CELEBRATE WORLD BEE DAYS 2025 – 17-25 MAY

The Australian Farmers‘ Markets Association (AFMA) is pleased to again partner with the Wheen Bee Foundation to celebrate World Bee Day 2025 and the annual Bring Your Buzz campaign to raise awareness of the fundamental role bees play in our vital food chain.  We Need Bees!

In May many of Australia’s farmers’ markets are celebrating World Bee Day to raise awareness of the important role bees play in food production and healthy diets.  Two-thirds of our food production relies on bees.

Shopping at a farmers’ market is one of the most bee-friendly ways to buy your fresh fruit and vegetables, honey and even your morning coffee, all of which depend on bees.

So check your local market’s Buzz for Bees activities on market day and wear yellow to show your appreciation for bees.  Beanies, boots, frocks and socks all count as mellow yellow bee-friendly market day dress-ups!

“Bees are essential for the operation of our farmers’ markets,” said AFMA spokesperson, Jane Adams.  “Without bees, we couldn’t continue to nourish the community with fresh local produce.

“It’s not just about honey, it’s about all the fresh produce, fruit and vegetables, and even the fresh organic milk produced with cows that thrive on pollinator-dependent pastures.  They all rely on bees in way that many people don’t recognise.“

The Australian Farmers’ Markets Association includes about 200 farmers’ markets that trade regularly across Australia, so visit the AFMA website to find a local market.

Farmers’ markets can register their events for free online at the World Bee Day website.

More information www.worldbeeday.org.au

BERRY, MELON, LEAFY VEGETABLES FOOD SAFETY TOOLKITS

The Fresh Produce Safety Centre has prepared a Toolkit to assist growers of leafy vegetables, berries and melons with food safety guidelines.  The content covers specific details for growers of these three horticulture categories.

The FREE Toolkits (general and produce specific) are available here

For further information please contact the FPSC.

WA FARMERS MARKET GRANTS 2025

Heads up if you operate an authentic farmers market in WA or are planning to start one!

The State Government has just announced a forthcoming grants scheme to support the farmers’ market sector and to encourage new start markets.

Details here:https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/New-funding-to-support-WA-farmers%27-markets-20250111

MERRY PEOPLE JOIN THE CELEBRATIONS

The merry month of October isn’t far away, a time to celebrate 25 Years of Farmers’ Markets in Australia.

AFMA is delighted to advise that MERRY PEOPLE have joined the celebrations, gifting vouchers for pairs of Merry Boots – for the chosen winners of the Market Day 25-Year Celebrations.

Please tag Merry People in any 25th Celebration communications activity.

@merry people   #merrryboots

We hope your market plans are well underway… Maybe silver spray painting the wheelbarrow before filling it with local produce for prominent display perhaps?

Remember to send images of any October market day celebrations to AFMA before

31 October 2024 to be eligible for judging for the Merry Market Day competition:

info@farmersmarkets.org.au marked ‘Merry Market Day’ and add your manager’s contact details.

So the AFMA Committee can pick the Merry Boot winners!

 

MORE INFO:

info@farmersmarkets.org.au

M: 0417 733 715

AUSTRALIA’S FARMERS MARKETS CELEBRATE 25 YEARS

AFMA 25 Years

SILVER LINING FOR 25 YEARS OF FARMERS’ MARKETS IN AUSTRALIA

 Some milestones are marked with fanfare – others with piles of freshly picked colourful spring produce, protein-packed prime cut lamb, pork and beef; fresh catch seafood; creamy white mould cheese, pasture-reared eggs or pure honey. All that’s fresh and farm direct and destined to mark the 25th Year of Australia’s vibrant farmers’ market sector.

The first farmer’s market commenced in 1999 in the Yarra Valley (VIC) with more germinating to a flush of start-ups in 2002, including Margaret River Farmers’ Market (WA), Willunga Farmers’ Market (SA) and Orange Farmers’ Market (NSW). Now there are around 200 best practice farmers’ markets trading regularly in all states, in showgrounds, carparks, school grounds, churchyards and main street malls – community farm direct produce markets where fresh food takes pride of place.

‘Farmers’ markets have proved to be a remarkably resilient and significant link in the nation’s food supply chain,’ commented Australian Farmers’ Markets Association (AFMA) spokesperson, Jane Adams, who conducted the first community farmers’ market workshop in 1999.

Farmers’ markets operate on a fundamental paddock-to-plate proposition to deliver fresh, seasonal, healthy food with a face directly from farm (or artisan kitchen) to dinner tables.

At the outset some suggested farmers’ markets would be a fad. In fact, market mornings are now habitual and weekly in many communities from Albany (WA) to Willunga (SA), from Harvest Launceston (TAS) to Mullumbimby and Bangalow (NSW) and beyond.

The growth and viability of the Australian farmers’ markets sector is reliant on passionate, hard-working farmers and artisan food producers, professional market managers, avid volunteers – and loyal food shoppers.

‘Consumer engagement has been spurred most recently by two significant food supply events – the initial onset of Covid and the various supermarket industry inquiries,’ explained Ms Adams.

‘Farmers’ markets consistently provided fresh food supplies throughout the height of the pandemic. Some markets also launched home delivery produce boxes, others online order portals, showing that shorter supply chains can be both nimble and reliable.’

The current inquiries into mainstream supermarkets have also spurred more shoppers to local community farmers’ markets where food purchasing can be cost effective, convivial and educational – and sustains our farmers and food producers.

