By Brendan Rees
Stall holders will be allowed to trade at the Berwick Farmers Market after it was abruptly banned in what was labelled as a “shambolic debacle”.
It comes after the State Government moved to close farmers’ markets across the state from a list of permitted food retailers under Covid-19 stage-four restrictions on Friday evening 21 August, leaving many farmers blindsided and forced to cancel markets before the weekend.
But following public outrage and pressure from the Victorian Farmers’ Markets Association (VFMA), the State Government had back-flipped its decision by 8.30pm last Friday and allowed farmers’ markets to stay open.
Hanna Hamod, a Baxter farmer who runs a fresh fish stall at the Berwick Farmers Market, said the decision had left his small business “extremely vulnerable” and resulted in insufficient time to prepare for last weekend.
He said the last-minute reversal also meant “there was nowhere near the customer volumes because everyone was confused” when he and other farmers traded at farmers’ markets last weekend.
“We don’t know what the government’s going to do next. We have no security in what they’re going to do,” he said, but added: “To now know that Berwick and a few of the other markets just gives us a bit of certainty”.
Geoff Rankin from the VFMA who also oversees the Berwick Farmers Market, said the decision came without warning and a “total shock to the industry” and the only way it was found out was when someone had viewed the Department of Health and Human Services website.
“A few of us in the industry … mustered our combined effort to ask for a please explain from the State Government and a request for the decision to be overturned,” he said.
The Berwick Farmers Market, which Casey Council ordered to shut down in March despite the State Government saying food markets could stay open, will hold its next market on Saturday 12 September at the Old Cheese Factory thanks to the efforts of Mr Rankin who pushed the council to lift its ban, allowing trade to resume in August.
A Victorian Government spokesperson said after concerns were raised around density requirements, the Chief Health Officer and the Minister for Agriculture reaffirmed that farmers’ markets could continue for takeaway.
“We want to ensure Victorians have access to the fantastic local produce our farmers and artisan producers have to offer, keeping local providers afloat during this pandemic,” the spokesperson said.
“Markets are limited to takeaway food and drink sales only – to be consumed offsite – with Covid safe restrictions in place including density requirements, signage and cleaning.”
Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said, “I want to confirm that farmers’ markets continue to operate, to ensure Victorians have access to the fantastic fresh produce our farmers work tirelessly to provide”.
The VFMA’s executive officer Kate Archdeacon said she was “utterly thrilled” that accredited Victorian farmers’ markets could resume trading and “wholeheartedly” thanked the Minister for intervening.
