Leafy vegetable processors

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 is for businesses that receive leafy vegetables from growers and do primary processing, before on-selling to other businesses. Primary processing includes:

• washing
• trimming
• sorting
• sanitising
• combining produce from different growers
• packing.

Primary processing of leafy vegetables does not include:    

• cooking, freezing, drying, preserving, blending, juicing or adding other foods to leafy vegetables  
• handling leafy vegetables on a retail premises.  

Different requirements apply for leafy vegetable growers, and for businesses that only sell leafy vegetables by wholesale.

Leafy vegetable definition

Leafy vegetables are vegetables of a leafy nature where the leaf is consumed raw. Examples of leafy vegetables 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, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, rhubarb, seed sprouts, squash, celery and leek.  

Licensing, notification  

From 12 February 2026, leafy vegetable primary processors will need to apply for a Food Authority licence. Licence fees will be waived until 12 February 2027.

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

Licence fees to apply from 12 February 2027

Licence fees for primary processors are based on the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) food handlers at the business, as outlined in the table below. Discounts apply to businesses with relevant certification to Freshcare, SQF, Global G.A.P or BRCGS industry food safety schemes.

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.

Scheme-certified businesses

The Food Authority recognises leafy vegetable businesses 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 processors need to:  

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

These scheme certified businesses do not need an additional food safety program.  

Food safety program

From 12 February 2026, leafy vegetable primary processors 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.  

Processors 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 program will be recognised.

Traceability

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

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

For more guidance on traceability, see the Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s Quick guide – Identification and traceability (PDF, 399 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 or dam 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

Temperature control  

Processors of leafy vegetables 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 primary processors need to make sure the structures, equipment and vehicles used for handling produce do not make the food unsafe to eat.

Poorly made and maintained 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)  

Animals and pests

Leafy vegetable businesses must do all they reasonably can to minimise the presence of animals, vermin and pests in the processing facility premises and equipment.  

This means considering how animals, vermin and pests could get into the areas where leafy vegetables are handled and taking action to minimise their presence or prevent their access.

For more guidance, see:  

• Animals and pests - Food Standards Australia New Zealand  

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).  

Inspections, audits

Audits of leafy vegetable primary 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, businesses 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 primary processors will need to meet the requirements of the:  

• Food Act 2003 (NSW)
• 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