Leafy vegetable growers

New laws for food businesses that grow and/or do primary processing of leafy vegetables apply in NSW from 12 February 2026.

The laws are outlined in Standard 4.2.8 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which sets legal standards for food in Australia, and the NSW Food Regulation 2025.

The information on this page applies to growers with more than 2 hectares of leafy vegetables under cultivation in NSW. For growers with less than 2 hectares of leafy vegetables, see Small scale leafy vegetable growers. See also, Leafy vegetable processors. 

Leafy vegetable definition

Leafy vegetables are vegetables of a leafy nature where the leaf is consumed raw. Examples include:

• lettuce (all)
• spinach leaves  
• leafy herbs, such as parsley, basil, coriander, dill, fennel leaves, mint, thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, chives
• cabbage (all types)
• Asian leafy greens, such as bok choy
• spring onions
• silverbeet, Swiss chard
• kale
• microgreens
• chicory
• watercress.

Vegetables not considered leafy vegetables: broccoli, broccolini, cauliflower, asparagus, artichoke, root and tuber vegetables, bulb vegetables, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, rhubarb, seed sprouts, squash, celery and leek.  

The requirements do not apply to:  

• cooking, freezing, drying, preserving, blending, juicing or adding other foods to leafy vegetables
• handling leafy vegetables on a retail premises
• selling leafy vegetable plants to or from a nursery  
• growing leafy vegetables for personal consumption.

Licensing, notification

From 12 February 2026, the following leafy vegetable businesses will need to apply for a NSW Food Authority licence:  

• businesses growing more than 2 hectares of leafy vegetables  
• primary processors who wash, trim, sort, sanitise, pack or combine leafy vegetables after harvest.  

Licence fees will be waived until 12 February 2027.

There are different requirements for businesses growing less than 2 hectares of leafy vegetables – see Small scale leafy vegetable growers for more information.

Grower licence fees from 12 February 2027 

Note: The application fee will apply to new applications only from 12 February 2027. That is, if the business applies for their licence before 12 February 2027, they will not need to pay the application fee.  

The Food Authority is finalising updates to its online food business licence application form and hopes to have it available to growers in December 2025.  

Scheme-certified growers

The Food Authority recognises leafy vegetable growers certified to the following Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) food safety schemes as meeting the requirements of the national standards: 

• Freshcare  
• SQF  
• GLOBAL G.A.P  
• BRCGS  

Industry scheme-certified leafy vegetable growers need to:  

• apply for a Food Authority licence
• comply with the national standards  
• continue to have their audits delivered through the scheme.  

Scheme certified businesses do not need an additional food safety management statement or food safety program.  

Food safety management statement (2-10 ha under cultivation)

Growers with 2-10ha of leafy vegetables under cultivation that do not have an industry scheme certified food safety program in place must have and follow an approved food safety management statement summarising the business’s activities and food safety risk management.  

The Food Authority is developing an online form to help businesses create their food safety management statement. We hope to have this available to businesses in early 2026.  

Growers already certified to an industry food safety scheme (Freshcare, SQF, GLOBAL G.A.P and BRCGS) do not need to develop a food safety management statement as their existing program will be recognised. 

Food safety program

Growers with more than 10ha of leafy vegetables under cultivation that do not have an industry scheme certified food safety program in place must operate according to a food safety program approved by the Food Authority.  

A food safety program is a written document that shows a business has examined their food production activities and identified all potential food safety hazards.

The Food Authority’s generic food safety program template may be adapted to suit:    

• Template for a food safety program (Word format, 56 KB)
• Guide to develop a food safety program (PDF, 226 KB)

The business is responsible for customising the template to reflect the hazards, management practices and relevant regulations appropriate to them.

Growers already certified to an industry food safety scheme (Freshcare, SQF, GLOBAL G.A.P and BRCGS) do not need to develop another food safety program as their existing scheme certified program will be recognised.

Farmers market and farm gate sales 

Leafy vegetable growers who sell produce directly to consumers, for example at the farm gate, through vegetable delivery boxes, or at farmers markets, will need to also notify their local council of their business details – as well as applying for a Food Authority licence.  

This is because local councils have oversight of retail food businesses in NSW - the Food Authority has jurisdiction of growing and processing practices and wholesale sales.  

If you sell the produce in a different council area – for example at a farmers market in another region – you need to notify the home council where you grow the produce and you may need to arrange a temporary permit for the market where you're selling.  

Get in touch with your local council for more information. 

Traceability

Traceability is the ability to track produce through all stages of its production, processing and distribution. Leafy vegetable growers must keep records of:

• who they sell produce to  
• who they receive produce from.  

This requirement only applies to wholesale (business to business) transactions - it does not apply to retail sales directly to consumers.    

