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VFMA COMMITTEE MEMBERS
 
President: Miranda Sharp
Miranda has been involved in the local food industry for many years; as chef, caterer, food writer and market stallholder herself.  She has assisted four Melbourne community groups to establish markets which combine a not-for-profit structure, a viable opportunity for Victorian farmers to take credit for their efforts, and a great atmosphere for local residents. Miranda believes strongly in the possibilities of authentic markets making a difference for Victorian primary producers.  She lives in regional Victoria but can usually be found on a Saturday morning at the Veg Out, Collingwood, Gasworks and Abbotsford Convent Farmers’ Markets.

Vice President: Allen Snaith
The Snaith family have been breeding Belted Galloway Rare Breed Cattle at Clonbinane (VIC) for 28 years.  For the past 10 years Allen has been the Chairperson of the Stud Beef Victoria Herald and Weekly Times Young Cattle Handlers Camp. He has also been Chairperson of the Stock and Land Beef Week Field Days Committee, a member of the Beef Cattle Committee within the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria and assisted with the organisation and running of the annual Royal Melbourne Show beef cattle program.  He believes the emergence of farmers' markets has had the most impact on 'farm effort' recognition and consumer awareness of product for many years, and aims to strengthen the link between producer - consumer - city - country.
 
Secretary: Sue McGorlick
Sue and her husband Bruce have been dairying in northern Victoria since 1978. After some travels overseas, the pair decided to open a B&B and enjoyed it so much that they started making cheese to show people the connection between land and food. Sue has always believed in contributing wherever possible to the industries she’s involved in, having done so with dairy farming, then tourism and now the VFMA.

Treasurer: George Nicolas
George is a fourth generation olive grower.  His family owns an olive grove in Dimboola, which was established in 1945.  The Nicolas family are one of the pioneers of the olive industry and have watched it grow in leaps and bounds.  Their oils and table olives are now sold in various markets in Australia and overseas.  George has also been involved in the accounting industry for 20 years.
 
Committee Representative:
 
Nigel Flannigan
Nigel is an urban planner but also has tertiary qualifications in architecture and economics. From 1969 until 2005, Nigel was a full-time academic in urban planning at the University of Melbourne. He still holds a position of Senior Fellow in the Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning. He has consistently advocated the establishment of farmers market within town centres not only to improve the quality of food offering to urban residents but also to support the farming communities and make the important link between urban and rural communities. He has travelled extensively overseas and has researched farmers markets in the USA, UK and Europe. 
Karin Kuusk
Together with husband John Sisely, Karin settled on a sixty acre property in
Woori Yallock in 1997, where they initially raised cattle and established a small vineyard. After the long drought the couple turned their attentions to the establishment of a winery specialising in wines made without the addition of preservatives. Previously Karin’s career spanned thirty years in the airline industry where she held various positions in finance, administration and marketing.  
 
Latarnie McDonald
Elected September 2011
 
Dennis O'Brien
Elected September 2011
 
Staff Members
 
Sam Edmonds: Executive Officer
Sam indulges several aspects of her life at the VFMA: an honours degree and ten years’ experience in environmental planning was followed by starting a business and entering the world of farmers’ markets as a stallholder. Instrumental in establishing the VFMA on a more sustainable footing, Sam has worked hard to improve customer service in her short time with the organisaion. You can find Sam every weekend at a farmers’ market – always relenting at her kids’ pleas for more blueberries. While at home, friends have always jostled over dinner invitations to experience home cooked and often grown food, even if it means being the subject of experiments!
 
Kath Clarke: Partnerships
Kath had a background in TV, media, commmunications and event coordination, before creating her business, Frank, Food & Me, which she developed as a mouthpiece for the philosophies of Slow Food, local and seasonal eating, and to support local farmers. Kath attends MCFM markets, selling cakes and goods baked with ingredients sourced from the farmers at that market.
 
Tristan Maclean: Accreditation
Tristan comes from a family who strongly believe in the importance of sustainable, chemical free food.  From this background he gained a passion for farmers’ markets, and in 2005 was given the opportunity to manage the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market. Having had experience with FARMA’s accreditation program, Tristan was the ideal person to help design and realise an accreditation scheme suited to Victorian farmers’ and markets. In concert with an Independent Assessment Panel, Tristan manages the Accreditation Program two days per week (Mon & Tues).
 
Erena Norgard: New Stallholder/Market Workshops/Communications
Erena wears many hats at the VFMA. After spending many years working with the Gasworks FM and beginning the University Hill FM she now travels the regions delivering workshops to people keen to become stallholders or market managers and is responsible for the VFMA Communications. She also  sits on the Independent Assessment Panel accrediting producers and markets.  A happily experimental cook, Erena loves creating masterpieces from her weekly market haul and growing tomatoes & herbs in her tiny garden in St Kilda.


 

Janette Smith: Business Support
Janette has an administrative background in the not for profit sector. In 2008/09, she travelled overseas, volunteering at several organic farms and for a reforestation project in a self-sustainable community. This experience had a deep impact on the way Janette viewed the food she consumes and sparked her interest in sustainable living, locally sourced food and organic produce. She is now involved in the running of the Mt Eliza Farmers’ Market and is excited to have returned to working in the not for profit sector, this time for the VFMA, helping to promote and support farmers' markets state-wide. Janette works four days per week, usually Mon- Thurs.