BBC visits Farmer's Market

Organiser of the Farmers Market, Cllr Stewart Wood, said he was, "very surprised" when Helen contacted him to say they would like to go along.

He said: "Helen Drew called and said they wanted to see how the present financial climate was affecting small farmers and farmer's markets, and to ask the public why they shop here."

Stewart said the recession is beginning to have an effect on the monthly market held at Parkhurst Hall, with fewer people attending.

He said: "The numbers have been down, although we do have our good regulars who support us - people who want top quality local meat, cheese, vegetables, smoked sausages, and smoked ham done the old fashioned way. Some people think that things sold at farmer's markets are more expensive, but I can quote products that are cheaper than supermarkets, for example six free range eggs are only 1.20."

Staunch supporters of the market, local residents Barbara and Edward Echlin, who were interviewed for the BBC's programme, said they like the quality and range of products available at the market.

Barbara said: "We like to support local producers. It's good quality food here. Some things are a little bit more expensive but you get what you pay for."

Husband Edward agreed adding: "I think it's wonderful to support local producers."

In addition, Stewart said that another topic the Politics Show may cover is that the farming community has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, and attending the market was the Sussex Coordinator of Farm Crisis Network (FCN), John Fowler.

John, who retired to Bexhill after being a farmer in Africa for forty years, said suicide among the farming community has been a problem for many years due to on-going problems, and despite the belief that farmers do better during a recession, supermarkets driving prices down has been a serious problem for the farming community who are trying to make a living.

He said: "High suicide rates have been the case for many years due to an on-going series of problems. The foot and mouth outbreak was very serious and though traditionally farmers are supposed to do better in times of recession - as people need food to eat '“ but not all farmers can sell their wares at a farmers market and supermarkets have driven prices down so low that farmers struggle to make a profit."

John heads a team of a dozen volunteers of the FCN in Sussex - volunteers who are all drawn from the farming community and rural churches, who are available to 'walk with and support farming people and their families as they seek to resolve their problems.'

For more information on FCN visit the website at www.fcn.org.uk