To the Sydney Markets community,

NSW Food Regulation to be redrafted following successful advocacy by Freshmark.

The draft regulation proposed licensing requirements for berry, leafy vegetable and melon growers and processors under the NSW Plant Products Food Safety Scheme. Under the original draft, the cost to individual businesses would have ranged from a few thousand dollars up to almost $100,000. The cost to the independent fresh produce sector overall would have been in the millions. 

Freshmark engaged extensively and collaboratively with NSW Food Authority, and has secured extensive changes, including:

• Delayed implementation, with a commencing date for the national standards for berries, leafy vegetables and melons on 12 February 2026 in NSW.
• Removing food licence requirements for vehicles that transport berries, leafy vegetables or melons – under the original draft a separate licence may have been required for every single car, van, rigid truck, truck cab, truck unit and even forklifts and pallet jacks. The potential cost impact of this element would have been vast if it was not addressed.
• Removing licensing for businesses that only store berries, leafy vegetables or melons – this essentially exempts wholesalers from the regulation which is a very significant outcome.

Freshmark’s advocacy also resulted in positive changes for grower/trader businesses, including:

• Removing licensing and audit costs from very small berry, leafy vegetable and melon producers with less than 2 hectares under cultivation. 
• Removing the food safety management statement requirement for very small berry, leafy vegetable and melon producers.
• Introducing a flat licensing fee for all leafy vegetable and melon producers with more than 10 cultivated hectares.

You can see Freshmark’s full submission here and the update from NSW Food Authority here.