SAGE Farmers Markets - Market Policies

The SAGE Farmers Market exists to support members of the community.

We support local farmers, market gardeners and value-adding producers by providing economic stimulus and we support local residents by providing access to fresh, nutritious food.

The nature of an authentic farmers market ensures that everything customers spend goes directly to the farmers, market gardener or value-adding producer. That’s why there are no craft or other types of stalls.

It’s a market of farmers for the community.

SAGE is a not-for-profit community organisation. We understand how important the fabric of community is to volunteer organisations that are also working to support members of the community. The market also wants to support these organisations.

Community organisations are encouraged to erect a stall at the market to promote their activities and foster greater awareness of their group within the community.

Contact the market manager on markets@sageproject.org.au to make a booking.

The following conditions apply:

• Only local schools and tertiary education institutions, sporting clubs, art and craft groups, environmental groups, community-run festivals and Eurobodalla Shire Council are eligible
• Groups petitioning on a singular cause are not eligible
• Clubs and groups may sell raffle tickets to raise funds for their organisation
  Where sporting clubs, art and craft groups, environmental groups and community-run festivals are concerned, they must be an incorporated association
• All organisations must provide their own Public and Products Liability Insurance
• If a full 3m x 3m site is requested, a site fee will be charged at the wholesale rate (ie. only the fee charged to the market will be charged to the group)
  Space for a small table only can be provided at no charge
• If groups wish to sell any food products to raise funds for their organisation, the site fee will be charged at the retail rate (ie. the same fee charged to all stall holders)
• Only one community organisation will be permitted each week
  Bookings must be made in advance on each occasion the group wishes to attend the market
  Organisations may book a maximum of once per month
• The SAGE Farmers Market Manager will allocate a site
• Representatives of the community organisation are obliged to follow the SAGE Farmers Market Stall Holder Code of Conduct (available for download from the website)
• All organisations are obliged to observe the various policies implemented by the SAGE Farmers Market (published on the website)
• All organisations are expected to follow the directives of the Market Manager

Balloons

The SAGE Farmers Market is organised by Sustainable Agriculture & Gardening Eurobodalla Inc.

SAGE appreciates that a sustainable food system relies on all our ecosystems, whether on land or at sea, being in a healthy and life-supporting state.

The proliferation of plastic into every corner of our environment is an increasing concern and balloons are a particular menace. However, they are a menace that is simple to address.

The SAGE Farmers Market is taking a number of steps to reduce or eliminate our contribution to this problem and the greater problem of plastic use generally.

As such, the SAGE Farmers Market has adopted a policy of not permitting balloons of any type at the market.

The following conditions apply:

• Market management will not use balloons to promote the market either on site or at any other location

• Stall holders are not permitted to use balloons to promote their stall at the market, either as decoration or to give away to customers

• Community organisations attending the market to promote their group are not permitted to use balloons to promote their organisation, either as decoration or to give away to customers

Companion Animals

The SAGE Farmers Market is operated on Crown land at Riverside Park and is licensed by the Eurobodalla Shire Council.

Riverside Park is an on-leash dog-friendly park as determined by the Eurobodalla Shire Council. The licence to operate the market at the park does not exclude the presence of animals. As a result, the SAGE Farmers Market managing committee has no regulatory authority to allow or disallow companion animals, including dogs, at the market.

However, we regularly witness and receive complaints about problems involving companion animals, specifically dogs, being brought inside the market precinct.

When we consulted the public on this matter, the response was quite evenly divided between those who want to allow companion animals within the market precinct and those who don’t.

While the managing committee cannot, nor wishes to, implement a ban on companion animals at the market, we wish to emphasise that a farmers market is a food market and therefore the presence of animals is not appropriate within the market precinct.

We also recognise that while many people enjoy the presence of animals, there are many others, both adults and children, who are very uncomfortable and even frightened around animals.

The market precinct can become very crowded and it is in these times that we witness problems arise. Supervising dogs and children in this environment becomes difficult and the risk of an altercation increases dramatically.

As such, we have adopted this policy:

• Stall holders are not permitted to bring any companion animals to the market (service animals are exempt).
• Customers are requested to consider leaving their companion animals at home.
• Service animals are exempt from this request.