AN AWARD-WINNING Somerset farm shop is backing the Farm Retail Association’s (FRA) ‘More Than Food’ campaign to encourage people to support their nearest farm shop, farmers’ market and PYO business (July 2025).
Rumwell Farm Shop is supporting The EPOS Bureau sponsored and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall endorsed initiative, launching this week (July 21, 2025), which aims to raise awareness of the benefits of shopping with farm retailers.
Anne Mitchell, Partner at Rumwell Farm Shop, which is on the A38 between Taunton and Wellington, says: “As a member of FRA, we are delighted to support the body’s new campaign to encourage people to shop locally at farm shops, farmers markets and PYO businesses.
“As FRA says on its website, 75p out of every £1 you spend at a farm retailer like us stays in the local economy. This means when you buy from us, you’re not just filling your fridge and cupboards with tasty items, you’re supporting jobs and livelihoods all around you and helping preserve rural landscapes too.”
The More Than Food campaign, is designed to highlight why the freshness of farm to fork is better, not only for health and wellbeing, but for communities and the environment.
Fellow South West resident, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who is Patron of FRA, comments: “Farm retail businesses come in many different shapes and sizes, but whatever the shape or size, they are always delivering something fantastic to their local communities.
“They act as a hub, bring people together and supporting farmers in the most local way so that the farming economy stays local which is fantastic. It’s such a pleasure to bring produce back from a farm shop or farmers market, that’s been grown nearby and that comes from your local landscape.
“You know it is in season, it hasn’t travelled far and it’s the best it can be. It’s also so important that children get their hands on real food, and on fresh fruit and vegetables to help them understand what fun it is to have these in your home, in your kitchen and on your plate.”
FRA is one of the leading organisations representing the interests of farm shops, farmers markets and other farm-based retail businesses across the UK.
It promotes the growth and development of the farm retail sector, championing the importance of food produced regionally and also sustainable farming practices.
Anne adds: “We produce our own eggs, pork, beef and potatoes and sell them in our Shop, as well as using them in our award-winning Café.
“We also make hundreds of Made at Rumwell products onsite including Bakery and Deli items, as well as jams and preserves, and Gluten Free products too. Our ethos is to source produce, wherever possible, from as close to us as we can. That means by shopping with us, you’re supporting lots of other farmers and growers in the area too.
“Faced with the challenges imposed by the recent inheritance tax, changes post-Brexit and rising costs, farmers all around us here in Somerset and the South West are in need of community support now more than ever before, so shopping locally has never been more important.”
For further details, please visit www.rumwellfarmshop.com. For more about FRA and the More Than Food campaign, please visit www.farmretail.co.uk/more-than-food/.
