processing unit would help farmers to plan their production by researching what the consumer wanted.

'Cuts of meat can go in and out of fashion, and it's no use trying to sell brisket if everyone wants fillet steak because a steak recipe appeared in Delia's latest cookbook!' she said.

The processing unit would also be able to advise on aspects that would help the farmers get a better price for their produce, from high quality packaging that presented the meat in an attractive way, to extra processing that made the meat quicker and easier for the customer to prepare — such as cutting it in a different way or adding herbs and spices, Ms Prattent said.

'The first step in getting funding for the project is to carry out a feasibility study, which will recommend the best way forward.

'What we need now is for farmers to write to us saying whether they support the idea of a processing plant in South East Cornwall, so that we can show potential funders there is a demand for the facility.'

Farmers and smallholders wishing to express support for the project should write to Sarah Prattent, Grants Officer, Caradon District Council, Luxstowe House, Liskeard, PL14 3DZ.

The scheme was one of the topics at the recent Farmers' Open Day at Dupath Well Farm near Callington, attended by people from Devon and Cornwall.

Organiser of the event Peter Coombe said they had had an 'overwhelming response' from people wanting to get information and advice, find out about grants and meet people who had already sold direct to the consumer.

Among the fourteen speakers and demonstrations, the newly-formed Tamar Valley Marketing project was on hand to offer marketing advice.

The project, headed by a partnership comprising Tamar Valley Services, Calstock Development Trust, the Silvanus Trust, TAVATA and Tamar Woodmeet and funded by a £149,000 rural renewal grant, aims to promote and market the area, encourage awareness of local products and services, provide business training and celebrate local distinctiveness.