This Week in the Market – 18 January 2022
Edition 340 View this email in your browser In this week’s Market News: – COVID Update – Mandatory Vaccine Booster – Calls for nominations to join the new advisory committees Market News COVID Update Face masks It is compulsory to wear your face mask fitted over your nose and mouth at all times while indoors at the Melbourne Market. With the extremely contagious nature of the Omicron variant, mask-wearing outside is also highly recommended. Face masks are the easiest and most effective way of combating COVID spread. What to do if you are symptomatic If you are experiencing COVID related symptoms, do not come to the Melbourne Market. You should undertake a PCR or rapid antigen test and only attend the market after confirmation of a negative result. What to do if you test positive As well as informing your employer, you, or your employer, must notify the MMA of your positive result by calling 0408 334 555. Given the volume of positive COVID cases, the MMA will no longer be updating the Melbourne Market COVID exposure list on our website. You should only return to the Melbourne Market after your 7-day isolation if you are no longer symptomatic. If you continue to display COVID symptoms beyond 7 days, you should consider yourself contagious and remain isolated until symptoms reside. To view the Victorian Government’s checklist on what to do if you test positive, go to www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases. What to do if someone in your business tests positive If you are informed that you are a social or workplace contact of a confirmed positive case, there is a possibility you may have contracted COVID. If you have symptoms, you must use a rapid antigen or PCR test and not attend the market until confirmation of a negative result. If you don’t have symptoms, you are strongly recommended to use a rapid antigen test daily for 5 days. If you test negative on the PCR or the rapid antigen tests, resume your normal activities. Keep monitoring for symptoms and get tested again if any develop. Mandatory Vaccine Booster A booster vaccination should be administered four months after your second vaccine dose. Under new pandemic orders, workers in key sectors who are already required to be fully vaccinated must get their third vaccine dose before being permitted to work onsite; this includes workers in food distribution at the Melbourne Market. Workers eligible for their third dose on or before 12 January will have until 12 February to get their third dose. Food distribution workers who were not yet eligible for the third dose by 12 January (based on the 4-month wait between the second and third dose) must receive their third dose by 12 March. Employers must sight and record proof of vaccination. As of 24 January, COVID-19 digital certificates will automatically be updated to include the third dose. Retail staff (who do not attend the Melbourne Market) and Flower market users are not currently included in the new mandate.  To work out when you are eligible for your booster, check the date of your second vaccination dose on your COVID-19 digital certificate (example circled in red). Then use the guide below to work out when you are due.  There are several ways you can book your third vaccine dose Book at a Victorian vaccination centre using the online booking system Call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 to book in at a Victorian vaccination centre Make a booking at your local GP or pharmacy. Austin Health, which ran the successful vaccination hub at the market in 2021, will provide a priority vaccine booster system for Melbourne Market access cardholders. If you visit Austin Health’s La Trobe University vaccination clinic and show your market access card, you will be able to get your booster without an appointment. Currently, the clinic is by appointment only, so the wait time for any Melbourne Market access cardholders is expected to be minimal. The Austin Health clinic is open 8 am-8 pm, seven days a week, at Car Park 6, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086. The City of Whittlesea is also hosting vaccination pop-ups in partnership with DPV Health. Each week teams will be at regular locations delivering first, second and booster doses from 9:30am – 2:30pm. Sites will be walk up only, no appointment required starting on Monday 17th January 2022 until further notice. Locations: Doreen on Mondays at Painted Hills Community Pavilion, 180W Painted Hills Rd Wollert on Tuesdays at Wollert Community Hall, 525 Epping Rd Thomastown on Wednesdays at RCG Cook Community Pavilion, 2W Robinvale Ave Bundoora on Fridays at 2 Manchester Cres South Morang 7 days a week at Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre (PRACC) To read more about the third vaccine dose, visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/third-dose Calls for nominations to join the new advisory committees The Melbourne Market has four advisory committees who work with the MMA to advise on matters relating to Market operations and the fresh produce industry. The three year term of the current advisory committees has reached an end and therefore nominations are now being called for interested individuals to hold office for a period of three years commencing 1 March 2022 for the following committees: – Fruit & Vegetable Wholesalers Committee – Fruit & Vegetable Growers Committee – Fruit & Vegetable Retailers Committee – Flower Industry Committee Past and current advisory committee members are eligible to reapply. Nominations should be submitted in writing no later than 3.00pm on 4th February 2022 to the Chief Executive