Uncertainty for small-scale Tasmanian farmers over new food safety rules

At Sparrow Foot Farm in Tasmania's Huon Valley, selling produce directly to customers has been relatively straightforward for co-owners Ines Santos and David Simmons. The pair's 3-hectare market garden supplies a vegetable box program along with stalls at farmers' markets. But proposed food safety standards for leafy greens, berries and melons have them and other small- and medium-scale producers uncertain about the viability of their businesses. Biosecurity Tasmania is consulting on the new regulations, which were developed by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand following increased foodborne illness outbreaks in Australia linked to horticultural products. Biosecurity Tasmania said the regulations would help protect the state's industry and reputation. "There were also 10 deaths and 275 reported cases." Mr Beck said other viruses, including hepatitis A had also been found in horticultural products. The changes would bring the state into line with national standards. Calls for a 'tiered' approach In the draft released for public consultation, the regulations outline an "annual accreditation fee" that is set according to a farm's number of full-time employees. The cost ranges from $175 to $750. But a tiered approach is not stated for other accreditation fees and auditing requirements that are set out in the regulations. It has smaller growers worried they will have to meet commercial standards. Mr Simmons said farms such as Sparrow Foot did not pose the same risk as large operations where products were handled more from seed to sale. "In terms of vegetables going across the country, some of the regulations there make sense," Mr Simmons said. Biosecurity Tasmania has said it was "looking at a tiered approach" to make the new regulations "practical and achievable" for small and medium-sized growers. But that tiered approach was not included in the draft being consulted on. It has left a cloud of uncertainty over growers such as Mr Simmons. "A big concern for me is new growers and farmers getting into producing food, not being able to due to the costs and time considerations that we're now [potentially] going to have to meet," he said. "That doesn't seem fair to an industry that is already quite hard to make a living off." Producers' group 'perplexed' Sprout Tasmania, an agriculture non-profit representing producers, is frustrated by the lack of clarity. Chief executive Jennifer Robinson said other states had had success with a tiered approach, "and it was a good opportunity to put those into the draft regulations". "It just perplexes us somewhat that this really could have been in the draft regulations to start with," Ms Robinson said. Ms Robinson is urging Biosecurity Tasmania to review the draft paper. "Given … they're not tiering in the current draft, [producers] are slightly concerned that the public consultation won't be genuine," she said. Submissions can be made until December 5.