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Farmers' Markets are closed.
On 26 March the NZ Government classified Farmers' Markets as non essential businesses. As such, all Farmers' Markets are now closed until these restrictions are lifted. COVID-19 / CORONA VIRUS PRECAUTIONS FOR MARKET MANAGERS 17 March 2020 In this challenging time New Zealanders should be eating fresh, healthy, locally produced food and Farmers’ Markets are ideally positioned to be a fundamental link in a healthy food chain. The FMNZ position is very strongly that Farmers’ Markets are not ‘events’ and should continue to trade. The circumstances and public health guidance surrounding safe health practice in relation to Covid-19 are changing frequently. FMNZ is monitoring available public information and also in direct contact with the Ministry of Health and MPI. We will post significant developments of the Managers Facebook page in the first instance. Please like and check posts regularly. FMNZ ask all market managers, stallholders and shoppers to act responsibly and use common sense to reduce risk at this challenging time. Farmers’ markets are a fundamental link in a healthy food chain. New Zealanders should be eating fresh, healthy, locally produced food. The community need an opportunity to support our farmers and artisan food producers, many of whose livelihoods depend on their weekly trading at farmers’ markets. FMNZ would like to draw your attention to some key best practice principles for ensuring health and safety at your farmers’ market. While risks are still considered low, market places attract many people, so it is important to be aware of preventative actions that can help mitigate the spread of disease. The measures suggested are basic and sensible. Transmission via hands and human contact is the most common route of infection, just as for colds and flu. Hand sanitiser and hand washing with soap (for 20 seconds or more) is effective and needs to be practised more regularly than usual, whether you are a stallholder or shopper. RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONARY ACTIONS; HAND HYGIENE Hand sanitizer and/or soap and water be supplied at key locations in the market – the entry points, information desk etc. Market managers should request stallholders to provide hand sanitizer on their stall. Stallholders exhibiting symptoms prior any market day should not attend the market until the symptoms dissipate and the affected person follows self- isolation or medical advice.
MARKET NUMBERS The government has announced that from Monday 16 March events attracting 500+ participants should preferably not be held. We believe that most of our member markets will not have customer numbers in excess of 500 at any one time. Those markets who are now counting customers will have an accurate idea of customer numbers at any one time during the market. For those markets who don’t regularly count customers it is suggested that market managers arrange a clicker count at the market entries to monitor numbers of people on site (including stallholders). FOOD SAMPLING For the time being FMNZ recommend that stallholders withdraw open food sampling. SNEEZE GUARDS Markets are requested to oversee the compliant installation of sneeze guards at stalls requiring this protection. COFFEE CUPS Cease the practice of handling customers own ‘keep cups’ and ‘market day mugs’. Use disposable cups. COMMUNITY SEATING To assist with social distancing, do not install community-use tables and chairs. SAFE DISTANCE Encourage shoppers to keep a safe distance (1.5m) if queuing to purchase food. WASTE Waste management routinely requires the responsible disposal of all food and packaging waste. Markets should ensure these practices are followed and that waste is not left un-binned on the market site. CLEANING Please request that host venues or market staff undertake rigorous cleaning of on- site toilet and any other shared facilities (storage areas etc). |
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