NEWS RELEASE: THE ORGANIC FARM SHOP WINS ENVIRONMENTAL FARM SHOP TITLE

Hillary Chester-Master with the Organic Farm Shop staff

The Organic Farm Shop in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, has scooped the Environmental retailer of the year award from the National Farmers' Retail & Markets' Association (FARMA). The decision was announced at the FARMA national conference on 11 November 2008.

The FARMA judges considered that the Organic Farm Shop was 'going that extra mile to assure a positive future for our planet' and set the goal post high for other farm retailers. The farm is certified by the Soil Association, producing its own soft fruit, vegetables, milk, cream, yoghurt, cheese, eggs, lamb, beef, pork and chicken. The on-site café works with whatever is in season on the farm to produce a range of homemade vegetarian meals (except on Sundays!) - everything is cooked on site - only the locally-made bread is bought in.

Business owners Hilary and Will Chester-Master, place a huge emphasis on conservation and sustainability, from farming techniques to the shop design. The farm shop building and all the counters are made from the farm's own green oak, and the café's tables and chairs from reclaimed wood. No new plastic carrier bags are used, and the shop has been selling fair-trade jute bags at cost price for the past nine years - long before the supermarkets even considered the idea. In fact, recycling is the order of the day, with customer drop-off points in the car park, and just one bucket per day of raw food waste from the shop - which naturally ends up on the compost heap.

Visitors come from around the globe to see this model of environmental self-sufficiency. The farmshop and cafe has its own bore hole, solar panels and wood chip boiler which provide enough heating and hot water for the whole building, and there are plans to install a large wind turbine on site to take the farm 'off grid'. Hilary and Will regularly host educational visits, talks, and Soil Association masterclasses, (but the highlight of the year) and have organised for the last three years the Ragged Hedge Fair which attracted up to 4,000 people to a weekend of simple living. The entire event, including four cafes, three stages, an ecoforum and site lighting, is powered by wind and solar energy alone.

Nigel Chandler, farm shop manager at Garsons in Surrey, and one of this year's judges, commented, 'Many farm shops are working hard to improve their environmental credentials; recycling waste, sourcing local and seasonal food, using sustainable packaging and so on. However, The Organic farm shop stands out as a business model, with a concern for the planet at its heart.'

The FARMA awards are peer-assessed by other farm retailers, including previous award winners. An independent mystery shopper report is also available to the judges.

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For more information:
The Organic Farm Shop, Abbey Home Farm, Burford Road, Cirencester, GL7 5HF
Contact: Hilary Chester-Master Tel: 01285 640441 www.theorganicfarmshop.co.uk

FARMA, Rita Exner or Gareth Jones: 0845 45 88 420 www.farma.org.uk

Notes to Editors:
The National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association (FARMA) is a 700-strong farmer-owned co-operative that represents and supports direct sales to the consumer in all its forms: farm shops, pick-your-own farms, farmers' markets, box schemes and internet sales. It sets standards for farmers' markets with an independent inspection and Certification mark to ensure that they are genuine farmers' markets; and works to improve retailing and marketing skills throughout the industry. The FARMA Awards have been running since 2002.