Berry, leafy vegetable or melon grower? New rules apply

Berry, leafy vegetable or melon grower? New rules apply

Published on 16 February 2026

New food safety laws now apply to berry, leafy vegetable and melon growers in Murray River Council.

Anyone growing berries, leafy vegetables or melons for sale in NSW needs to meet on-farm requirements and provide their details to the NSW Food Authority.

Small-scale growers selling direct to the public - for example at markets, at the farm gate, or through direct home delivery - also need to notify Council of their business details.

The new rules, outlined in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, focus on key food safety risks associated with berries, leafy vegetables and melons, such as contamination from soil, water, fertilisers and animals, and worker hygiene.

To ease red tape for small growers, businesses growing less than 2 hectares of berries, leafy vegetables or melons only need to notify the Food Authority of their details and manage on-farm risks. Larger producers need a Food Authority licence, with all licence fees waived until 12 February 2027.

The Food Authority's acting CEO Andrew Davies said the new laws would help bolster consumer confidence by ensuring all growers, regardless of size, addressed key food safety key risks and that produce was traceable across the supply chain.

"Typically eaten raw, berries, leafy vegetables and melons have been linked to multiple foodborne illness outbreaks in Australia and internationally," he said.

"I encourage berry, leafy vegetable and melon farmers in [council area] to find out more about the requirements on the Food Authority website and to get in touch with us early to ensure a smooth transition."

For more information, see www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/horticulture

For more information on the rules for Murray River Council, contact our Environmental Health Coordinator on 1300 087 004.

• Media Releases