Market Research

Farmers markets, with their locally made produce, are booming. But are you getting whats promised? Olivia Hill-Douglas reports.

ITS the second Saturday of the month, and that means the farmers market juggernaut has again rolled in to the Collingwood Childrens Farm (as well as to Pakenham, Mornington, Geelong and Metung). Dozens of stalls - from beef to fruit and vegetables, oysters to cupcakes - line the farm paddock as shoppers wander from stall to stall, tasting a bitey, crumbly Maffra cheddar; asking a cattle farmer about which cut of belted Galloway beef would be best for a roast.

On this muddy morning, stallholder Mal Deveson has almost finished for the day - and its not yet midday. Hes just sold his last pack of frozen Gippsland organic blueberries. "Ive never seen it so busy," he smiles.

The grassy valley setting on the banks of the Yarra, surrounded by eucalypt-covered hills, makes this visit feel more like a day in the country than a trip to the inner city.

Shopping at one of Victorias 30-odd farmers markets these days means more than just stocking up for the week: its about becoming aware of what youre buying - about the produces origin and how it was grown. The biggest appeal is being able to talk to the producers about what theyre selling. Its also about supporting local farmers, and part of that is trusting that whats for sale comes from the grower, the maker or the baker.

Thats why a chat with someone like Deveson is so important. He sells the fruit he grows - fresh in summer, frozen in winter. In five years of doing the rounds of Melbournes farmers markets, he has noticed more interest in how food is produced: "There are people interested in how its grown, who harvests it, whether its sprayed with chemicals," he says.

But peoples trust in the authenticity of farmers markets can be easily destroyed. Just ask Sophie ONeil, a long-time farmers market manager and advocate. In Brisbane, she and a friend shopped for that nights dinner at a local farmers market. When they got home, ONeil found the garlic her friend had bought was far from local.

"It was netted with Product of China on it," she says. "(My friend) said to me: But its a farmers market. And so she was really disheartened and consequently shes never been back to one."

For someone as passionate about the farmers market cause as ONeil, this is a tale that causes consternation. ONeil was involved in setting up the Cardinia Ranges farmers market in Pakenham in 2002, and served as market manager for four years. Shes also chair of the Victorian Farmers Market Association, and has helped - with government support - to create a charter for the states farmers markets. This charter, with a proposed accreditation scheme for stall holders, will hopefully mean her friends experience is one that wont be replicated in Victoria.

The 12-point charter includes sections on the definition of a farmers market, pricing and labelling of produce, and how to maintain authenticity. It states that no craft or bric-a-brac can be sold at a farmers market, and that all produce must be sold by the person, family member or farm-based employee directly involved with growing, rearing, catching or making the product.

Farmers market shoppers want to know that the person theyre buying from is the producer. And its this certainty that keeps the industry afloat and keeps customers coming back. But just how authentic are farmers markets?

Its not only in Australia that farmers markets are big business. Every Saturday, for the three years we lived in London, my husband and I would visit the citys Borough farmers market. Sometimes wed buy tomatoes from the Isle of Wight Tomatoes stall, predominantly staffed by outdoorsy types in their 30s who looked like they had come fresh from picking the plump cherry and truss tomatoes somewhere on the island. But a Sunday Times investigation in the UK recently found that the Isle of Wight Tomatoes were, in fact, not sold by their growers, but were bought from a large company, rebranded and sold. Could this ever happen here?

"On-selling does happen," says Jane Adams, chair of the Australian Farmers Market Association. "In a genuine farmers market the vendor is expected to be the grower, the maker, the baker - or a member of their family or the staff that works on the farm." She says there are, however, instances of vendors selling produce they havent grown themselves and its generally up to the market manager - most of whom do their job "exceptionally well" - to watch for breaches.

Its in everyones interest to make sure consumers are buying from the producer - thats how the publics confidence in farmers markets is built and how integrity is maintained, ONeil says. And its in producers financial interest as well. Since the first farmers market began trading in Australia in 1999, the industry has swelled to one with a $40 million-a-year turnover and more than 30 farmers markets. On any given weekend, a farmers market is likely to be on somewhere in the country.

Adams says buyers expect experience and authenticity and are quick to spot it if they are not buying from the source. "If youve got three apple sellers and ones a reseller, invariably the buyers will buy from the genuine orchardist. People want to connect with the source of their food: Where is your orchard? What varieties of apples do you grow? Is this your son? Do you have geese that eat the windfalls?

"All that kind of conversation connects people with their food. You can ensure yourself how far the food has travelled to get to your shopping baskets; how long ago it was picked; how it was reared."

