Summary: VFMA Risk Management Guide for accredited Victorian farmers’ markets as essential food markets
Referenced Government Directives
• Victoria's Restriction Levels
• Restricted Activity Directions (no 12): Deputy Chief Health Officer 09/07/20
Key changes affecting farmers' markets 09/07/20
In all areas:
• The market operator is responsible for ensuring the four square metre rule is applied to all indoor and outdoor spaces. Customers should keep at least 1.5 metres in between them and other people.
• People are allowed to travel for work, into, through and out of the Restricted areas. Members of the public whose ordinary place of residence is in a Restricted Area are still permitted to travel outside of the Restricted Area for a reason set out in clause 5(1B) of the Stay at Home Directions (Restricted Areas).
o Example: a person can travel to an area outside of a Restricted Area for work (such as delivering food to a food and drink facility) or education, or for care or compassionate reasons (such as visiting their child).
In restricted areas:
• Stay at Home restrictions apply to the 31 local government areas of the Melbourne metropolitan area, and the Mitchell Shire local government area. These restrictions replace the current restrictions on the 12 restricted postcodes.
• A market stall (whether indoor or outdoor) in a Restricted Area may only operate that stall if its predominant business is the provision of food and drink for consumption off the premises of the market.
• A market is only permitted to consist of market stalls that provide food and drink for consumption off the premises of the market.
Outside Restricted areas:
• Indoor and outdoor market stalls for both food and non-food are permitted to trade.
Anyone feeling unwell must not attend farmers’ markets
Market organisers, stallholders and shoppers should familiarise themselves with the latest food safety and coronavirus management guidelines before attending markets.
Guidelines for Farmers’ Market Organisers
Controlling patronage numbers and stall density
1. Market organisers should be able to count & control the number of patrons on site at any time to ensure the current density quotient requirement of 4 square metres per person is being met.
Ensuring social distancing
2. Market managers should provide clear signage, ground markings and announcements to enforce social distancing of 1.5 metres
3. Market managers should eliminate entertainment and gathering points to limit density and exposure times.
Reducing transmission risks
4. Market managers should ensure they are compliant with current cleaning requirements
5. Market managers should ensure accessible hand washing and/or sanitising facilities are provided around the market to stallholders and shoppers
6. Where possible, market managers should not allow shoppers to enter the market before the opening time
Guidelines for Farmers’ Market Stallholders
Ensuring social distancing
7. Stallholders should arrive with enough time to set up the stall with consideration for social distancing layout
8. Stallholders should remind their customers about social distancing
9. Stalls with multiple staff members should also maintain social distancing in accordance with State guidelines
10. Stallholders should clearly label produce and prices for shoppers to be able to see to minimise crowding around the stall
Reducing transmission risks
11. Stallholders should have hand sanitiser or adequate hand wash facilities clearly accessible
12. Where possible, stallholders should ensure they are set-up to take card payments
13. Where possible, stallholders should avoid handling cash
14. Ready-to-eat stalls may only provide take-away food
15. Stallholders should advise customers that, to minimise transmission risks, they may not handle produce