For more guidance on traceability, see the Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s Quick Guide – Identification and Traceability (PDF, 399 KB).  

Growing sites

Leafy vegetable growers must do what they reasonably can to make sure their growing site/s do not make produce unacceptable to eat.

This means you need to identify and assess food safety risks associated with the growing site, including any animal and other operations nearby. For example, dairy, beef, poultry or pig production can be sources of microbial contamination which can be spread through weather events such as dust storms, rainfall or flooding.  

Where you identify any risks of contamination, you must take action to eliminate or manage the source.  

Reasonable measures, such as windbreaks, drainage and runoff curtailing, as well as crop choice, crop management and timing, should be undertaken to prevent contamination of growing sites and produce.    

For more guidance on growing sites, see:

• Growing sites - Food Standards Australia New Zealand  
• Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s small grower guide: suitability of growing areas (PDF, 1 MB).  

Growing produce: Fertilisers and soil amendments

Leafy vegetable growers must do what they can to ensure inputs do not make produce unacceptable to eat. This means the soil, soil amendments, fertiliser, seeds, seedlings and water used do not contaminate produce with harmful microorganisms, chemicals or physical hazards.

One way to reduce the risk is to only apply commercially supplied fertiliser products.  

Raw manure should never be used to grow short-term crops such as leafy vegetables and herbs. See our Using raw manure factsheet (PDF, 164 KB) for more information on how it may be used safely.  

For more guidance on best practice for inputs, see:

• Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s Quick Guide - Managing fertilisers and soil amendments (PDF, 709 KB)
• Guidelines for using poultry litter on pastures (PDF, 248 KB)
• Using raw manure factsheet (PDF, 164 KB).  

Growing produce: Water use

Water can be a potential source of contamination if not effectively assessed or managed.  

Surface water from rivers, streams and dams used for irrigation and for applying fertilisers, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, should not contain levels of microorganisms that would make the produce unsafe to eat.  

This agricultural water should not contain E. coli greater than 100 cfu/100ml.  

Water quality can change quickly. Leafy vegetable growers should:

• regularly assess risks of their water sources to ensure water is safe for its intended use  
• prevent contamination of water sources (for example, fence around dams to keep animals away)  
• assess the potential for cross-contamination from rainfall and flooding, or through spills, leaks or leaching
• record water sources used for irrigation and the site of irrigation.  

Post-harvest water used to cool, wash or sanitise produce, or to clean surfaces that come into contact with produce, must be clean and safe (town water or similar quality) so it will not contaminate produce (see Washing and sanitising produce below).  

Water testing

Growers should regularly test non-potable water sources used to grow leafy vegetables and:

• apply appropriate treatments if required (such as chlorine, UV, filtration) and monitor levels of chemicals used in the water  
• increase testing if water sources could have been affected by animals, weather (such as dust storms, heavy rain, drought) or other events  
• keep appropriate testing records.

The best time to test water is before the beginning of the season, or in summer, with another water test if your water source may be contaminated, for example, impacted by flooding.  

Free water testing can be arranged through the NSW Food Authority - for more information, email food.contact@dpird.nsw.gov.au. Growers can also choose to send water samples to an appropriate laboratory.  

For more guidance on water management, see Fresh Produce Safety Centre's:  

• Guidelines for managing water (PDF, 194 KB)
• Quick guide - Managing water (PDF, 474 KB)  

Washing and sanitising produce

Under the national standard, leafy vegetable businesses need to take all reasonable measures to ensure visible material on harvested leafy vegetables is removed.

While there is no specific requirement in the standard to wash produce, washing produce with potable water is the most effective way to remove any visible material.  

Sanitising is an additional process that is optional and must only be done after washing. Sanitising reduces microorganisms on the surface of produce to a safe level, usually with a chemical (such as food grade bleach).  

Any washing or sanitising of leafy vegetables must not make them unsafe to eat.  

• Agricultural water, such as river water, may be used for pre-washing if it is immediately followed (that is, while the produce is still wet) with a final wash with potable water (containing E.coli <1 cfu/100ml).  
• Use only drinking-quality water (containing E. coli <1 cfu/100ml) for final washes or sanitising. Town water is suitable.  
• Where town water is not used for final washes, a water treatment program may be needed to ensure microbiological safety, for example with chlorine, UV, and/or filtration.  

For more guidance on washing and sanitising produce, see:  

• Washing and sanitising produce - Food Standards Australia New Zealand
• Fresh Produce Safety Centre's Fundamental guidelines -Managing water (PDF, 2.2MB)

Post harvest temperature control

Leafy vegetable growers must keep harvested produce at a temperature that ensures it is safe to eat.  

