Supporting Local Farmers: Why Buying Local Matters for Fresh Australian Produce

Recently, a thoughtful customer reached out with questions about buying local, price differences, and how to support Australian farmers while managing a household budget.

It sparked a conversation we think every shopper should read.

At The Farm Shop Farmers Market, supporting local growers isn’t just marketing — it’s why we exist.

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🌱 Prioritising Local Farmers and Regional Growers

We always prioritise sourcing from regional Australian farmers wherever possible. Local farmers are the backbone of our business and of Australia’s food system.

Farming is seasonal and sometimes unpredictable. There are times when fresh local produce isn’t ready or supply is limited. When that happens, we may temporarily source the same variety from another Australian region to maintain quality and consistency.

Example: If Stanthorpe apples aren’t ready, we might source the same variety from Victoria temporarily — returning to Stanthorpe fruit as soon as it’s available.

Our goal isn’t to replace local farmers. It’s to maintain a reliable supply of fresh Australian produce while supporting growers sustainably. We’re also improving how we communicate seasonal changes so you can make informed choices about what’s in season.

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🥦 Why Some Fresh Produce Is Cheaper at Supermarkets

Take Broccolini®. In Australia, it’s exclusively grown by Perfection Fresh. Whether you buy it from us, Woolworths, or Coles, it comes from the same supplier.

So why the price difference?

It comes down to scale and buying power. Major supermarkets buy in enormous national volumes and can negotiate very low prices. As an independent business, we buy in smaller quantities — but we make a more important choice: letting farmers set a fair, sustainable price.

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💛 Supporting Farmers with Sustainable Pricing

In supermarket chains, retailers largely determine what farmers are paid.

At The Farm Shop Farmers Market, we let farmers set sustainable prices so they can continue producing high-quality Australian fresh produce.

Since we started eight years ago, dozens of farmers have left the industry due to unsustainable returns. Australia is seeing record numbers of farmers exiting the business — a trend that threatens local food security.

If farming becomes unsustainable, we risk:

• Fewer Australian farmers producing fresh local fruit and vegetables

• Greater reliance on imported produce

• Increased exposure to supply chain disruptions

• Produce grown under standards that may not match Australia’s environmental or labour regulations

Our mission is simple: create a reliable service that benefits both farmers and customers — long-term.

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🚜 Shortening the Supply Chain for Fresher Produce

By sourcing directly from regional growers, we shorten the supply chain — often adding at least a week of shelf life to fresh produce.

Instead of:
Farm → Multiple distribution centres → Retail shelf

We focus on:
Farm → The Farm Shop → You

This shorter chain means fresher fruit and vegetables in your fridge — and less food waste.

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🌾 Why Supporting Local Farmers Matters

Farmers have one of the toughest jobs in Australia. They face long hours, unpredictable weather, rising costs, and market pressures — all to produce the food that sustains us.

As a small business, we hope that by:

• Allowing farmers to set sustainable prices

• Shortening supply chains

• Supporting regional growers

…we can help keep Australian farming strong.

Because if we don’t act, we risk losing more farmers — and once they’re gone, they’re very hard to replace.

Thank you to every customer who chooses to support local farmers.

It truly makes a difference. 🌱