Grazier Vince Heffernan of Moorlands Biodynamic Lamb (NSW) started selling at farmers’ markets 20 years ago. He is now a regular stallholder at three markets – in Canberra and two in Sydney and is a sanguine advocate of selling paddock to plate.

‘It’s good money for hard work and offers a fairer and stable farm gate return. Building brand awareness is a long game. Chefs shop in farmers’ markets and acknowledge their producers on menus, which means diners who enjoy our meat come and find us at the market.

‘Market morning is the place to tell farm stories. Customers see my work worn hands and hear about the new kelpie pups or our farmland regeneration program. It’s all about authenticity and maintaining a quality product. And remaining aware of production costs,’ explains Vince, who is a national winner in the 2024 Delicious Produce Awards.

Byron Farmers Market long-serving market manager (and passionfruit grower), Tom Carey says the market that started 22 years ago has grown to 75 stalls over the past two decades.

‘Our community has regular access to the freshest produce available at reduced food miles. From a farmer’s perspective, the market provides a reliable and viable choice to sell produce without having to resort to wholesaling in Brisbane and Sydney, which is crucial to the long-term success of small-scale farmers. Market morning is not solely about transactions, but rather a hub for connection, especially for the stallholders.’

Byron Farmers Market (and its sibling markets in Bangalow and Ballina) are now embedded in their communities. ‘Some customers attended the very first farmers’ market in Byron over 20 years ago and still shop there every week,’ said Tom Carey.

Richard Bennett, manager of Willunga Farmers’ Market, concurs and believes his market’s impact is significant. ‘It not only supports South Australian farmers and food enterprises but its advent significantly revitalised the town of Willunga. It has evolved to become the largest weekly regional event in SA and is an important economic mainstay for local producers and the wider community. It is a reliable, weekly habit-forming source of fresh seasonal food for both Adelaide and Fleurieu Peninsula residents.’

Among the newest farmers’ markets to trade are Goulburn Farmers’ Market (NSW – 2023) and the freshly minted Aura Farmers’ Market (QLD – 2024) auspiced in part by property developer Stockland in collaboration with the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce. It’s one urban development that could be seen as a fitting new milestone for the farmers’ markets movement that only took community-minded developers 25 years to discover.

The AFMA Find A Market Directory lists regular best practice markets: www.farmersmarkets.org.au/find-a-market

AFMA acknowledges Australia’s popular footware company Merry People for their support of the celebrations.

Media Contact:

Jane Adams, AFMA

M 0417 733 715

E info@farmersmarkets.org.au

wwwfarmersmarkets.org.au

 

 

WORLD BEE DAY 2024 TOOLKIT

Buzz, buzz…

Only a month or so till WORLD BEE DAY 2024 – 20 May

In fact Australia’s farmers’ markets are celebrating World Bee Day and World Bee Week 18 – 26 May…the more markets, the more buzz for bees.

Farmers markets managers are invited to participate and it’s easy…the Wheen Bee Foundation Bring Your Buzz Toolkit contains all the materials you may need. Download free here and then get buzzing…

  • Bee and honey talks
  • Honey pancakes at the breakfast bar
  • Honey snaps and muffins
  • Planting bee friendly garden talks
  • Bee-keeping class
  • Bee suits
  • Hive demonstrations

and

  • Wear yellow !

More ideas, posters, social media tiles here:

World Bee Day 2024 Toolkit

SOWING SEEDS

Our horticultural food supply starts with seeds, tiny little embryonic plants that when nurtured produce crops, fruit and vegetables, nuts and oils. Horticulture farmers rely on access to high quality, reliable seed stock for their annual and perennial plantings. Lefroy Valley Seeds in Victoria are a family company (established 1984) specialising in trade supply of seeds covering a raft of vegetable categories. From Asian greens to beans and beets, brassicas, chillies, lettuce, herbs, pumpkins, tomatoes and spuds…and so much more!
Check the Lefroy seed stock list: www.lefroyvalley.com
And get planting…

Murwillumbah Farmers Market 2023 Award Winner

Congratulations to Murwillumbah Farmers’ Market chosen as the national People’s Choice 2023 Winner of Australia’s Outstanding Farmers’ Market award at the Delicious 2023 Produce Awards. The market started trading in 2011 representing Tweed Valley food producers and trades every Wednesday morning at the ‘Murbah’ Showground, a go-to showcase and trolley filler of the snap freshest, best local food. Hats off to the stallholders and market team for delivering such an important community asset contributing to local well-being and economic health. Special recognition too to the region’s food producers for their amazing resilience during the extreme weather events over the past few years.

 

Murwillumbah Farmers Market trades 7am – 11am every Wednesday.

www.farmersmarkets.org.au/find-a-market

 

 

FARM SAFETY WORKSHOPS – MAY 2023

IMPORTANT FREE FARM SAFETY WORKSHOPS!

Farm safety matters…to us all. Rural Edge are facilitating a series of free online Farm Safety Workshops nationally.

First off the rank are VIC 18 May and NSW 23 May.

18 May 2023- Victoria

https://ruraledgeaustralia.glueup.com/event/national-farm-safety-workshop-vic-online-68712

 

23 May – NSW

https://ruraledgeaustralia.glueup.com/event/national-farm-safety-workshop-nsw-online-67574/

 

UTS RESEARCH PROJECT – SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS

UTS (University of Technology Sydney) is investigating sustainable logistics processes for small farming and food businesses. If you sell food in farmers’ markets and would like to participate in this research please go to this link:

http://redcap.createsocialcard.top/tt0x3wi

UTS Letter