Adams sentiments are echoed by producers. The rise of a host of food concerns - food miles, ethics, supporting local growers, and the desire for chemical and GM-free and organic produce - is responsible for the huge interest.

While sales from farmers markets comprise only a small percentage of his business, blueberry farmer Deveson decided to pull back from exporting to Europe and even states other than Victoria and NSW to focus on the markets. "I dont find dealing with supermarkets much of a joy and I dont really agree with their philosophy, so the majority of our fruit goes direct to fruit shops throughout Melbourne and the farmers markets," he says. "Im very conscious of food miles and Id rather market as close to home as I can - and it gives us a bit more control over pricing, and we get feedback from customers."

When the concept of farmers markets first blossomed in Victoria, Deveson says that there were sometimes cases of on-selling that went on in some less-well-run markets, but "you soon know whether or not someones going to Footscray and buying a load of vegies and trying to sell them". "Very quickly we realised we needed to be at markets where the management criteria were strong; where the ethics were strong," he continues. "And I enjoy knowing that they are genuine farmers."

Deveson says he is very much in favour of accreditation for stallholders. Self-regulation has worked well, with producers deserting markets that havent been genuine, and Deveson says those markets "tend not to be successful" anyway.

George Nicolas, who sells olive oil and marinated olives from his familys Dimboola grove at farmers markets around Melbourne, also supports the introduction of accreditation. "Consumers know what they are getting is the real deal. Its a good thing to have an auditing system in place."

At the moment, he says, self-regulation works well, and in recent years unscrupulous sellers hoping to hitch a ride on the farmers market bandwagon have been few. "Stallholders intimately know the other stallholders. So if someone tries to come in with a product line thats a bit dodgy it gets nipped in the bud straight away. That hasnt happened for a while."

But as the markets grow in size and number, its important, ONeil says, that there be a practical system of accreditation to maintain the publics level of trust. In November, the State Government pledged $2 million to help the VFMA introduce accreditation and sales standards, and the association is looking at overseas models to determine what will suit Victorias needs. But there may need to be some flexibility - even now, different markets have their own rules. "For instance, the Lancefield market has wool, but at the Pakenham market we limit it to food, plants and flowers," ONeil says. The Victorian association is also working with the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development Victoria on an accreditation scheme.

Its still some way off, but market managers and stallholders are already doing a good job of ensuring that what you buy will be seasonal, local, and definitely wont carry a Product of China label.

How to report a fake

So, youve turned up to a farmers market, all kitted out with a basket or trolley (no plastic bags, of course), ready to shop for fresh, local, seasonal produce, only to find that a person selling produce hasnt grown it or made it. What do you do?

The best thing, says Sophie ONeil, is to contact the market manager. Details for each market are on the Australian Farmers Market Association website.

At a glimpse

Around Melbourne:

First Saturday of the month

- Bundoora Park, 8am-1pm, Bundoora Park, Plenty Road.

- Kingston, 8am-12.30pm, Sir William Fry Reserve, Nepean Highway and Bay Road, Highett.

- St Kilda Veg Out, 8.30am-1pm, Peanut Farm Reserve, Chaucer Street.

Second Saturday

- Cardinia Ranges, 8am-midday, Pakenham Racecourse.

- Collingwood Childrens Farm, 8am-1pm, St Heliers Street, Abbotsford.

Third Saturday

- Boroondara, 8am-1pm, Patterson Reserve, Auburn Road, Hawthorn.

- Gasworks, 8.30am-1pm, Gasworks Arts Park, Graham Street, Albert Park.

- Knox, 8am-1pm, Wantirna Primary School, Mountain Highway, Wantirna.

Fourth Saturday

- Slow Food, 8am-1pm, Abbotsford Convent, St Heliers Street.

Third Sunday

- Yarra Valley, 9am-2pm, The Barn at Yering Station Winery, Melba Highway, Yarra Glen.

First and third Thursday

- Casey, 9am-1pm, Max Pawsey Reserve, Fountain Drive, Narre Warren.

Further afield:

First Saturday

- Daylesford, 9am-1pm, Victoria Park.

Second Saturday

- Central Geelong, 8.30am-12.30pm, Little Malop Street.

- Metung, 8am-1pm, Village Green.

Third Saturday

- Port Fairy, 8am-1pm, Fiddlers Green, Bank and Sackville streets.

Fourth Saturday

- Lancefield and District, 9am-1pm, Centre Plantation, High Street precinct.

First Sunday

- Harcourt, 9am-1pm, Midland Highway and Blackjack Road.

Second Sunday

- Avenel Farmers Market, midday-5pm, 1 Bank Street.

For all farmers markets visit www.farmersmarkets.org.au

Tag Cloud

External Information

Additional Information

Where Am I?