This means once produce has been picked, its temperature should be managed carefully to ensure it doesn’t get too warm and reduce shelf life.    

For more information, see Temperature control.    

Premises and equipment

Leafy vegetable growers need to make sure the structures, equipment and vehicles used for growing, harvesting and processing produce do not make the food unsafe to eat.

Poorly made and maintained farm buildings, facilities and equipment can increase the chances of product contamination. They must be suitable for food production, and kept clean, sanitised and in good repair.

For more guidance on best practice for premises and equipment, see Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s:

• Managing facilities (PDF, 389 KB)  
• Managing tools and equipment (PDF, 490 KB)  
• Managing vehicles (PDF, 1 MB).  

Skills and knowledge

Workers must understand food safety hazards, including sources of contamination, and that they are responsible for producing safe food.  

There are no formal qualifications required, and the level of training should be appropriate to the level of risk of the duties performed.  For example, a person who trims and washes produce may have different skills and knowledge to a person who services equipment, but they both need to know and do their part to keep produce safe.

For more guidance, see:

• Skills and knowledge - Food Standards Australia New Zealand
• Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s Quick guide - Food safety hazards (PDF, 591 KB)

Hygiene and handling

Workers and visitors can contaminate produce with harmful microorganisms, chemicals, or foreign matter from their hands, body, clothes or equipment. To reduce this risk, anyone who visits or works onsite must understand and follow good personal health and hygiene practices.

For workers, this includes:

• wearing clean clothing at the start of each day
• not handling food if they know, or suspect, they have an illness for example, vomiting or diarrhoea
• covering open wounds with a waterproof bandage
• washing their hands whenever it is likely their hands could contaminate food for example, after visiting the toilet, after meal breaks
• not smoking, spitting, chewing gum, eating, sneezing or coughing near produce at any time.

Managing visitors  

• Provide site inductions or materials on health, hygiene and food safety to visitors before they visit.
• Provide written instructions, signs and posters to remind people what they should do.
• Ask visitors to complete declarations they are not sick with intestinal or respiratory illness.

For more guidance, see:

• Health and hygiene of personnel and visitors - Food Standards Australia New Zealand  
• Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s Quick guide - Managing people (PDF, 451 KB)  

Weather events

Leafy vegetable growers must ensure that produce affected by weather is not unacceptable or unsafe to eat.  

Severe weather events, especially floods, dust storms and droughts, increase the risk of produce being contaminated with harmful pathogens. Produce that has been in contact with floodwater should not be sold for human consumption.  

To meet this requirement, businesses need to understand the food safety risks of these events and what to do with produce after them to prevent unsafe food entering the supply chain.  

For more guidance, see:  

• Weather events - Food Standards Australia New Zealand  

Animals and pests

Leafy vegetable growers must do all they reasonably can to minimise the presence of animals, vermin and pests in growing sites, the premises and around equipment.  

This means considering how animals, vermin and pests could get in or on produce, and then taking action to minimise their presence or prevent their access.  

This includes preventing access from livestock and pets onto growing sites with fencing and ensuring there is appropriate separation between growing sites and paddocks used for livestock.  

For more guidance, see:  

• Animals and pests - Food Standards Australia New Zealand  
• Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s small grower guides:  
  • Animals and pests (PDF, 577 KB)  
  • Chemical and pesticide use (PDF, 1 MB)  

Inspections, audits

Onsite inspections for leafy vegetable growers and processors will not start until 12 February 2027, unless action is required before in response to an incident posing a risk to public health.  

Instead, an educative approach will be taken for the first 12 months to improve understanding and support implementation of the new requirements for all businesses.  

After 12 February 2027, growers with more than 2ha leafy vegetables not certified to a food safety scheme will be monitored through a Food Authority compliance program and may be visited by food safety officers.  

For businesses certified to Freshcare, SQF, Global G.A.P or BRCGS, routine food safety compliance will continue to be delivered through the scheme and not the Food Authority. However, the Food Authority may need to visit specific businesses on a case-by-case basis based on compliance history or in response to food-related incidents or validated complaints.  

Legislation and standards

Leafy vegetable businesses will also need to meet the requirements of the:

• Food Act 2003 (NSW) and statutory instruments made under the Food Act 2003
• NSW Food Regulation 2025  
• Food Standards Code, including -
  • Chapter 1, Part 1.2 - Labelling and other Information Requirements
  • Standard 3.2.1 – Food Safety Programs
  • Standard 4.1.1 – Primary production and processing standards – preliminary provisions
  • Standard 4.2.8 - Primary Production and Processing Standard for Leafy Vegetables  

More information

• Safe Horticulture Australia - A guide to the primary production and processing standards for horticulture  
• Fundamental guidelines for fresh produce food safety - Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand