Death of an Apple Tart

The Irish Country Women's Association was founded in 1910; there are currently 560 guilds around Ireland.
In 1946 the Irish Country Woman's Association (ICA) and the Irish Homespun Association began the Country Market Association.

These people were mostly farmers’ wives, along with country women and city women  looking to make a small income for themselves. They would meet once a week to sell their home made produce at their market or to the local shop. The Government Food Safety Authority approved this initiative. The ICA had in place their own hygiene standards inspector and I could make a proper home baked apple tart and sell it to the local shop or market. This local economic and culturally beneficial transaction was at the heart of a community.

This all worked very well until around 6 years ago. A government Minister in an office in Dublin, not knowing the difference (or perhaps not caring) between a Country Market and a Farmers Market, with the stroke of a pen lumped the two together. Thereby the Country Markets had to operate to the same standards as small/medium branded food producers who sell at the farmers markets (think the English Market in Cork or The Milk market in Limerick).

Here is a clear case  for separating government from making economic decisions. Lumping the two organisations together  was not  necessary and the level of wisdom was questionable. The ICA have taken their case to the Europe and are still awaiting a reversal. Meanwhile all of these small women producers are in a quandary.
The best people to make decisions about manufacturing and supply are the people involved in its production. This is a case of if it ain't broke leave it the feck alone.

-- Amanda MacMahon