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What we do

Farmers, community advocates and shoppers seeking fresh, seasonal produce beyond the main street worked together from 2002 to develop the Victorian Farmers’ Markets Association. The not-for-profit organisation was incorporated in 2004.

The VFMA’s network today includes more than 30 accredited markets operating weekly, fortnightly or monthly in city and rural communities across Victoria.

Our vision

We develop, support and lead an inclusive network of accredited farmers, makers and farmers’ markets contributing to thriving, sustainable communities and our food security.

Our purpose

We accredit farmers, makers and markets so shoppers can be sure the foods and products they buy are made by the stallholders in our markets. In this way, shoppers learn more about where their food comes from and, when they buy, help to strengthen farm and local communities.

Our core challenge

We want to help young people find paths to farming and markets for their produce, and support our farmer, maker and market members with effective training, marketing and communication tools to build capacity and engage in their communities for the greater good.

Answering change

We’re open, responsive, accountable and transparent in all our member, market and community relationships. We’re working hard to equip our farmers, makers and markets with tools and advice to respond to climate change, build inclusion, and improve digital access.

How we deliver

We build, support and communicate the integrity and value of our accredited farmers, makers and markets through advocacy in communities, with government, through information media and collaboration with farm and business organisations. We care for our reputation and integrity so our views can be voiced and heard in the ‘public square’.

Our network

The Victorian Farmers’ Markets Association is an active member of the World Farmers’ Markets Coalition. We also collaborate with the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance, Sustain Australia, Victorian Farmers’ Federation, Farmers for Climate Action, Farmer Incubator, Farmraiser, Slow Food, Sustainable Table, University of Melbourne School of Agriculture Food and Ecosystem Sciences and Burnley Campus (Urban Horticulture), and VicHealth.

We are a proud member of the National Farmers Federation's Coalition for Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture. You can read the joint statement here.

Leadership

President

Tim Walsh has been a dedicated farmers’ market advocate since 2003, currently managing  a number of VFMA Accredited Markets including St Kilda’s Veg Out, Brighton, and Elwood in Melbourne. He also directs PB Capital Australia and has nearly four decades of experience in treasury and banking with both Australian and international banks.

Tim and his wife Sabine farm near Lyonville in the Macedon Ranges, raising cattle, sheep, and growing vegetables. In the community, Tim serves as treasurer of Veg Out Community Gardens in St Kilda and has previously held roles as treasurer and president of the Albert Park College school council.

Vice President

Mark Jankelson has worked extensively in people management with large corporations for more than 40 years. He’s passionate about mentoring and coaching emerging leaders and helping not-for-profit organisations achieve scale in the social sector, in which he chairs the Melbourne office of international philanthropic organisation Social Venture Partners.

Mark brings extensive experience to the VFMA, as an adviser to boards and senior company executives. Mark and Hilary Jankelson producing award-winning and artisan-made walnut products for their Husk & Harvest brand on their Boonderoo  farm based in the Heathcote region of Central Victoria.

Treasurer

Deanne Free, with her husband Kelvin and son Nathan operate organic-certified Alkira Organics at Lake Boga, between Swan Hill and Kerang, not far from the Murray River in northern Victoria. The Frees make all their own organic compost — about 1500 to 2000 tonnes — on site each winter and nurture their farm’s rich organic soils to take advantage of a long, warm-temperate local climate.

They aim to grow great tasting, good for you fruits and vegetables using biological farming practices. In vegetables the Frees grow zucchini, corn, beans, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Japanese and butternut pumpkins and field tomatoes.  In fruit it’s melons, stone fruit and apples.

Committee Member

Charith Senanayake has over 20 years of experience in conservation, environmental rescue, farming, and ecosystem resilience projects across Australia, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste. He co-founded Island Home, a VFMA-accredited zero-waste meal producer using organic, sustainable-practice farmers' produce.

Charith champions farmers who preserve and reintroduce rare or endangered foods, aiming to enhance their market recognition through collaboration with industry, business, and government. His work supports VFMA's sustainability, member capacity development, and food security efforts.

Committee Member

Allen Snaith and his wife Lizette, passionate about farming and food, shifted from traditional cattle marketing to direct sales from their Clonbinane farm. Their Warialda Belted Galloways Beef brand emerged from strong local demand and continues to supply customers at markets and high-end restaurants in Melbourne and surrounds.

Since 2005, they have been VFMA-accredited producers, participating in Slow Food’s Terra Madre in Italy and developing a smallgoods range. Their nose-to-tail and paddock-to-plate principles align with their goals for grass-fed, rare breed Belted Galloways. Allen believes VFMA farmers’ markets make customers more discerning and help producers stay updated with shopper preferences

Committee Member

Michael Collins together with his partner Sam operates Plenty Valley Produce, a small-scale, organic market garden in Upper Plenty, soon moving to a new site in Flowerdale. A VFMA Accredited Producer, Michael is committed to growing fresh seasonal produce for local farmer's markets and restaurants across Melbourne.

