The FMANSW was founded in 2016 with the objective of giving a voice to farmers markets in NSW at a local, state and national level and to raise public awareness of what makes an authentic farmers market.

Research conducted in 2012-2013 by the Australian government’s Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation revealed that 50% of surveyed farmers markets in NSW believe there is a need for an authentication scheme for farmers markets in Australia, with a further 40% feeling unsure of the need. 1

Nationally, over 75% of farmers markets agreed that an authentication scheme is needed 1, although views on how that scheme should work or be implemented differ greatly.

One thing we can all agree on is the need to protect the reputation of farmers markets and preserve the trust placed in our markets by the public. The FMANSW intends to work towards this by operating according to the Purpose and Charter expressed in our Constitution. In general terms, our purpose is to protect the interests of genuine farmers markets and the farmers and consumers who depend upon them.

We will serve that purpose through our charter, by establishing and promoting commonly understood benchmarks of what makes a farmers market genuine and why these benchmarks are important.

While definitions of what constitutes a farmers market vary, the FMANSW has adopted the definition developed by the Australian Farmers’ Markets Association, which is widely accepted by other state bodies and government organisations:

A Farmers’ Market is a predominantly fresh food market that operates regularly within a community, at a focal public location that provides a suitable environment for farmers and specialty food producers to sell farm-origin and associated value-added specialty foods for human consumption, and plant products directly to customers.

This definition is broad enough to include the diversity of rules and policies governing individual markets, yet specific enough to provide a starting point for future discussions on issues common to us all.

The FMANSW is recognised by the Australian Farmers’ Markets Association and we are represented on their committee by the President of FMANSW, currently Kate Raymond (manager of the SAGE Farmers Market at Moruya).

AFMA has also provided a small amount of startup funds to help the FMANSW establish itself.

Want to learn more about membership of the FMANSW?

 


1 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) (2014), Publication No. 14/040, Understanding the characteristics of Australian farmers’ markets, p. 35