Officer, Box 1, 55 Produce Drive, Epping VIC 3076 or via email: Georgie.christerson@melbournemarket.com.au Nomination forms are available to download here. For any questions please call David Whitchelo on 9258 6100. The MMA Board and Management would like to thank outgoing advisory committee members for their commitment and contribution. Certificate III Greengrocery program The next Certificate III in Greengrocery course is due to commence in February 2022. There is still time to sign up staff, with this round of students being the last group able to take advantage of generous government funding for businesses with team members enrolled (up to $28,000 per year), which will end on March 31 2022. The Certificate is a great opportunity to upskill and reward staff with a nationally recognised qualification. The MMA still have scholarships available for those wanting to undertake the upcoming course. With funding ending soon, now is a great time to register and upskill your staff. For expressions of interest please contact Theresa Hunt, Marketing Specialist, Melbourne Market Authority. Email: theresa.hunt@melbournemarket.com.au Phone: (03) 9258 6191 Australia Day Public Holiday The market will be closed on Wednesday, 26 January for the Australia Day public holiday. If your parking permit only allows access on a day that falls on a public holiday, and you would like to come to the market on an alternative adjacent day, you will not be charged for parking and can enter the market. However, your regular bay may not be available. Please see a Market Relations Officer on arrival for instruction. Cancellation of upcoming Events With COVID cases at a record high across the state, we have had to make the unfortunate decision to cancel our planned Australia Day BBQ and Lunar New Year celebrations. We hope as the year continues we are able to reintroduce our popular community activities. Solar Canopy Project 2021 saw the completion of one of our largest construction projects. We are pleased to share the above video showing the final structure. We look forward to bringing you more information about the environmental benefits of the Undercover Solar Canopies soon!  ABC Feedback Throughout 2021, the A better choice! program ran a series of promotions for retailers and A better choice customers, with the most recent one being the Youth Sports initiative, where local ABC retailers supported local sporting clubs get back to being active. We would love to hear your thoughts on this program, whether you participated and if you would like to run it again. Please click here to complete the survey, it will take about 5 minutes to complete. Mushroom Growers Colouring-in Competition Let’s get kids excited about Mushrooms, the superfood. During January and February, A better choice! are encouraging local kids to get creative and bring their Mushroom Superhero mushroom to life. The most creative entries will win $100 in vouchers ($50 Toyworld and $50 Fruit/Veg voucher). All A better choice! members are encouraged to print out the A4 sheets (linked here) and make them available in-store or contact Zac if you would like some dropped off/sent to your store. The competition closes on 28 February, so let’s start colouring. Valentine’s Day This year, the Melbourne Market in partnership with the Victorian Farmers Federation (Flowers Victoria), want to celebrate young love, old fashioned love and the spirit of love with a fun, retro-style campaign. Come and get your love, implies flowers will bring you love and are a must for all Valentine’s. This is brought to life in a short social media video, which will go live at the start of February. Watch the social video here Get on board with the campaign by picking up one of the A2 posters which will be available for collection from the Flower Market and Customer Service Centre from Thursday, 20 January. These will be available for free each market until they run out (limited numbers). Please let us know you are participating by completing the collection form and by using the #comeandgetyourlove hashtag. The campaign will go live on Monday 1st February. Industry News Independent operators dodge supply problems stripping supermarket chains’ shelves  While Australia’s major supermarket chains battle to cope with stock shortages and bare shelves, it’s business as usual for independent grocers and retailers. Jason Cooper, CEO of Fresh State, represents wholesalers at the Melbourne Markets and says the pandemic has provided a win for independent players and lessons for major retailers. Click here to find out more. The popularity of a unique exotic fruit set to soar in Australia in coming seasons An Australian fresh produce trading company expects the rise in popularity of the exotic fruit Jaboticaba as it gets more marketing in coming years. Produce Art, based in Brisbane, supplies the emerging tropical fruit and Director Rohan Bicknell has compared it to the feijoa, which itself has grown in sales in past seasons. Click here to find out more. Melbourne Market Job Board  Do you have a vacancy to fill in your business? Email submissions@melbournemarket.com.au for the position to be placed on our online job board. Looking for a new role? Check out the online job board via the button below. View full online job board Ask the MMA If you’ve got a question for the MMA email it to: submissions@melbournemarket.com.au. Follow us  Copyright © 2021 Melbourne Market Authority, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are on the Melbourne Market Authority distribution list. Our mailing address is: *Box 1, 55 Produce Drive, Epping, VIC, 3076* update subscription preferences |