Michael and Sam are two young farmers with a passion for growing delicious seasonal produce. They  use bio-intensive and regenerative farming practices and are passionate about providing healthy, high-quality vegetables to our community.

Committee Member

Anna Pojdynec together with her husband Ben, turned their passion for smallgoods into a small business, La Villa Salumi, seven years ago. Specialising in hand made, artisanal products they use local ingredients and age-old techniques to produce multi award winning smallgoods.

Anna also consults in strategy and pricing for liquor, grocery, and retail sectors, working with clients in Australia and overseas. She brings commercial acumen and innovative thinking to the VFMA committee. Passionate about eating and shopping local, Anna looks forward to supporting markets, stallholders, and customers

Executive Officer

Sarah Parker, moved from Brisbane to the Goulburn Valley over 20 years ago, to start dairy farming with her husband, Raymond. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Leisure Management and a Masters in Agriculture and Rural Development. She is a several graduate of leadership and management programs, including Australian Institute of Company Directors Course and the NFF Diversity in Ag Leadership Program.

With extensive experience in executive roles across agriculture,  community development, and education, Sarah has participated in international delegations including the UN Council on the Status of Women and an NFF Farmer Delegation to France.  She is the 2022 Australian Rural Community Leader of the Year and a Victorian Rural Women’s Award Finalist.

Sarah's governance experience includes multiple non-executive director roles, supporting strong strategic oversight and equitable decision-making. These roles include President of Australian Women in Agriculture, Vice President of the National Rural Women’s Coalition and Chair, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, Director, Food and Primary Skills Victoria.

Executive roles in agriculture, extension and community development across agency, public and NGO roles include Executive Officer, Murray Dairy, Milk Supply Manager, Project & Development Coordinator, University of Melbourne and Children’s Services Manager.

LinkedIn: Sarah Parker GAICD | LinkedIn

Accreditation & Membership Coordinator

Rhiannon Day is an experienced customer focused professional. She has extensive experience, managing accreditation and CRM systems, responsible for all aspects of accreditation and membership. She brings experience and knowledge of horticultural industry to the VFMA.

FAQs

Are there any farmers’ markets in my community?

The VFMA’s accredited farmers’ markets operate across Victoria, in rural communities, regional towns and Melbourne, where you can buy Victorian produce, hand-made food, flowers, plants and hand-made goods direct from the VFMA’s producer and maker members. Go to Find a market to find your nearest VFMA farmers’ market.

How can I tell I’m at a VFMA-accredited farmers’ market?

All VFMA markets are accredited. This means the market manager has to meet and maintain the VFMA’s market accreditation standards. For example, traders who buy fresh produce in a commercial wholesale market are not allowed to re-sell this produce in our markets. To find a VFMA accredited farmers’ market near you, go to Find a market.

What is a VFMA-accredited farmers’ market?

VFMA-accredited farmers’ markets are authentic farmers’ markets. The VFMA only allows the farmer or maker who has produced the food available in our accredited markets to sell it to you. In 2011, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission registered the VFMA’s accreditation program. This means accredited markets, farmers and makers must meet a series of standards to assure shoppers about the integrity of products they make available for sale.

VFMA-accredited farmers’ markets are also required to display the VFMA’s registered striped-apple logo. Look out for it. A proportion of stallholders must be VFMA-accredited and current members.

How can I be sure the greens, vegetables and other foods sold at my local farmers’ market are really local?

Only Victorian greens, vegetables, cheese, meats, other fresh produce, wine and honey are sold in a VFMA-accredited market. Usually these will be grown or made within a reasonable distance from your market, but some VFMA-accredited producers travel farther because of seasonal factors, supply and market demand. Makers of foods like sweet baked goods will use Victorian butter and eggs and cordial makers will use Victorian fruit, but sugar will come from Queensland or NSW because sugarcane is not grown here. As you’re buying direct from a farmer or maker in our markets, you can ask them about the source of their products.

I work on Saturday or Sunday. Are any VFMA farmers’ markets open on other days of the week?

VFMA farmers’ markets are usually open Saturday or Sunday. At the moment, mid-week markets only operate in Bendigo and Castlemaine.

Is all food sold at VFMA farmers’ markets organic or free range?

No, but VFMA farmers’ markets usually have a bigger offering of higher quality organic and free range products than grocery and other main street food stores. Please visit your local farmers’ market and ask stallholders if their products are certified organic or free range. If they are these should carry the certifying authority’s label.

I’m looking for more information. Who should I contact?

Speak with your market manager, search our website or email [email protected].