Published since 1986
AUGUST, 2021
Treasure our farmers’ markets
www.farmernews.com.au
Green tea expansion
PAGES 6-7
Bull sales PAGE 14
PAGES 20-21
Championing the local grower
CREAM OF THE CROP ZOE Hayes from Girgarre East is just one of a contingent of talented finalists representing Victoria in the upcoming nationals. Taking part in the dairy cattle young judges competition, Zoe is a third generation dairy farmer, with her grandparents setting up the Llandovery stud breeding Illawarras for the industry. Read more about Zoe on pages 10 and 11.
VICTORIAN Farmers’ Market Association accredited markets in Bendigo, Echuca, Nagambie, Euroa, Myrtleford and Wangaratta, have welcomed the appointment of Peter Kenyon to the position of field officer. Responsible for overseeing all 33 accredited VFMA markets across the state, the position has been created to give market organisers and participants a more direct connection with the VFMA. Along with strengthening advocacy for accredited producers, Beechworth-based Peter also aims to highlight the value of farmers’ markets to communities and both local and state government. A new role, the position has been created from part-time volunteer positions, as the Victorian Farmers’ Market Association embraces a more progressive agenda representing farmers who sell direct to the public and actively promoting sustainable farmers’ markets within Victoria. “To have a healthy food system in Australia, we need all scales of production,” said Peter.
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“And though there is somewhat of a tendency to concentrate on larger scale production and export to determine success, there is a very large domestic market, which is only growing along with the population. “Our priority is to create a viable level of distribution for people who want to sell to local people. “The VFMA prioritises the importance of farmers’ markets supporting the communities that they are in, and that includes not undermining community shops. “Markets should enhance the community, and attract lots of people to a town or suburb where the event is held, and then everybody benefits and so does the economy. “The VFMA is about setting standards and incentivising market organisers and stall hold-
ers to uphold these standards themselves. “It’s about providing that assurance to consumers that they can confidently purchase regional produce grown by local farmers who operate under specific values and ethics.” With demand only increasing for local, ethically grown produce, lockdowns over the last year have reinforced the importance on a food policy level of viable, smaller growers catering to their immediate domestic market. “As an organisation the VFMA has a huge amount of community good will,” Peter said. “Across the world during COVID, farmers’ markets were shut down as they were considered to be points of potential infection. “The VFMA worked incredibly hard to challenge the perception that supermarkets could stay open and weren’t considered places of infection, but open air markets were. ■ Continued page 16
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Trait Leading ASBV’s
Inspection from 10am, Sale at 1pm
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The VFMA appoints new field officer
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